TEAM
Julio Bateau - Managing Partner
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Julio Bateau leads the major development and renewal project in the Cultural Center of Detroit, Michigan.
Julio has B.S. in Applied Math and Engineering from the State University of New York (SUNY-Stony Brook), and a M.S. of Science in Structural Engineering from George Washington University. In 1978 he moved to Detroit with the plan to work in the automotive industry, but soon saw the need to build and restore homes in the city.
Prior to working on the East Ferry Street project, Julio provided technical expertise to FEMA in multiple roles from Public Assistance Coordinator to Disaster Project Specialist and Consultant. He worked for the US Agency for International Development during the Haitian Earthquake Project in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti where he brought the importance of translating the International Building Code and the International Residential Code into French. In this role, he provided technical support to the public sector, focusing on housing, urban planning, and new settlements. Through his work with GDG-Beton & Construction he continues to serve as Project Manager and Special Projects Coordinator in Haiti. He served as project manager in the demolition and the rebuilding of Haiti’s historic iron market.
In 1996, Julio incorporated Nailah, and turned his sights on restoring and rebuilding a Detroit neighborhood, focusing on the East Ferry Historic District in Midtown Detroit. With 7 projects completed or ongoing, he has returned the street to its former glory. Julio has preserved physical characteristics to conform with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historical Buildings. He led a community redevelopment vision to include the needs of the residents and the community and leveraged public and private sector resources to enhance neighborhood revitalization. One of Julio’s restoration projects was featured on Bob Villa’s Restore America Television Show.
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Ju
Michael Gay - Manager
Michael Gay has 40 years of continuous experience in heavy construction and management. He has been Area Manager, Project Manager, District Engineer, Project, and Office Engineer for one of the top 10 construction companies in North America, Peter Kiewit Son’s Inc.
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His assignments for the Kiewit Company afforded him the opportunity to build and manage underground work in various states of the U.S. and in Canada, Taiwan, Denmark and most recently Puerto Rico before he decided to take an early retirement from the Kiewit Company and go on his own.
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Michael has been president of G.D.C. Constructors, Inc. since 2007. He successfully started, managed and expanded his own construction and consulting company with headquarters in Florida and operations in the US and the Caribbean. He oversees all the company’s operations which includes: underground consulting, building construction and ready-mix supply and placement through its Caribbean subsidiary: GDG Beton & Construction S.A. The work associated with his Caribbean subsidiary over that same period involved the construction of mid-rise buildings, commercial buildings and governmental buildings.
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Michael has done numerous consulting work for engineering and construction companies including for his previous employer Peter Kiewit Sons Co. Most recently, Mr. Gay served as an Expert Witness for the Southern Nevada Water Authority in the successful arbitration proceedings of the Lake Mead third intake tunnel and shaft flood.