Concord Pools & Spas, the Latham, N.Y.-based PSN Top 50 Builder, has entered the Sunshine State.
However, it’s incorporating a different business model down south. While the company’s two New York locations install fiberglass and vinyl-liner pools, along with providing retail and service, its Florida operation will focus solely on fiberglass pools for the time being.
And its plan is targeted in more ways than one, with the company currently planning to focus solely on Babcock Ranch, an 18,000-acre planned community in southwest Florida, near Punta Gorda. In addition to its size, the community distinguishes itself in its sustainability efforts, calling itself the first solar-powered town, as well as being designed to resist the impact of hurricanes.
“It became apparent pretty quickly when we stumbled on Babcock Ranch that it aligns with our philosophy and business,” said Concord President/Chief Vision Officer Jon Foshee. “We believe in being innovative, giving our customers the best possible experience, and we use a lot of technology and automation.”
Like the developers of Babock Ranch itself, Concord took a very intentional approach to its Florida office.
“We did our research, everything aligned for us, and it’s working out really well so far,” Foshee said.
The community is predicted to boast 19,000 residents in 10 years, with 40% of the homeowners adding a pool in the first two years, Foshee said. At that rate, fiberglass seemed the best fit.
“Speed of build is so critical — they’re building and selling the homes so fast,” Foshee said. “You think about how fast we can install a fiberglass pool here and how that will work in Florda.”
The team went south and installed a pool to find out installation times down there. “In 34 days we went start to finish,” Foshee explains. “So we saw all this opportunity.”
Developers of Babcock Ranch have specifically planned the placement, styles, color palettes and lot sizes for the properties. In kind, the Concord team has curated a selection of pool models and sizes that it deemed most appropriate to offer this community, best suited to the plot sizes and design styles used in the tracts. Many of the pool models are rectangles to accommodate automatic pool covers, which they believe will sell well in the community. Customized options also will be made available.
The company broke ground on its facility last month, expecting a showroom to be ready in October, 2025. In the meantime, it plans to begin construction in earnest this month. Until the Florida operation can sustain a dedicated crew, Concord will transport and house construction staff to build the jobs as they come. The sales team will work out of a local coworking space until the showroom opening.
After everything is up and running, the administrative side will continue to run out of the company’s Latham, N.Y. office.
Foshee said the team has its eyes on other spots to expand in the future, but that would happen down the road.
“My goal is to get this one right first,” he said.
