Hedrick Brothers Construction Helps Deliver Award-Winning Nora District Redevelopment

Highlights

• The Nora District in West Palm Beach won the South Florida Business Journal’s 2026 Structures Award for Best Mixed-Use Project.
• The 40-acre redevelopment spans approximately 2.5 million square feet.
• The first phase includes more than 150,000 square feet of retail and over 55,000 square feet of Class A creative office space.
• Hedrick Brothers Construction and Burkhardt Construction served as general contractors.
• The project opened in November 2025 following an initial budget exceeding $150 million.

Adaptive Reuse Transforms Historic Industrial Warehouses

The Nora District, a large-scale mixed-use redevelopment in West Palm Beach, Florida, received the South Florida Business Journal’s 2026 Structures Award for Best Mixed-Use Project, recognizing the transformation of historic industrial buildings into a contemporary commercial destination.

The development occupies 40 acres along North Railroad Avenue and covers approximately 2.5 million square feet. Rather than replacing the area’s century-old warehouses, the project team retained original brickwork and structural features, incorporating modern architectural elements while preserving the neighborhood’s industrial character.

The development is led by NDT Development, Place Projects and Wheelock Street Capital. Hedrick Brothers Construction and Burkhardt Construction served as general contractors, with ASD Sky as architect and Jezerinac Group as structural engineer.

Retail and Office Space Anchor First Phase

The Nora District opened in November 2025. Its first phase delivered more than 150,000 square feet of retail space and over 55,000 square feet of second-floor Class A creative office space, creating a pedestrian-oriented environment for businesses, visitors and workers.

The project’s initial budget, including acquisition, development and leasing costs, exceeded $150 million. The redevelopment has been described as one of West Palm Beach’s largest projects of its kind since CityPlace opened in 2000.

The development team also included ArquitectonicaGEO for landscape design, Robert M. Currey & Associates for risk management and Bank OZK for financing.

Why It Matters for Commercial Redevelopment

The Nora District demonstrates how adaptive reuse can bring older industrial properties into new commercial use while retaining elements of their architectural history. For developers and construction teams, projects of this scale require coordination between preservation goals, modern building requirements and the delivery of multiple property uses.

The award adds recognition to a redevelopment that combines retail and office space with historic preservation, contributing to West Palm Beach’s evolving commercial landscape.

Source: Hedrick Brothers.