Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Ashton Woods Homes Reports 42 Percent Jump in Annual Sales

Ashton Woods Homes Reports 42 Percent Jump in Annual Sales

ORLANDO, Fla. - Ashton Woods Homes reports its annual sales of new homes in the Orlando region jumped by 42 percent.

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes in the Orlando region, said the home builder closed out its fiscal year 2009 at the end of May.

“We had 197 net sales of new homes in the Orlando region in seven communities,” Roche said. The average sale price was $265,158.

That’s an increase of 42 percent over 139 net sales of new homes during the same period last year, Roche said.

Ashton Woods Homes is a subsidiary of the Great Gulf Group of Companies, a North American real estate conglomerate headquartered in Toronto, and currently has communities under development in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa, Denver and Orlando.

For more information, contact:
Michael Roche, VP Sales & Marketing Ashton Woods Homes-Orlando/Tampa, 407-647-3700;
John Reny, President, Ashton Woods Homes-Orlando/Tampa 407-647-3700
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Grubb & Ellis|Commercial Florida completes retail lease agreement for an Automobile Van Rental company in Tampa

Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida completes retail lease agreement for an Automobile Van Rental company in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. - Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida, associated with 130 offices worldwide, recently negotiated a long term retail lease of 30,000 square foot lot and 700 square foot sales office at 4756 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Tampa.

Brent Lindsey CPA, senior vice president in the firm’s Investment Group brokered the transaction. Parkedge Enterprises of Tampa is the landlord and Orlando-based CJB Enterprises is the new tenant.

About Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida:
Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida is an affiliated commercial real estate services firm specializing in the leasing and sale of office, industrial, retail, land and investment properties. Currently Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida has 30 brokers divided among its Tampa, Orlando and Melbourne offices which serve the entire mid-Florida marketplace. Visit www.commercialfl.com.

About Grubb & Ellis:
Named to The Global Outsourcing 100™ in 2009 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals™, Grubb & Ellis Company (NYSE: GBE) is one of the largest and most respected commercial real estate services and investment companies in the world. Our 6,000 professionals in more than 130 company-owned and affiliate offices draw from a unique platform of real estate services, practice groups and investment products to deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions to real estate owners, tenants and investors. The firm’s transaction, management, consulting and investment services are supported by highly regarded proprietary market research and extensive local expertise. Through Grubb & Ellis Realty Investors, the company is a leading sponsor of real estate investment programs that provide individuals and institutions the opportunity to invest in a broad range of real estate investment vehicles, including public non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), tenant-in-common (TIC) investments suitable for tax-deferred 1031 exchanges and other real estate investment funds. For more information, visit www.grubb-ellis.com.

Contacts:
Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida, 3030 N. Rocky Point Drive W., Tampa, FL 33609, www.commercialfl.com
Brent Lindsey CPA, Senior VP 813-830-7890
Jeffrey Sweeney, President 407-481-5387
Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

BDG Construction Services, LLC Completes Renovation of Sony Superstore at Lake Buena Vista

BDG Construction Services, LLC Completes Renovation of Sony Superstore at Lake Buena Vista

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. - BDG Construction Services, LLC, recently completed a renovation of the Sony Superstore at the Crossroads Center on S.R. 535 across from Walt Disney World Village at Lake Buena Vista.

Jay Brown, P.E., principal at BDG Construction, said the interior renovation was for 1,400 square feet, and was completed for Jones Lang LaSalle of Altamonte Springs, the shopping center owner’s representative.

BDG Construction renovates and builds commercial facilities throughout Florida. Recent clients include The City of Winter Springs, Wal-mart Stores of Bentonville, Ark., and RP Realty Partners of Beverly Hills, Calif.

BDG Construction is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation program located at the UCF Incubator–Seminole County/Winter Springs on S.R. 434.

For more information please contact:
Kevin Guffee, Principal, BDG Construction Services, LLC, 407-951-7451,
kguffee@bdgcs.com
Esther Vargas-Davis, Site Manager, UCF Incubator-Seminole County, 407-278-4881,
evargasd@mail.ucf.edu
Gordon Hogan, Director of Operations, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-1577
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

About the UCF Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit
http://www.incubator.ucf.edu/.


