Corporate Profile

Updated for 2009

Florida Acquisition & Appraisal Inc. (FLAA) is pre-qualified in Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to provide turnkey right of way, conservation and other related real estate acquisition services. FLAA has been providing these consulting services since 1995.

FLAA focuses on providing full service consulting, predominately public sector turnkey land acquisition, relocation, property management, surplus property disposition, asbestos abatement contracting and management, demolition contracting, condemnation lawsuit styling and preparation, appraisal and appraisal review, title search, cost estimating and related expert witness and/or abbreviated services as directed.

FLAA provides private and public sector acquisition and disposition of real property in accordance with Chapters 73, 74, 253 and 337 Florida Statutes, Chapter 14-75, Florida Administrative Code, Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Act of 1970, as amended, Federal Code of Regulations, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), USPAP and the Supplemental Standards as required. As FDOT is one of the largest public land acquisition agencies in the state of Florida, it is important to note that FLAA is one of less than ten firms pre-qualified in the state of Florida and approved to provide all segments of services statewide; Group 20 (Appraisal & Appraisal Review), Group 21 (Acquisition, Negotiations, Closing, Order of Taking), Group 24 (Acquisition Relocation Assistance) and Group 25 (Right of Way Clearing and Leasing). Also noteworthy, President, Jack Curatelli, SR/WA, founded and presided over two of those qualified firms.

FLAA principles and staff take pride in their diversity of experience, knowledge of and responsibility for the successful management and production of some of the largest state and federal real estate acquisition and relocation programs ever undertaken. Some of these projects are: I-275, I-4 Ybor City, I-595 Port Everglades Expressway, I-75 Alligator Alley, Suncoast Parkway, Polk County Parkway and the Florida High Speed Rail to name a few. FLAA consistently achieves an 85% negotiated settlement rate. Noteworthy are the firm’s Capital Circle SE Phase I project for Blueprint 2000 & Beyond Intergovernmental Agency (City of Tallahassee/Leon County) and the I-4 Ybor City project for FDOT District Seven in Tampa. This high profile FDOT project included a total of 221 acquisition and 130 last resort relocation parcels, and FLAA settled 188 parcels avoiding costly litigation. Noteworthy, is the firm’s commitment to cross training and developing real estate specialists prepared to solve our client’s challenges. This cross training represents a priority to us, which further enhances our ability to maintain a full service platform while allowing us the most cost effective method of providing that service to the taxpayer.

In addition, FLAA has implemented and operates one of the most comprehensive and effective information technology initiatives in the industry. We maintain an integrated web-enabled database (SQL Server 2007) to bring nearly real time project reporting to our clients’ desktops. The backbone of FLAA’s network is Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory, which includes Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 for all contact management needs. Utilization of this server software also gives FLAA the ability to host both Internet and Intranet websites. FLAA is able to provide remote server access for all users and allow all employees accessibility to our groupware product via Outlook Web Access from any place in the world with Internet access.

All FLAA workstations run Microsoft Windows Vista Business Edition with the most recent service packs and security patches. While the primary office suite utilized is Microsoft Office 2007, FLAA has the ability to work with virtually any document requested by the client. The full range of programs that are in use includes but is not limited to: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Access, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Publisher and Adobe Acrobat. FLAA has nearly the full capabilities of a professional publisher in-house, including high resolution scanning, color laser printing and digital photography. Digital photo editing and video capture/editing are also performed in-house.

FLAA also maintains a dynamic website, enabling mobile users and clients the ability to communicate and view information vital to project production and job functions. Utilizing the latest in scanning technology, we are able to digitally capture and store electronically all hard copy documentation. This allows us to archive files and web deliver documentation instantaneously, or package this data and deliver it via email, CD, DVD or any media the client prefers. The cost savings, speed and efficiency of having these tools within a “mouse-click” away are passed along to our clients.

The most innovative feature of the FLAA Information Technology Program lies in the FLAA Online Project Management System. This system is one of the most comprehensive information technology initiatives the industry has ever seen. This web-enabled database allows our clients to review projects and parcel files in near real time over the Internet. All records are scanned into the system and posted on a secure website for the client’s review and can be printed, downloaded and saved. FLAA’s servers are firewall protected with full data backups and off site storage. The ability to view this data 24 hours a day significantly increases productivity.

FLAA is committed to being the leader in land acquisition information technology and can confidently say no other right of way firm currently employs this capability. This technology, unique to the industry, is being utilized on all of our current projects. It has proven to save hundreds of hours in production time and FLAA passes this savings, convenience, and efficiency to our clients. We look forward to demonstrating this capability.

FLAA can staff your project with nearly twenty professionals from its offices in Tampa, Florida and Lakeland, Florida.