Former SMR exec starts new adventure in Bradenton

It was in his eighth-grade year at Johnson City (N.Y.) Middle School and Richard Bedford was standing in his usual position.

He was at the blackboard, writing, but not in the way you might think.

"I will not talk in class ... I will not talk in class."

Nearby, his teacher, Bennie Dellacorino, was doing his own writing. Dellacorino was getting ready to build a new home, and he was doing mock drawings of the potential building.

"I was a troublemaker," said Bedford, who turned 60 on June 5. "I always was in detention."

To this day, Bedford wonders if Dellacorino started doing those mock drawings to attract his interest. But whether he did or not, Bedford noticed.

"It was two stories and I was understanding where things should go," Bedford said. "I think he knew I understood."

As Bedford showed more interest, Dellacorino told him he should be an architect. Then when Bedford moved to ninth grade, Dellacorino made sure he took mechanical drawing. Bedford not only completed that course, but he took another three years as well. Then it was on to the University of Tennessee.

Dellacorino started Bedford's adventure, and it led to him becoming an architect.

Years later, Bedford has many other adventures under his belt.

His latest adventure has been starting Real Estate And Land Consulting, LLC in downtown Bradenton. He believes his years of experience developing the west coast of Florida puts him in position to be a valuable asset to those who need help when it comes to land development, planning and building projects.

"You can hire an attorney and an engineer, or someone like me who can give you the big picture, the global look," said Bedford, who opened his business in April. "I don't know anybody who has the background that I do, with what I have done. Is there a niche for it? I don't know."

For the past four and a half years, Bedford was vice president of planning for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch. Among his many duties was leading the design and consulting team for Waterside Place, a project under construction that includes125,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial. It promises to be an amazing restaurant and entertainment hub.

His tasks included overseeing urban planning, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, civil engineering and construction management.

Then in March, Bedford and SMR decided to part ways. Bedford declined to go into specifics of the split, other than to say "There was no animosity on either side.

"I had a great time there, especially bringing Waterside Place along. I remember being in college, dreaming of doing something like that."

He noted he was just one person on the Waterside Place project, saying, "It takes a lot of people to go to the moon."

His other stops along the way also provided him with valuable knowledge that should fuel his consulting business. After college, he worked with architectural firms and designed schools and banks ... "stuff like that."

Later he was brought into development projects such as Riviera Dunes as a partner. Riviera Dunes was a mixed-use waterfront development in Manatee County, consisting of low- and high-rise condominiums, single-family detached and attached homes as well as more than 200 deep water slips in the most protected and safe harbor and marina on the west coast of Florida.

It was just one of a myriad of development projects he has encountered.

He even spent a year and a half as general manager of DeSoto Square Mall.

However, through all his projects, he said he has been at his best looking at the big picture.

"I am better suited at it," he said. 

But will those who develop in Manatee and Sarasota counties use a consultant?

"I look at these counties and every piece of them is going to get developed," he said. "If it's not this year, it will be next year, or in the next 10 years, or 20 years. These pieces are going to get sucked up, 12 acres here, 22 acres there."

He believes those smaller parcels will be developed by those not familiar with dealing with governments, school systems or engineers.

"I can help find the properties, help design the project, get a certificate of occupancy," he said. "You've seen what I've done. There is a lot of knowledge."

After his split with SMR, he decided to go right back into business.

"I'm not a time off kind of guy," he said.

He and his wife of 28 years, Deidre, will live in their stone home in Bradenton and he will operate out of an office that is attached to the building, which was built in 1936.

"I'm still doing all the things I've always did," he said. "I am going to planning commission meetings and board of commissioners meetings. I'm hoping this is the right time and the right place.

"It's a new adventure."