Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another SLG meetup, your host, Alvaro. Today, I'm in a different place, I mean the Maldives, but we still keep going with this series of incredible individuals that have so many amazing things to share with us in the luxury field. And today we're going to have Patrick Lee, he's the CEO and founder of Short-Quest Construction, which is a high-end new construction and renovation company that specializes on luxury residential plus boutique commercial, as well as the offices retail and hospitality. They're basically Miami and they work on different areas such as Miami, Broad and Palm Beach.
And they're going over the latest industries in real estate. What's good? Good morning Alvaro. How are you?
Good night here. Good night. I'm well. Thanks again for being here today.
It's an honor to have you and to have Short-Quest Construction. So it's my honor to be here, but you're in the Maldives. I mean, man, must be beautiful out there right now. It's beautiful.
I will show you, but it's not. I mean, it's still nice. But no, can't complain. So I'm getting a little bit of a tan, which I needed.
So it's so nice. But let's talk about you because you are the CEO and founder of Short-Quest Construction, which is one of the elite companies right now in high-end new construction and renovation in the Miami, Broad and Palm Beach area. So tell us a little bit about the story. Well, so I came to Miami to build the Four Seasons on Breggold.
And at the time, it was the first building of that kind really down here. So the tallest building south of Atlanta, the tallest residential building south of New York, it was a really big deal at the time. And they were recruiting talent from around the southeast. And I got lucky to become part of that team.
The team was incredible. I got to work with amazing people in my profession, along with incredible architects and interior designers, and a developer that was really talented. So Millennium Partners was the developer of that project. After we built it, I went to Millennium Partners and I became a consultant for them.
What we were doing was hiring GCs to do all the little projects. There were all kinds of things. Two million square feet of building. You finish it.
There's all kinds of stuff. And after a year of that, I went back to Millennium Partners and said, man, these little GCs are making me crazy. I come from a big company in a great team where everything was organized and structured. There was a real system in place to get this stuff done.
And the Miami contractors were different. So I asked Millennium Partners, I told them I was a GCs, so I can build it. So I started the company that gave me a condo in the four seasons on the 66 floors in my office. I was doing a lot of things for them, maintenance and doing all kinds of projects for them at the time.
But it started off by I am a superintendent in the part-time bookkeeper and started the company there. From there, we got all kinds of opportunities that it would be hard to get otherwise. We got to work in an operating five-star hotel. We got to build out restaurants and work in a luxury sports club and then constant residential opportunities.
And from there, I grew the company. Now it's a real team. I'm surrounded by really good people that I'm lucky to work with. Incredible.
A lot of them are much smarter than I am. And so we're having a lot of fun. We get really good opportunities. Well, that's awesome.
Patrick, I mean, I've seen some of the trajectory of your business and it's phenomenal. You also mentioned that you've been working also with Soho House on helping to do the entire renovation in Miami. We did. We renovated Soho House top to bottom.
The project was completed right before, right before, really the lockdown with COVID. And it was another, just like what an incredible experience. Their team is so much fun. Their design aesthetic is really great.
And once again, it was an operating hotel. We had to work closely with their general manager, with their entire team to keep their business functioning and get done what they needed us to get done. But just a fun, great experience working with that. That's great.
That's great, Patrick. Tell us a little bit about how you're currently seeing the market. It is incredible right now. We're getting calls daily about opportunities.
And they range across the board, people are moving businesses here and talking to us about offices. People are moving their family business here, even if they're corporate. Office needs to stay somewhere else. And we're seeing those opportunities.
The influx of people is incredible. So right now, I see 2021, 2022, 2023 as going to be incredible times for us in the real estate construction industries. What do you think about what's going to happen in the upcoming year when it comes to the commercial space? I feel positive that people are going to start using office spaces more and more.
We learned a lot about our business. I sent everybody home for a couple of months and we went through that whole process. And we're starting to get back to where our team wants to be together. And so we're back up to having everybody in the office three days a week and then remote the other days.
More and more, all the business leaders I know are seeing the same thing that their people want to have some interaction in place. So I think more and more offices are going to open. I'm not talking about it. I mean, we're, everybody's getting vaccinated.
We're seeing the benefits of that. I think, you know, out in the near future, we're going to be closer to normal. I'm very excited to see both elements, you know, the commercial and residential combined and make our supply that, you know, something that we've never seen before. I agree completely.
I mean, I've had the benefit of being down here for a little more than 20 years and seeing the growth in South Florida over that period of time. And it's gone from being kind of a, whatever you want to call it, it wasn't one of the major metropolitan cities in the world, although it was appreciated for what it was, to becoming one of the major metropolitan and business hubs. And you know, where I see that, obviously in the business line, we see it and the people coming down, but it's become an architectural city. You know, the level of architecture and interior design has increased here.
So significant over the last period of years, the local designers really out their game, me doing incredible work, world renowned work, and the international and national designers are coming in. I think South Florida is going to be, is seeing like a renaissance period. It's just going to get better and better. Big names, you know, especially when you look into, let's say, the commercial space for restaurants, big brands are migrating towards Miami or opening their, you know, the spots there.
And that's also bringing such a nice, sexy and high demand to the cities that we have in South Florida that it's incredible. So, you know, I think that this is only the beginning of a big wave of a lot of construction and growth. I agree. And I'm looking forward to seeing where the city grows too.
