Spotlight On: Robyn Raphael Dynan, President, RCC Associates
January 2025 — Robyn Raphael-Dynan, president of general contracting firm RCC Associates, talked to Invest: about the company’s top highlights from the past year, the challenges for the construction industry, and its specialization in the restaurant and hospitality industry. “We don’t just take any hotel project. It needs to be aligned with what we do to make sense,” she said.
What were the main highlights and key milestones for RCC Associates during the last year?
RCC is a national general contractor that specializes in building restaurants and hospitality venues. We have seen an explosion in growth, and not only in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. We have traveled to 30 states outside of Florida. Still, by far, Miami has seen the most growth, especially with the type of restaurants that we build, which are very high-end, experiential restaurants. Every seat offers a unique view, transforming a meal into a memorable experience rather than just a quick bite to eat. Additionally, we are witnessing a growing trend in private membership clubs within the hospitality sector, as well as a surge in high-end fitness and wellness centers. It’s an honor to be a part of the growth in this vibrant market. Looking ahead, we anticipate even more expansion in South Florida, backed by a robust project backlog as we move into 2025 and 2026.
What is your overview of the restaurant and hospitality construction industry?
We’re seeing a lot of international clients coming to South Florida and making their U.S. debut in Miami, which is exciting for everyone to be a part of. We’ve seen an opportunity to get involved very early on in the process. That is a trend we haven’t seen as much before, just in terms of getting pricing and planning and getting into the city and trying to be prepared for all the different challenges that come with building in South Florida.
Some of the projects we have under construction right now, just in the Miami area, include Maple & Ash, Amazonico, and Cactus Club. These are all big, experiential restaurants that are in different stages from preconstruction to almost being completed. Helping our clients reach their budget, making sure all materials are procured, and delivering a quality project on time is what we do best.
We’ve successfully completed a multitude of hotel projects. We recently finished an extensive renovation of The Mayfair Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove. From top to bottom, we touched every piece of that hotel, and we’re really proud of it. It’s such a historic and unique property in Miami.
Additional noteworthy hospitality projects that we have recently completed in Miami include the F&B venues at the Moxy hotel, renovation of the Axel Beach Hotel, Royal Palm Hotel, Quinto and Sugar at the Hotel East and many others over the years. We’re selective in taking on new projects, as we want to ensure we can continue to provide the highest level of service to our existing repeat clients and that the new projects are the right fit for our team. We take great pride in our highly skilled team of professionals who are passionate about building extraordinary spaces and fostering lasting relationships with our clients. There are numerous high-profile confidential projects in the works that we are excited to share more on next year.
What differentiates RCC Associates from its competitors?
We’ve been in business for 53 years. We are a true family-owned and run business. My dad started the business and when he passed away, my mom stepped in, and together we have been running the business for over 20 years. We have employees who have been with us for 30+years. On average, most of our team members have been with us for at least 10 to 15 years.
This consistency in team members differentiates us, especially for our clients who don’t want to start over every time they want to expand a restaurant, or try a new concept. They feel comfortable with the team they have worked with before, who has already gained the learning curve from working together and they’re able to just keep moving around the country with the same team.
Our long-standing relationships with subcontractors and material providers are invaluable in delivering the highest quality space for our clients. These relationships are foundational to our success; empathizing with our clients and understanding their challenges allows us to collaboratively find ways to minimize their risks and costs. We often collaborate with international designers who specify materials from overseas, which introduces unique challenges related to distance, time zones, and language barriers. Our diverse staff, fluent in multiple languages, has been instrumental in navigating these complexities.
At RCC, we invest in our people as they are our greatest asset and having an amazing company culture is critical to our success. We take great pride in the longevity of our team members. At the end of the day, our highly skilled team of professionals and long-standing relationships in the industry are the biggest differentiators to our competitors.
How is technology changing the way you do business?
There are so many different options. For us, it’s still very old-school construction. We still need all of our superintendents to pull out their tape measures. There’s no substitute for an eye for detail. There are certain things that we haven’t been able to see besides the software that we use to manage the process. I haven’t been able to see any 3D imaging outside of the planning stage, for example. It’s more in the preconstruction than the actual building.
It is still a craft to put drywall up, and it’s a craft to do millwork. I know that there is tons of machinery that helps fast-track building, but at the end of the day, there is no substitute for the care that goes into making those high-end finishes look a certain way.
What are the primary challenges for the construction industry?
The labor shortage is very hard. It’s not only about finding someone who knows construction, but it’s somebody who knows how to put a kitchen together, how the hoods and the HVAC and the electrical all speak to each other. It’s very complicated. I’m sure our restaurant clients are feeling the exact same thing in terms of finding people who want to do the work, who are invested, and who want to be there. The people and the talent are very important to us.
When there is a great project manager and a great superintendent who loves the project and the project’s owner feels like those people are watching out for them, it’s a much different experience.
What are the primary goals and objectives for RCC over the next two to three years?
We are witnessing significant growth and an influx of unique restaurant and hospitality projects in South Florida and across the nation, which gives us a sense of optimism for the future. While recent hurricanes have devastated parts of our state and will require time to rebuild, we recognize that this will likely impact material availability and manpower.
Despite these challenges, RCC is committed to remaining proactive and delivering results. We plan to continue leading the market in the construction of high-end restaurants and hospitality projects, adapting to the evolving landscape while maintaining our standards of excellence.
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