About Us

The Ivy Story

I get asked all the time, “Gary, why the name Ivy Development?”. When I was a young man, I had the privilege to attend Princeton University for my undergraduate degree in economics. Princeton is one of eight Ivy League schools in the country and it gave me pause to reflect on what it means to be elite. When I founded my own contracting business, I knew I wanted it to be elite, top in the business, stand the test of time and set the bar in the market. So I chose “Ivy Development”. I wanted to create an “Ivy League of Construction” and challenge my peers to join me in using best practices and quality standards. My team knows that we all carry a responsibility to live up to the name Ivy and the ideals it stands for.

Why Ivy Development?

What do you get when you combine an MBA in Business, an Economics degree from Princeton and an unstoppable passion for quality? The answer is Ivy Development. For over thirty years, Ivy Development has been providing outstanding contracting services to the commercial market in South Florida. Our reputation and track record speaks for itself leading us to become the premier provider to corporate clients seeking the highest attention to detail at competitive prices.

Quality. Ivy is synonymous with quality. From how we launch a project, to how we finish it when we bring the client in for the final walk thru, quality is in our blood and is our solemn promise to you.

Safety. An Ivy project maintains the highest safety standards on a jobsite protecting both the workers and our clients.

Value. We believe in always providing the best value in construction, and having every client feel as though they got “more than their money’s worth”.

Transparency. We believe in a free and easy sharing of information between us and the client. We communicate openly with you and ask you to do the same. We earn our client’s trust through our transparency and they return that with their referrals.

Proactive. Taking a proactive stance critical for the success of any project. When we see a bump in the road coming towards us, we take action to protect our client’s interest, timetable and wallet.

Teamwork. Our teamwork is centered around a strong work ethic and desire for our clients’ success. Teamwork goes beyond that, though. From the subcontractors we’ve built dozens of projects with, to the clients who come back to us project after project, our team is our extended family and we get the job done.

Professionalism. We built a culture of professionalism over decades of experience in South Florida, raising the bar in our industry. You’ll recognize this the first time you meet us. We’re dedicated to living the highest standards and delivering projects on time, on budget and on spec.

Accountability. For starters, we’re accountable to our clients, suppliers and subcontractors. More than that, we’re accountable to each other. Nothing we work on is presented to the client until we feel it meets the Ivy Standard.

Customer Satisfaction. Every project needs to be exceptional and every client needs to be satisfied. We’ve thrived in a tough market by creating hundreds of satisfied clients who sing our praises and are happy to refer us to their peers. The greatest compliment we can get is a referral from a client.

Leadership that Matters

Gary Grass, President

Construction is a tough business and South Florida a competitive market. There’s only one way to thrive for over 30 years in the construction industry here, Leadership. Gary Grass took his attention to detail and heart for service and built it into a contracting legend. His background in business and economics makes him the perfect partner for your building project when you want it delivered on-time, on-budget and with the highest quality standards.

A native of Miami, Florida, Gary Grass is a 1983 graduate of Princeton University with a Bachelors Degree in Economics. He continued his education locally and received his Masters in Business degree from Nova University in 1985. LEARN MORE

The Next Generation

I’m proud to announce that Ivy Development is now prepared to continue the legacy long into the future with the addition of Turner Grass to the team.

Testimonials

Ivy’s team was always cooperative and owned their work by offering suggestions and alternatives that added improvements and enhanced the success of the project. They did whatever it took to complete the project on time including running crews around the clock. I highly recommend Ivy Development.

David John

Sparez

We have worked with Mr. Gary Grass and Ivy Development for over 24 years. On all projects, they have always exhibited true professionalism, courtesy, honesty and transparency. They provide excellent hands-on General Contractor services to our clients and owners, very easy, flowing communication and coordination.

Neal A. Schofel

R.A., Architecture Dynamics

Gary and his team have a winning attitude that encourages collaboration and excels in customer service. His attention to detail and ability to meet stringent timelines while providing exceptional deliverables exceeded our expectations.

Jill Lache

J. Andrea LLC, Commercial Realty Solutions

Due to our intense security requirements, we carefully select our contractors based on strong qualifications. The Ivy Development team completed the projects in a timely manner and within budget. Gary and his team far surpassed our expectations and we look forward to a long relationship.

Fred Soltau

FRB

I had the pleasure of working directly with Gary and the Ivy team on numerous projects for Florida Bearings. His tremendous abilities never cease to amaze me. Ivy is very organized, professional and schedule oriented. They delivered my projects on time and on budget.