Baker Design Build

08/21/2026

If there’s one thing the Baker team knows how to do besides design and build… it’s celebrate a birthday. 😂🎂

Happy Birthday, Scott! 🎉

Around here, birthdays mean the whole team, a little singing… and, of course, CAKE. 🍰

We hope you have a great one, Scott! 💚

08/21/2026

We’re having a little Friday fun with Team Baker! 😂 And before anyone starts keeping score, let’s get one thing straight: there’s no wrong answer. One of the things we’re most proud of is having a team that shows up for our clients, our projects and each other — even when the curveball comes at 4:47 on a Friday. 💪

So here’s today’s Friday Curveball: You’re wrapping things up, the weekend is within reach…and then 📱 the phone rings. Something just came up on the project.

You get ONE call. Who’s it going to be?

A. Kyle Davis — President of Engineering
B. Deanna Rice — Administrative Assistant
C. Kellie Valasek — Engineering Operations Manager
D. Chandler Cole — Structural Lead
E. Nobody — Respectfully, we’ll circle back to this Monday. 😂

Give us your A, B, C, D or E — and tell us WHY. 👇

And Team Baker, we want your answers too: when the Friday curveball hits, who are YOU calling? 👀😂

08/20/2026

Sometimes the best engineering solution isn’t Plan A.

When supply-chain delays challenged the original structural system planned for Gregg Hall at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, the project needed a pivot.

So did the engineering.

Baker Design Build redesigned the system from bar joists and metal decking to precast hollow-core planks, helping keep the project moving while maintaining structural performance.

That change also meant carefully coordinating the new structural system with the architectural and mechanical layouts—including penetrations through the precast planks, shop drawing reviews and ongoing project coordination.

It’s the kind of problem-solving you’d never know happened by looking at the finished building.

And we kind of like it that way. 😉

Sometimes the plan changes. The goal doesn’t.

📍 Gregg Hall | Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
St. Augustine, FL

08/18/2026

Jacksonville rain: “Hope you didn’t have plans today.” 🌧️😂

Baker Engineers: “We did.”

⚾ WHAT YOU SEE: A baseball field.

📐 WHAT WE SEE: The engineering underneath it.

Persistent drainage issues at Jacksonville University’s baseball field were affecting field performance, so Baker Design Build provided design-build services for stormwater drainage improvements.

The solution included underdrains throughout the outfield and a network of collector piping with cleanouts designed to improve drainage, field usability and long-term maintenance.

The field’s proximity to the St. Johns River added another consideration, requiring environmentally responsible design strategies and coordination to help protect the surrounding natural resources.

It’s a great example of something we love about civil engineering:

Some of the most important work we do is work you’ll probably never see.

And if it’s doing its job, you shouldn’t have to. 😉

08/14/2026

Talk about a great way to end the week! 🏆🎉

It’s official: Baker Design Build is #17 for Percentage Growth in the Jacksonville Business Journal’s 2026 Fast 50!

We were excited when we learned Baker had been named among Northeast Florida’s fastest-growing companies — but getting to celebrate the official ranking with our team and fellow honorees made it even better.

And yes… we were VERY happy about it. 😂🙌

This recognition represents much more than a number. Behind that growth are incredible clients who trust us, partners who work alongside us, projects we’re proud to put the Baker name on, and a team that keeps raising the bar.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of Baker’s growth and to the Jacksonville Business Journal for recognizing the companies helping shape our region.

We’ll happily take that #17. 🏁

Designing the Future. Building Today.

08/14/2026

08/13/2026

Apparently, we need to start leaving little “Baker was here” signs around Jacksonville. 😂

Because there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen our work without realizing it.

✈️ Headed through the airport?
🏙️ Spending time downtown?
🌿 Enjoying some of Jacksonville’s outdoor spaces?
🚍 Passing infrastructure that keeps our city moving?

Yep. You may have crossed paths with Baker.

Some of our work stands out. Some of it is behind the scenes. And some of it is the kind of infrastructure you probably don’t think twice about—which usually means it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. 😉

That’s one of our favorite things about working in Jacksonville: we get to help build the community we live in, too.

Watch the video and tell us—

How many Baker projects did you recognize? 👀👇

Designing The Future + Building Today.

08/13/2026

You’ve probably seen our work—you just may not have known it was Baker. 👀

Take a drive around Jacksonville and there’s a good chance you’ll pass a place where Baker Design Build has had a hand in helping our community grow.

✈️ JAX - Jacksonville International Airport
🌿 Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
🏙️ Downtown City of Jacksonville, Florida
🚍 Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) facilities
🏟️ Edward Waters University Stadium

Behind each is a different story, scope, and challenge—but they share something important: they’re part of the community we call home.

For us, Jacksonville isn’t simply where we work.

It’s where we live, build, collaborate, and invest in what comes next.

Take a look through the carousel and tell us: How many of these places do you recognize?

08/07/2026

Meet the Baker Intern: Paola

Great careers often begin with a single conversation.

For Paola, that conversation happened with her mentor, Eric, at a University of North Florida Career Fair. She left knowing Baker Design Build was a place where she would feel welcomed, supported, and challenged to grow.

Originally from Albania and pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance at University of North Florida, Paola joined Baker eager to gain hands-on accounting experience.

Throughout the summer, she worked with Sage Intacct, WIP account balances, reconciliations, journal entries, and accounts payable and receivable—building practical skills that will serve her well as she pursues a career blending both accounting and finance.

Outside the office, Paola enjoys working out, watching movies, taking long walks, and listening to The Weeknd.

Her favorite quote perfectly reflects her work ethic:

“Don’t wish for it. Work for it.”

Thank you, Paola, for being part of the Baker team this summer. We’re excited to see everything you’ll accomplish in the future!

Designing the Future. Building Today.

08/05/2026

Every school has a story.

Long before the first students walk through the doors, there are countless people working together to create a place where futures will be shaped.

Baker Design Build is proud to have been part of the team that helped bring Highlands Estates Academy to life.

The new campus was developed as part of Duval County Public Schools’ consolidation of Highlands Elementary School and Pine Estates Elementary School, creating a modern learning environment designed to serve students and families for years to come.

Watching this transformation—from construction to completion—is a reminder that the buildings we create today become the places where tomorrow’s memories are made.

❤️ We have a question for you…

What elementary school did you attend, and what’s one memory that still makes you smile?

Share it with us in the comments!

Designing the Future. Building Today.