Brett Atkinson, President, Florida, Moss

May 2026 — Invest: sat down with Brett Atkinson, South Florida president of Moss, to discuss demand across the tri-county market, what capital is chasing, and how contractors are planning amid shifting costs. “There is a lot happening, but that does not remove the need to evaluate viability, plan carefully, and make sure deals actually work in real conditions,” Atkinson said.

How would you describe the overall state of construction in South Florida today?

If you like South Florida and you like commercial construction, you picked the right place to live. Compared to many parts of the country, South Florida remains a strong market with steady construction spending and a deep bench of opportunity across all three counties.

We continue to see meaningful activity tied to business migration and wealth migration, which has kept demand elevated across multiple asset types. Infrastructure and hospitality remain on the rise, and even office is showing more resilience than people might expect in this region. The pipeline is not driven by one single category. It is being supported by a broad mix of needs, from public investment to private development.

At the same time, a hot market still requires discipline. There is a lot happening, but that does not remove the need to evaluate viability, plan carefully, and make sure deals actually work in real conditions.

You now oversee both South Florida and Tampa. What are you seeing in Tampa, and how does that shape your view of Florida’s trajectory?

I tend to look at markets through the lens of sustainability, and the only way markets are sustainable is when you have educated jobs. They create long-term demand across sectors, and that demand becomes the foundation for development and construction activity that lasts.

Tampa has changed materially over time. It was not always viewed as a sustainable place in the same way, because it had more of a retirement profile. Now it is a vibrant market where investment has accelerated and jobs have been created, and that is shifting the long-term outlook for the region.

For Moss, being active in both South Florida and Tampa reinforces the broader point that Florida continues to present opportunity. Opportunity is the first ingredient in any prosperous business. The goal is not simply to be present in growing places, but to stay ahead of where sustainable demand is forming and invest accordingly.

How is access to financing shaping the types of projects being built right now?

As a contractor, we have very little control over certain parts of the process. We do not control permitting. We do not typically control design. What we can control is how we execute, how we plan, and how we manage risk. Financing sits at the front end of the process, and it is one of the determining factors in whether projects move from concept to reality.

A key dynamic in this market is that capital flows by sector, and it flows in cycles. Developers may be confident in a vision, but the project still has to pencil out. That means looking closely at capital stacks, equity expectations, underwriting standards, and where lenders and investors have appetite.

In South Florida today, luxury condos continue to be a significant driver. That sector has remained an attractive place for equity and financing, and it has helped fuel a major portion of the overall construction activity. Other categories are more complicated. The apartment and rental sector was easier for a long time, but it is not easy now without subsidies or rent rates that can overcome interest rates, insurance costs, construction costs, and other variables. In many cases, a deal either works or it does not.

Public work is also playing a larger role. Financing is generally available there, and we are seeing more activity tied to public investment than in some earlier cycles when private development drove a larger share of spending. Healthcare, public infrastructure, and transportation are examples of sectors with more dependable funding pathways.

There is also an important distinction between access to capital and the ability to structure a deal that makes sense. There is plenty of interest in the market, but land costs in South Florida can be so high that the real question becomes whether the economics work. If a developer or public entity can make the pro formas work, access to capital is usually straightforward.

Banks make money by lending money, but they still want good deals. If the numbers work for the return expectations, financing tends to follow. If the numbers do not work, it does not matter how compelling the project is on paper.

What challenges are you seeing in the construction industry right now, and what strategies help you navigate them?

People often look at strong construction cycles and assume it must be easy to be a contractor. The reality is that there is always something making it difficult. The issue changes, but the need to manage uncertainty and project execution does not.

One challenge right now is volatility in policy and pricing, especially around tariffs. Project teams are not only building the building, they are navigating procurement conditions that can shift quickly. That means sourcing materials differently based on tariff impacts, watching timing, and trying to secure best value while still protecting schedule. The goal is to make sure clients get what they need at the right time, even as external conditions move.

It has also been a shift from other recent pressures. For a period, many teams were focused on supply chain fragility and hard-to-get equipment post-COVID. Now, the focus is more on volatility and cost exposure, and being ready to adapt quickly when the market changes.

The strategies that matter most are fundamentals. Strong supplier relationships. Strong subcontractor partnerships. Clear communication with owners. A planning culture that is realistic about risk. We stay dialed in with vendors and subcontractors so we can respond quickly and maintain control over the factors we can influence.

Execution confidence also comes from internal alignment. When we start a job, we want to be confident in our employees, our systems, and our subcontractor partners so we can confidently deliver on schedule. That is one of the few areas where contractors can truly lead, and it becomes even more important when external variables are unpredictable.

Capacity in the trade base is another pressure point. As South Florida has grown rapidly, the trade base has not necessarily increased at the same rate. Trade contractors and construction managers often get into trouble when the market is hot, not when it is contracting, because resources stretch, commitments stack up, and cash flow becomes harder to manage. That is why we monitor backlog closely and pay attention to how stretched our trade partners are, what they have in progress, and what they have committed beyond us.

What role does technology play in your operations today, and is it making the industry more efficient?

At Moss, we believe in staying on the the leading edge on technology, not the bleeding edge. We want to invest, but we want to invest with intention and measurable value. Internally, we have expanded investment in AI, and we recently rolled out an internal platform called Mosaic. The value is access and speed. It allows employees to access internal information and data in a more usable way, which supports better decision-making and better consistency.

For years, a priority has been improving best practices and building systems that are accessible, including on mobile devices. AI has accelerated that work. Over time, the opportunity is to streamline more of the process, including preconstruction and field execution, while improving back-of-house efficiency in areas like HR and accounting. The goal is not to cut jobs. The goal is to scale growth with smarter systems and fewer bottlenecks.

What gives you the most confidence in South Florida’s long-term potential as a destination for development and investment?

The headline attractions are obvious, but the foundation is jobs. When you have a robust economy and educated jobs coming to the region, it creates opportunity across sectors. That touches education, infrastructure, airports, hospitality, and the broader public realm. It creates sustained demand for development and investment, which supports commercial construction.

People want to come here, and people want to visit, and that demand remains a meaningful driver. Assuming broader conditions remain stable, the region is positioned well for the coming years.

What are your priorities over the next three to five years?

The priority is to continue leaning into markets and sectors that have long-term stability and consistent investment. Moss is fortunate to be diverse across sectors, and that diversity creates flexibility when a specific asset type slows.

A core discipline is monitoring the market and being willing to pivot early. If one sector is cooling, we can shift focus to areas with stronger fundamentals. The key is staying nimble, understanding what is happening locally, and making thoughtful commitments that align with capacity, partners, and long-term opportunity.

Is there anything we did not cover that you want to add?

One issue that stands out is affordability. The cost of living has increased significantly in South Florida, and wages have not grown proportionately. Over time, that mismatch can create strain on the workforce and on the region’s ability to remain a place where people can live with dignity.

This is a shared responsibility. I volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and serve on the board, and I believe it is important for leaders in development and business to stay focused on wages and housing. South Florida cannot thrive if it only works for the wealthy. It has to remain a place where the people who power the region can afford to live and build a life.