You mentioned to brands. We're lucky to be working with the back and tell group on two spaces. You remember where back and tell was here? They've been closed for a bit.
Actually prior to COVID, they were closed and we're relocating them to another commercial space and we're opening another brand for them in that current space. And I mean, they are, they're raring to go, you know, they're expecting the market to be hot, you know, and everybody to the outcome September, October. They're pushing us hard. I'm sure, I'm sure.
So Patrick, let me ask you this because you obviously touch different areas when it comes to luxury and high-end new construction. So what is really luxury to you? To me personally, what is luxury? I mean, time and health are luxury.
I think we're lucky to be alive. I think we're lucky to be here. I think we're lucky to be healthy. And you know, spending that time wisely surrounded by good friends, people you love and being able to dedicate time and attention to them is the most critical thing.
In my business, I mean, I'm surrounded by luxury architecture, luxury inter, luxury cars, luxury everything. You know, our clients are, are typically, you know, fabulous and wealthy people. And I appreciate all of those things. I really do appreciate all those things.
I appreciate the effort it makes to put them together. But I think this last year kind of really taught me that time and health are our number one luxuries. So true. Well, thanks for sharing that, Patrick, because it's true that sometimes we forget that one of the major luxuries that we have in life is our health, you know, and I think that's something to really be grateful for.
So thanks for sharing that. No, 100%. You know, it was an eye-opener for me. I think I was starting to think that way, but COVID drove that idea home.
That's true. So Patrick, let's also touch base a little bit about you personally because you seem like a very, very nice, chill guy, very positive, always uplifted, always moving forward with new projects. So what are some of the things that I will say have Carrie, you become that person, become Patrick today? You know, I would say, you know, the number one thing is I've been fortunate to know some really great people.
I've had incredible mentors in my life. I've had incredible friends that have taught me a lot of things and I surround myself with positive people. So, you know, in my life, I want to be that for other people. I want to be a positive influence.
I want to be a positive voice. I also want to be a good sounding board for the people in my life. You know, I've got several people that I go to when things are challenging or when I've got something to figure out and that don't just say, you know, yes or do that or try to agree with me. They go back and forth and make me think and work for the right answer.
And I appreciate that. So I think the number one thing is just the people out around and I'm lucky to be around really great people in my life. Great, great points, Patrick. I mean, definitely mentors is like a time machine.
You know, you learn so much in such a short period of time through their experiences that it's very valuable. Now, I want to also learn things from you because you've had all these years of experience in the industry that we are also involved. And another thing that I will have asked you before, now not so much, but I always wanted to grow my hair really long and I don't know why I couldn't. I was getting annoyed.
I was a tennis player, so I always like used to get annoyed when the hair was getting long, but I wanted to. So I really am you that you can carry it so nicely on Flawlett. That's very nice. That's hilarious.
Yeah, I don't have an answer to that question. Yeah, but congrats, man. I love it. It's very nice.
And it suits you well. So thank you. Besides that, Patrick, I don't know if there's any takeaways that you would like to share with the audience. Takeaways on business, takeaways on real estate.
Anything in general, something that if you have to share something with the audience that are involved in the luxury space, whether it's real estate, for residential, commercial, what will be something that you could share with them? I mean, a couple of things that I share with you, we were just talking about mentoring and being surrounded by positive people. And a couple of things that I talk to people about that are younger than me that are figuring things out is number one, you have to see opportunity when it presents itself and be willing to take the risk to dive in. And things aren't always going to work out, but that's the way you can really build the life you want, is seeing opportunity and taking risk.
Another thing that's critically important is surrounding yourself like we just said with good people. It really is a reflection of where you're going, who you're spending your time with, who you're listening to. And the more those people are positive, taking action and growing themselves, the more naturally you gain that energy and it becomes circular. You're providing that and they're providing that back to you.
From a Miami standpoint, I think that the market is going to be incredible. I think prices are going to continue to rise. I think people are going to continue to come as they find what a great city has become. I say Miami out of habit, but it's really South Florida.
All free markets are seeing the benefit of what's going on in the world. All three counties, I should say. And I think over the next period, people should come and join us. Come play in the South Florida area.
I like it Patrick. Thank you so much for sharing everything. And for everybody that is listening or watching us, please make sure to follow their page, short-crest construction. Check out what they're doing.
Amazing projects from Fisher Island to, you know, South Ohio renovations for Brown. You know, all these Palm Beach, different counties. I mean, you guys are all over the place and doing phenomenal working residential commercial. So please make sure to check them out.
And if there's any questions, reach out directly to them. You can always contact us as well. But definitely Patrick. I look forward to seeing you Miami once in the back.
And I'll send you the tips on where to go or stay when you come to Maldives. Very beautiful here. And I am coming. I want to get there.
If you have an extra room, I'll hit a plane right now. Hey, don't say it twice. Let's go. All right, I'll work.
I would love to get together when you get back in town. And I appreciate so much you taking the time to talk to me today. It was a lot of fun. Thank you.
And thanks again, Patrick. Take care. We'll see you in the next video. Thank you.
Thank you, everybody. Take care. Bye bye. And thanks again for everybody tuning in today.
We hope you enjoyed it. And remember, embrace its beautiful success in life. My name is Alvaro and I'll see you next time.