Lennar to offer Realtors Chance to win $1,000 Bonus during Realtor-Builder Expo July 22 at Raymond James Stadium

Lennar to offer Realtors Chance to win $1,000 Bonus during Realtor-Builder Expo July 22 at Raymond James Stadium

TAMPA, Fla. - Lennar’s Central Florida Division will offer Realtors® the chance to win $1,000 during the Realtor-Builder Expo July 22 at Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway N. in Tampa.

Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, which includes more than 30 communities throughout the Tampa Bay, Orlando and Space Coast regions, said the homebuilder plans to make a big impression during the Realtor-Builder Expo event, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Area Realtors are among our most important partners,” Metheny said. “Any area Realtor® who visits the Lennar exhibit booth during the Realtor-Builder Expo will get a chance to win a $1,000 bonus,” he said. Visit www.lennar.com.

For more information, contact:
Jassy Friddle, Marketing Manager Lennar, 888-317-7489
Mark Metheny, Lennar Division President-Central Florida, 888-317-7489;
Robert Jesski, Lennar Vice President of Sales-Central Florida, 888-317-7489;
David Parker, VP Sales & Marketing, Lennar-Central Florida 877 205-1102;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com

Ashton Woods Homes Reports 16 Percent Jump in Annual Sales in Tampa Bay Area

Ashton Woods Homes Reports 16 Percent Jump in Annual Sales in Tampa Bay Area

TAMPA, Fla. - Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region reports its annual sales of new homes increased by 16 percent.

Mike Roche, vice president of sales and marketing at Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said the home builder closed out its fiscal year 2009 at the end of May.

“We had 81 net sales of new homes in five communities in the Tampa Bay region this year,” Roche said. That’s up from 70 net sales of new homes during the same period last year.
The average sale price for the year was $247,377, Roche said.

Ashton Woods Homes builds new single-family homes priced from the $200s in five Tampa Bay-area communities.

Ashton Woods Homes is a subsidiary of the Great Gulf Group of Companies, a North American real estate conglomerate headquartered in Toronto, and currently has communities under development in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa, Denver and Orlando.

For more information, contact:
Michael Roche, VP Sales & Marketing Ashton Woods Homes-Tampa/Orlando, 407-647-3700;
John Reny, President, Ashton Woods Homes-Tampa/Orlando 407-647-3700
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

NAI Realvest Negotiates new Office Lease of 2,400 Square Feet in Apopka for Healthcare Management Enterprises

NAI Realvest Negotiates new Office Lease of 2,400 Square Feet in Apopka for Healthcare Management Enterprises

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new office lease agreement for 2,400 square feet at Apopka Shopping Center located at 717 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Apopka northwest of Orlando.

Paul P. Partyka, principal and managing partner at NAI Realvest, brokered the transaction representing the new tenant, Healthcare Management Enterprises, a Sarasota-based physicians group. The landlord is Sandmar Properties of Gaithersburg, Md.

Earlier this year Partyka located and negotiated the lease of 2,085 square feet of space for Healthcare Management at Alafaya Commons in East Orlando.

“This is the fourth Central Florida location for Healthcare Management Enterprises with more planned,” Partyka said.

For more information contact:
Paul P. Partyka, Managing Partner, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 ppartyka@realvest.com
Patrick Mahoney, President, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 pmahoney@realvest.com
Renee Ellis or Beth Kowalski, Marketing NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 rvmarketing@realvest.com
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications, Inc. 407-644-4142

About NAI Realvest
NAI Realvest, serving all of central Florida, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide through NAI Global, an international commercial real estate network with over 325 offices spanning the globe. Since 1978, clients have built their businesses on the power of NAI Global’s expanding network. Extensive services include multi-site acquisitions and dispositions, sublease, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence and related consulting and advisory services. To learn more, visit www.NAIRealvest.com.

Melrose Sovereign Companies Awarded Contracts to Manage two Residential Communities in Sarasota-Bradenton Area


Melrose Sovereign Companies Awarded Contracts to Manage two Residential Communities in Sarasota-Bradenton Area

ORLANDO, Fla. - Melrose Sovereign Companies, the property management firm that specializes in residential communities and multi-family properties throughout Florida, was recently awarded contracts to manage Crystal Lakes and Bradford Manor residential communities in the Sarasota-Bradenton area.

