In areas experiencing rapid growth, finding and holding onto history can be a challenge as new homes, condos and commercial buildings seem to pop up out of the landscape overnight. Particularly in South Florida, where land is in in- creasingly short supply, homes that were built many decades ago, even close to a century ago, are being torn down to make room for a growing population with more modern tastes. But a handful of builders, including Jeff Wildes of Wildes Builders in Martin County, are focusing their attention on refinding some of the architectural history in Florida’s south- east coast and in the process, adding rich, visual texture and tradition to the Palm Beach community.

“My father and grandfather were both builders,” says Wildes. “In high school, I’d work construction sites on weekends for a variety of different builders, and then after graduation, I started working full-time in the trade while I pursued a bachelor’s degree in architecture.”

Wildes, whose family moved to Martin County when he was just 6 years old, began working as a lead carpenter in 1990 building high-end homes for a local custom builder. Ten years later, with a wide variety of experience under his belt and a clear vision for the impact he wanted to have on the Palm Beach area, he obtained his general contractor’s license and celebrated the opening of Wildes Builders, LLC.

With a focus on restoration, Wildes began taking projects early on aimed at restoring and resurrect- ing homes from the early 20th century, breathing life back into classics like the 1930s landmark home originally designed by renowned designer Maurice Fatio of Treanor and Fatio Architects, a firm that left an unforgettable mark on South Floridian architecture.

Client and real estate developer Herb Pheeney agrees. “I purchase older landmark homes in Palm Beach and com- pletely redo them, gutting the properties completely,” says Pheeney. “But I own a real estate company in Cape Cod and I’m there most of the time. Jeff Wildes is my general contractor, and he’s the most honest person I’ve met anywhere in the building industry. I use him because he’s bright, quick and has an extremely high taste level. Remodeling is different from building a new house: There are always decisions that have to be made at the spur of the moment, and I trust him completely to make those decisions for me. Jeff’s one of a kind, he’s always there on your job, always there when you need him.”

Wildes credits his team of estimators, subcontractors and superintendents with playing a large part in helping to build his reputation in the area. “No matter how small or large, I’ve got a team that’s dedicated to every project we’ve got on the table, no matter how small or large. Each is equally important to us and we’re there when our clients need us.”

Most of his subcontractors are those he met and worked with many years ago when just starting out in the upscale custom building field, and Wildes says he’s assembled a team he feels represents the highest quality work to be found in Palm Beach.

The team dedicates themselves not only to their clients and to the homes they build, but to their community as well. This year, Wildes participated in the Red Cross Showhouse, donating time and materials, as did his subcontractors, to the cause.