Norman Rijo: Visionary Entrepreneur/Builder, Celebrates 24 Years of Service

​Norman Rijo created Norco Construction in 2002, and has headed it to complete a variety of different construction projects since its inception.

Recently, they completed a very high profile project, that being the new Tavern on the Green restaurant in Central Park NYC, measuring 10,000 square feet. This project was a jewel for Rijo as this is the type of work to which he always navigated Norco to get involved. Since the completion of Tavern on the Green, the company has experienced tremendous growth and has expanded its operations to South Florida with sister companies.

The firm is busy building and consulting on several midrise high end residential buildings and boutique hotels. With a hands on philosophy and endless energy, Rijo and his team have been successful in creating great projects and relationships which have served as a foundation for his new operations in Florida.

What Is the Tavern on the Green?

The Tavern on the Green was designed by New York architect Richard H. Lewis. The 19th century building itself was a dining space in Central Park. However, Lewis had a vision and he entrusted Norco to turn that vision into a reality.

"Originally conceived by Englishman Calvert Vaux, one of the designers of Central Park, as a sheepfold, the 1870 building was converted to a dining establishment in 1934 as part of a renovation overseen by Robert Moses, who was the city's park commissioner at the time."

The result of the hard work of Rijo as the contractor and Lewis as the Architect Created a building of true elegance and luxury. The aged wood floors, marble counter tops, trusses and panels have restored the building to its former glory, in a way that is deserving of its history. The elegant chandeliers and sophisticated interior decor make people feel as if they have stepped back in time and are part of the high society of the turn of the 20th century.

Focus on the Infrastructure of the Restaurant Building

A particular focus for Rijo was on the infrastructure of the building. While the architect aimed to maintain a traditional, historic feel to the way the restaurant looks, the Tavern on the Green itself wanted to make use of 21st century plumbing, electric, and mechanical systems. Norco came up with various innovative solutions to ensure this would be possible. This is testament to Rijo's entrepreneurial spirit, always thinking outside of the box to achieve the seemingly impossible.

"To think outside the box, you need to trigger your brain to make connections it normally wouldn't make. To do that, look for inspiration that seems entirely unrelated to the problem."

Applying Rijo's Life Lessons

In making decisions regarding the business, Rijo has been applying the lessons he has learned throughout his life. As a former U.S. Marine, graduating #1 in bootcamp, he has been in tricky situations that required out of the box thinking in order to come back on top. The physical activity he learned to enjoy as a Marine is something that also stayed with him. One way in which he achieves that is through running an average of 20 miles per week, while working out 6 days per week. This gives him an opportunity to do something physical while brainstorming about his projects and new opportunities at the same time. He will be running a 13.3 mile marathon in May.

Overcoming Complex Challenges

Norco, and its subsidiaries under the guidance of Norman Rijo have been able to overcome some of the most complex challenges in the world of construction. Rijo states, "every project has a central nervous system or rather the heart of the project. If we are proactive; and we figure out what makes or breaks the project we will be successful. That is guaranteed.”

Rijo and his teams have produced multiple projects in several different sectors of the industry. New construction, Institutional, Retail, corporate interiors, Hospitality, restaurants, site work and infrastructure, are some of the many examples. Norco and its subsidiaries pride themselves on being able to build great projects and solid relationships.

Source: Norman Rijo

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