Ellen Lumpkin and Jack Hanson, co-founders and owners, said Taylor Morrison, one of Florida’s largest home builders, awarded both contracts.

Crystal Lakes, a community of 199 single-family homes, is located just east of I-75 off Buffalo Rd. at 5101 72nd St. East in Palmetto.

Bradford Manor, a gated community where Taylor Morrison is building 173 town homes with attached garages, is located near U.S. 301 and I-75 off Tuttle Ave. at 1502 Grantham Dr. in Sarasota.

Melrose Sovereign Companies, formed in 2008 with the merger of Melrose Management Group and Sovereign Residential Services in Orlando, currently employs more than 100 property management specialists at offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Tampa, Palm Harbor, Bradenton/Sarasota, Port Charlotte and Fort Myers.

For more information, contact:

Ellen G. Lumpkin, LCAM, Partner/Co-founder, Melrose-Sovereign Companies, 407-228-4181, elumpkin@melrose-sovereign.com

Jack B. Hanson, LCAM, Partner/Co-founder, Melrose-Sovereign Companies, 407-228-4181, jhanson@melrose-sovereign.com

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, Lvershelco@aol.com

Data Transfer Solutions, LLC, Awarded New Contracts to Provide Data Services in Texas, New York, Vermont

Data Transfer Solutions, LLC, Awarded New Contracts to Provide Data Services in Texas, New York, Vermont

ORLANDO, Fla. - Data Transfer Solutions, LLC, the Avalon Park-based firm that provides professional GIS (geographic information systems), asset management, software engineering and web development services, was recently awarded contracts to provide services to government agencies in Texas and Vermont and The Wildlife Conservation Society based in New York City.

A.M. “Trey” Fragala III, AICP, chief operating officer at Data Transfer Solutions, said the firm was recently awarded a contract to provide LiDAR data collection, orthophotography and Mobile Asset Collection through the use of the DTS MAC vehicle in Texas as part of the PBS&J team.

The firm was awarded a second contract from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) of New York to provide generalized map viewing (GME) services. DTS has been retained by the WCS for the past two years on a variety of projects including the development of a web-based GIS map viewer tracking the worldwide instances of the global avian influenza. This recent contract is an extension of the ongoing work on behalf of WCS.

The State of Vermont awarded Data Transfer Solutions a contract to provide Enterprise GIS application development.

For more information, contact:
A.M. “Trey” Fragala, III, AICP, Chief Operating Officer, Data Transfer Solutions, 3680 Avalon Park East Blvd., Suite 200, Orlando, 32828; 407-382-5222; tfragala@edats.com;

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142 lvershelco@aol.com

Beazer Homes Names Four New Home Consultants in Orlando region

Beazer Homes Names Four New Home Consultants in Orlando region


ORLANDO, Fla. - Beazer Homes has appointed four new home consultants in the Orlando area.
Theresa Tilton, vice president of sales and marketing for Beazer Homes Florida Division, said the home builder’s new home consultants include:

Jose Perez, who has more than 20 years of experience, is selling new single-family homes priced from the $160s at Sawgrass, located off Weatherbee and Boggy Creek Rds. in south Orlando;
Linda Whitehead, who has more than 13 years of experience, is selling new town homes priced from the $140s at Heritage Commons, located off Dodd Rd. two miles west of the Red Bug Rd. exit of the 417 in Winter Springs;
Terry Jalbert, who has more than 10 years of experience, is selling new single-family homes and town homes priced from the mid-$100s at The Enclave at Moss Park off Moss Park Blvd. on Great Commission Way in southeast Orlando;
Crystal Eisen, who has more than seven years of experience, is selling new executive homes at Legacy, south of downtown Orlando on Lake Jessamine.
For more information please contact:
Theresa Tilton, Vice President of Sales Beazer Homes/Florida, 407-339-4114, ttilton@beazer.com
David Byrnes, President/Beazer Homes Florida, 407-339-4114, dbyrnes@beazer.com
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142