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Fred Starling Q&A
FRED STARLING
OWNER, PRESIDENT
FRED STARLING INC. AND FRED M. STARLING INC.
PARTNER
OSPREY MANAGEMENT CO. LLC
The Facts
Years in the business: 23
Past notable developments: Much of the development at the intersection of Bee Ridge Road and Cattlemen Road, north on Cattlemen up through the Federal Express Distribution Office; a series of medical buildings for Intercoastal Medical Group.
Square feet of commercial real estate development: About 1 million
Headquarters: Sarasota
Where he lives: Siesta Key
The Scoop
What's going to drive development over the next 18 months to five years? "The residential influx, the people moving to the area. Quite simply, that's what's going to drive it."
Do you see rate of growth increasing? "I think it will stay steady."
What are the risks that concern you the most over this period? "Things that nobody can control or foresee, such as perhaps another 9/11 type of incident."
What advice would you give to public officials to deal with this new development? "They have to look more long term as to how they're going to plan for infrastructure, roads and utilities. I don't think they can look at it on a three- to five-year basis. They have to take an aggressive approach to providing that infrastructure, not just planning for it."
What mark do you want to leave on this area? "Just producing some good buildings and some good developments that are well planned, designed and landscaped and function well for our tenants and clients."
Personal
Where do you go to escape the office? What types of recreation do you enjoy? "I'm a fisherman and boater, and I play a little golf."
Favorite restaurant: "My kitchen. I don't really have a favorite restaurant. There are several good ones that we enjoy."
How do you stay ahead of the pack? "Purchasing properties that we see are in the path of growth. If you don't control the properties, then it's difficult to control your destiny here in the development business."
Key gadget on his desk: A picture of his boat, a model of his airplane and pictures of his family.
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