Some are marked in red, showing he's behind, but most are in green, indicating he's on schedule. Like most Charlotte-area builders, Centex subcontracts the actual hammering, sawing, wiring and painting. Finding qualified labor is a challenge. Robusto is short on brick masons but mostly finds what he needs by offering lots of work and scheduling efficiently. Some subcontractors in Ellington Park face similar problems.
Hispanic workers are crucial to filling labor needs.
Robusto estimated 80 percent of Ellington Park workers are Hispanic. Most of the Hispanic workers said they were drawn to the Charlotte area because of the abundance of work. Hugo Hernandez said he was on his way to work in Delaware when he stopped to visit a friend in Charlotte. He worked one day and then decided to stay. Now he runs two masonry crews, working 10-12 hour days and weekends.