Disaster Recovery in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg sits on the Pinellas Peninsula—essentially a barrier island chain connected to the mainland. This unique geography means nearly the entire county is surrounded by water on three sides: Tampa Bay to the east, Boca Ciega Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Barrier islands like Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, and Pass-a-Grille face extreme storm surge vulnerability, potentially exceeding 15 feet in major hurricanes. Additionally, many St. Petersburg structures predate modern wind codes, and the county's dense development limits evacuation routes. Our disaster recovery team understands these unique challenges and provides comprehensive restoration when storms impact Pinellas County properties.

Our principal, Frank Bragano, brings 43+ years of property claims experience, including 7 years as an Allstate Commercial Property Adjuster (1982-1989) and subsequent work as an Executive General Adjuster with CJW-Vericlaim and Sedgwick. We've completed significant projects throughout St. Petersburg including work at Bay Pines Veterans Hospital—a $2 million federal historic restoration project. This combination of insurance industry background and local project experience means we understand both the claims process and St. Petersburg's specific building and historic preservation requirements.

St. Petersburg's Old Northeast Historic District contains approximately 2,300 contributing structures built between 1911 and 1940. Disaster recovery in this district requires specialized expertise in period construction methods, materials, and coordination with the St. Petersburg Historic Preservation Commission. We follow Secretary of the Interior Standards for restoration and can source or fabricate period-appropriate materials including historic windows, doors, woodwork, and masonry. Our experience at Bay Pines Veterans Hospital and Tampa Bay historic projects prepares us for the unique requirements of Old Northeast restoration.

We specialize in large loss disaster recovery, typically projects exceeding $250,000. Our St. Petersburg portfolio targets commercial properties, multi-family residential complexes including downtown condominiums, waterfront properties, HOA common areas, and high-value single-family homes. Our Hurricane Harvey response in Texas exceeded $40M total, and our Hurricane Irma work in Miami exceeded $20M—demonstrating our capacity for major disaster mobilization when Pinellas County needs it.

Yes, Florida Construction Specialists works with all major insurance carriers on commercial and residential large loss claims in St. Petersburg. Our professional relationships with carriers, adjusters, and claims professionals throughout Florida help facilitate efficient claim processing. We maintain the documentation standards and professional communication that carriers expect from experienced restoration contractors, whether you're insured by Citizens, Universal, Tower Hill, or any other carrier.

St. Petersburg's highest-risk areas include the barrier islands (Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Pass-a-Grille, St. Pete Beach), the downtown waterfront district along Beach Drive and 1st Street, Shore Acres, Snell Isle, and low-lying areas near Salt Creek and Coffee Pot Bayou. Commercial properties in the downtown core face both storm surge and wind exposure. The Old Northeast historic district, while slightly elevated, contains older structures requiring specialized restoration when damaged. We understand Pinellas County's flood zones and can help property owners navigate FEMA requirements during restoration.

Following major disasters, we coordinate our response with Pinellas County Emergency Management and the City of St. Petersburg Building Department. This includes understanding access restrictions to barrier islands, coordinating with debris removal operations, securing emergency permits when needed, and ensuring our restoration work aligns with community recovery priorities. Our established relationships with local officials help expedite the restoration process while maintaining proper protocol.

Hurricane restoration timelines vary significantly by project scope and barrier island access. Emergency stabilization typically takes 1-3 days once site access is available. Water extraction and structural drying require 5-14 days, and structural repairs range from 30-90 days. Complete restoration of large commercial or multi-family properties often requires 6-12 months, depending on damage extent, permit timelines through the City of St. Petersburg Building Department, and material availability—which can be strained following major events affecting all of Pinellas County.

Downtown St. Petersburg's commercial core has experienced significant development, with many mid-rise and high-rise properties along Beach Drive, Central Avenue, and the waterfront. Our commercial disaster recovery addresses structural repair, building envelope restoration, tenant improvement reconstruction, and coordination with multiple stakeholders including property owners, tenants, and insurance carriers. We understand the urgency of returning commercial properties to operation and work efficiently while maintaining quality standards.

We handle all major disaster types affecting St. Petersburg including hurricane and tropical storm damage, coastal flooding and storm surge, fire and smoke damage, tornado damage, hail damage, water intrusion from failed roofs or building envelopes, and saltwater intrusion damage common in barrier island properties. Our services encompass structural repair, roof reconstruction, interior restoration, mold remediation coordination, and complete building envelope reconstruction. As a prime contractor, we manage all aspects of restoration from emergency response through final completion.