"For complicated buildings, they are my first choice, by far," says Alan Ojeda, president and CEO of Miami-based Rilea Group, developer of the 44-story Bond luxury condominium that Coastal is building in the Brickell area.

"The main things they bring to the table are honesty and quality," Ojeda adds. "They are transparent people. To me, they are investing with their clients with a very long-term mentality. They are not for the quick buck."

Due to demanding designs, Thomas C. Murphy says Coastal is adding in-house staff with expertise in specialized fields such as curtain wall, stone and millwork. "Having expertise in [certain] areas is critical now."

The firm obsesses over having the "right team," a phrase that numerous Coastal leaders repeat often. The obsession pays off, says FMI's Harris, who observes that Coastal executives don't let egos get in the way, and that the company is "uniquely good at teamwork."

"Somehow [their executives] mesh well," he says. "They have an ability to play very effectively together as a team, and to execute accordingly. They put their work priorities and the result they're trying to accomplish way ahead of any individual ego."

Also, Coastal staff at various levels practice a culture of near constant peer review, both formal and informal, says Thomas C. Murphy. "We constantly challenge each other."

Improving Quality, Safety

Building these high-end projects requires a heightened degree of attention to quality—a key skill set for a firm holding a portfolio filled with luxury projects.

Whiteman—a former professor at the University of Florida whose dissertation addressed total quality management—says that attention to quality comes from a formalized focus and commitment to continuous improvement in all areas. And that includes safety.

Leading improvements in the company's safety practices is David Wessin, vice president for safety and loss control. A longtime leader of the AGC of South Florida's safety committee, he joined the firm in 2008 after his former firm, Coscan Construction, shut its doors. Currently, Wessin oversees 16 full-time safety managers—a number he believes is the highest of any firm working in South Florida.

About 18 months ago, partly at his suggestion, Coastal began mandating that all subcontractor workers have OSHA 10-Hour training certification, a requirement that Wessin believes is unique for the area. Additionally, all staff, including office workers, must take five hours of safety training each year.

Also, in 2012, Wessin helped launch an OSHA Alliance group in Miami, the Safety Alliance for Excellence (SAFE). Wessin, the group's first and current president, credits his employer for aiding the effort.

"I don't think SAFE would exist" without the company's backing, he says. "Coastal has given me the support and resources to create an organization to foster the free exchange of ideas to make our entire industry better."