On November 21, dignitaries from the City of DeLand, its Public Services department, and members of the public joined Wharton-Smith to cut the ribbon and officially open the Jim Ailes Utilities Administration Building. See photos.
The two-story, 24,000 SF building is home to DeLand’s Utilities and Engineering departments. Previously, employees across the Utilities Department were spread across several buildings at the City’s Public Services Complex. The new office space will hold around 95 employees, and there will be additional office and parking spaces for future needs.
The new building will also serve as a centralized emergency operations center when employees are activated for hurricanes and other events. The facility comes equipped with a kitchen, laundry room, weight room, and community room.
In what was an emotional moment, Utilities Director Jim Ailes, a 43-year employee who the building is named after, expressed his gratitude during the event as his dream project of having one building for the entire staff finally came to fruition.
DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman echoed Jim’s excitement and thanked Wharton-Smith for its work in the city. “To Wharton-Smith, this facility is beautiful,” Mayor Cloudman said. “You are helping to improve the City of DeLand, not just through this, but through elementary schools, water plants, and so on. The work you are doing in our community is much appreciated.”
“Thank you to the City of DeLand for entrusting Wharton-Smith with this construction,” said Project Executive James De La Rosa. “We are honored to serve as the city’s construction group of choice, and we look forward to continuing to support this vibrant community.”
