One of America’s richest women born in Wisconsin named a partner in Florida redevelopment

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A Beloit-based general contractor owned by one of the richest women in the United States will have a share in redeveloping a beachfront park in Florida.

Pensacola, Fla.-based The Dawson Company announced Beloit-based Corporate Contractors Inc. will be a co-developer, co-owner and investment partner in the first phase of a $200 million redevelopment of Community Maritime Park in Pensacola.

Diane Hendricks, named the richest self-made woman in the U.S. by Forbes and cofounder of ABC Supply, owns Corporate Contractors Inc. through the Hendricks Holding Company.

Hendricks will partner with Dawson, doing business as Inspired Communities of Florida, and NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith as co-developer and co-owner of the 154-room Reverb by Hard Rock Hotel and 248-unit Rhythm Lofts at Community Maritime Park. CCI will join what is known as the ICF-Smith partnership, officials noted.

“This partnership represents the alignment of vision, values and execution,” said Tamara Bowens, president and chief operating officer of The Dawson Company, in a statement. “By joining forces with CCI, we’re ensuring that the future of Maritime Park is not only architecturally and culturally significant – but also economically transformative for Pensacola,” she added.

CCI will serve as the vertical construction lead, a spokesperson for The Dawson COmpany said. The project is expected to break ground in 2026 and be completed in 2029, they added. Details of the deal between CCI and The Dawson Company weren’t shared.

The first phase of construction involves two mass timber towers for the Reverb by Hard Rock Hotel and Rhythm Lofts, plans showed. The project will also have an affordable aspect, plans added.

The apartment building will have 15 stories and the hotel will have 11 stories, the spokesperson said. Both structures stand on top of three levels of parking, they added.

In August 2024, Hard Rock announced its design team will include Gensler, Thornton Tomasetti and Kravitz Design, a global conceptual consulting firm helmed by musician Lenny Kravitz.

As of the end of July, Diane Hendricks has a net worth of $22.3 billion, Forbes reported. She cofounded ABC Supply with her late husband Ken in Beloit in 1982 and carried on the business after his death in 2007. The company specializes in wholesale siding, roofing and windows and in the 2010s bought its biggest competitors.

Hendricks also invested in the revitalization of Beloit, featured in the A&E docuseries “Betting on Beloit”.

The first phase of Maritime Park will be a “walkable, waterfront destination integrating lodging, inclusive housing, entertainment, public greenspace and authentic architectural storytelling,” Dawson officials said. The development is meant to reflect on the city’s cultural heritage and grow tourism, healthcare and STEM sectors, officials added.

“This redevelopment is about creating a destination that truly strengthens and serves the Pensacola community, now and for generations to come,” Hendricks said in a statement. “We’re honored to be part of a team united by that purpose. I’m especially grateful to Quint Studer for his thoughtful insight and leadership in bringing our teams together, and to The Dawson Company for their trusted partnership. Together, we’re committed to building a place that reflects the vibrant spirit of Pensacola,” she added.

In Wisconsin, CCI’s portfolio included the Beloit College Powerhouse and The Grain mass timber development in Delafield. CCI is currently the owner’s representative for the $500 million Ho-Chunk Nation Casino and Convention Center underway in Beloit.