Not Your Average Contractor

Not Your Average Contractor

At Centerbeam Construction, our mission is to deliver a quality product, on schedule and within budget.

CenterBeam Construction Co (CB) is a full-service building contracting company, serving residential, multi-residential and commercial clients in the greater Jacksonville, Florida area with an emphasis on historic properties. Established in 2007 by co-owner and contractor Christina Starmer, CB has earned a reputation for historic design principles for the modern-day client. The company has been recognized for its inspired design and green building techniques. CenterBeam has also been nominated to participate in the Annual Tour of homes over 6 times and has been recognized for being the Best Of Service multiple years in a row.

CB prides itself on bringing experienced trades and subcontractors to each project with a shared mission to deliver on schedule, on budget and at an unprecedented level of service. The company fosters a drama-free and cleanly job site and projects are under constant review so issues can be navigated with the least disruption. This is an important key when dealing with historic home renovations. With an end result as being a highly personalized service as the hallmark of the firm.

Meet The CenterBeam Family

jeff

Jeff
Lead Foreman

With over 20 years of hands-on experience in construction and historic home remodeling, Jeff is the steady, solution-oriented force behind CenterBeam Construction. As co-owner of the company (alongside his wife, Christina), he’s helped restore more than 700 homes—bringing craftsmanship, calm leadership, and a deep respect for historic architecture to every project.
Jeff’s skillset was shaped long before CenterBeam began. A lifelong tinkerer, he grew up working on old trucks—learning how things function, how to fix what’s broken, and how to do it all with care and creativity. That love of taking things apart and putting them back together naturally evolved into restoring homes—starting with his own. Over the years, Jeff became an expert at reviving the structure and soul of aging properties.

From solving foundation issues to recreating period-appropriate framing details, Jeff has a keen eye for the problems most people miss—and the experience to fix them right the first time. He’s especially skilled in carpentry, framing, and managing the unknowns that come with older homes. His nickname “MacGruber” speaks volumes: if there’s a way to make something work, Jeff will find it.

Clients, subcontractors, and teammates all appreciate his clear communication, his calm under pressure, and his quiet mastery of the trade. Simply put: Jeff makes people feel confident that their historic home is in the best possible hands.

Christina - CenterBeam Construction Building Contractor

Christina
Founder & Licensed Contractor

With over 18 years holding her coveted Florida contractor’s license—and more than 720 restored homes to her name—Christina is the heart behind CenterBeam Construction Co.

A Florida native with a passion for history, nostalgia, and good old-fashioned challenges, Christina’s journey into construction began long before the paperwork. After successfully running a retail business for nearly two decades, she decided it was time to chase something more meaningful: a life that balanced home, work, and happiness.

Enter CenterBeam. The perfect blend of design, construction, and historic preservation—everything she loved, rolled into one bold new chapter.

What sets Christina apart isn’t just her experience and problem solving skills. It’s her unshakable attention to detail, her genuine love for old homes, and the relationships she builds with homeowners. Under her leadership, CenterBeam has grown into a trusted name in Jacksonville’s historic neighborhoods—one carefully restored home at a time.

Chloe - CenterBeam Construction Design Coordinator

Chloé
Estimator & Project Manager

Chloe brings a thoughtful, design-forward perspective to every project she touches. Having grown up immersed in the remodeling world, she developed a natural appreciation for old homes and the unique stories they tell. From a young age, she was learning the language of lath, muntins, picture rails, and wainscoting—terms most people have to Google—and today, she pairs that deep-rooted knowledge with a modern eye for layout, color, and finishing details.

As one of our top Project Managers, Chloe excels at helping clients bridge the gap between historic character and contemporary living. Her ability to preserve charm while adding modern functionality makes her an invaluable part of our team. Whether it’s guiding a homeowner through finish selections or coordinating final walkthroughs, Chloe approaches every detail with care, clarity, and creativity.

When she’s not managing job sites or collaborating on design plans, Chloe can often be found traveling through Europe, gathering inspiration from centuries-old architecture, charming villages, and the kind of craftsmanship that never goes out of style. Her kindness, patience, and passion for historic homes make her a favorite among clients and colleagues alike.

katie-shoda

Katie

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Katie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Bob Jones University in South Carolina. With a passion for timeless architecture and a deep respect for craftsmanship, she returned home to focus her career on historic homes and thoughtful renovation.

Katie has spent years combining her skills in design, drafting, and real estate to breathe new life into older properties—helping homeowners reimagine spaces while honoring their original charm. Whether she’s guiding first-time buyers through their first historic home purchase or leading full-scale restorations, Katie brings creativity, precision, and a love for the details that make old homes special.

In her spare time, she enjoys exploring Jacksonville’s rich neighborhoods, cooking, running, attending local trade fairs, and showing clients the historic gems the city has to offer.

mattie

Mattie
Estimator & Project Manager

Mattie Wissing started her career in construction management and estimating eight years ago. She cultivated her passion for the building arts as a kid exploring abandon buildings in downtown Jacksonville. After completing her B.A. in Historic Preservation and Community Planning from the College of Charleston in 2011, she travelled and worked for several award-winning commercial and design-build firms located in Washington D.C and Austin, TX before returning to Jacksonville to continue her career in construction. Mattie brings a unique set of skills to the CenterBeam Construction Team, with a keen eye for design and a sharp pencil on costs. She is thrilled to be back in her hometown and working within the Historic Communities with CenterBeam Construction. When Mattie isn’t hard at work with Centerbeam she is tooling with her own remodeling projects on her home in Atlantic Beach.

tom-quinn

Tom
Director of Accounting

Meet Tom, a Jacksonville native with a knack for numbers and a love for learning. With over 30 years of experience across healthcare, engineering, and legal industries, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge to the CenterBeam team. A proud graduate of Jacksonville University (earning his Bachelor of Science in Accounting cum laude), Tom is all about using his meticulous skills to keep things running smoothly in the construction world.

When he’s not crunching numbers or ensuring everything is managed with honesty and efficiency, you’ll find Tom enjoying family time with his wife, Wanda, in St. Johns County or lending a hand at his church.

Tom’s dedication and approachable nature make him a trusted partner for owners and vendors alike—keeping every relationship strong, productive, and worry-free!

arnie

Arne
Estimator & Project Manager

With a background in automation engineering and business development, Arne brings a unique blend of precision, process thinking, and creative problem-solving to every project. His analytical mindset is balanced by a deep appreciation for craftsmanship—particularly the kind found in historic homes.

Originally from Germany and most recently based in South Carolina, Arne fell in love with the quirks and challenges of older properties while renovating his own historic home, where he transformed a neglected walkout basement into a fully functional pottery studio and guest-ready Airbnb. That hands-on experience sparked a passion for breathing new life into aging structures while respecting their original charm.

Now a full-time member of the CenterBeam Construction team, Arne sees Jacksonville’s historic neighborhoods as his new renovation playground. Whether he’s managing timelines, solving structural puzzles, or sourcing period-appropriate materials, Arne approaches each project with a mix of technical precision and old-house reverence. His commitment to quality, structure, and lasting beauty makes him an invaluable part of our historic renovation crew.

Ready to start your next project? We can help!