Dave Brewer Inc. starts construction of 5,400 square foot contemporary design luxury home on the Intracoastal Waterway in New Smyrna Beach area

SANFORD, Fla. --- Dave Brewer, Inc., which ranks as one of the top custom home builders in the Central Florida region, has started construction of a $1.7 million luxury home on the intracoastal waterway in the New Smyrna Beach area.

Matt Trask, vice president of Dave Brewer, Inc., said the 5,400 square foot, one of a kind, contemporary design single-story luxury home will offer four bedrooms, four baths, four-car garage and an expansive pool and spa area.

John Crossman Launches Scholarship Drive with International Council of Shopping Centers to Celebrate 40th Birthday

ORLANDO, Fla – John Crossman, president of Crossman & Company in Orlando, wants to celebrate his 40th birthday with a big bash: Crossman launched a college scholarship drive through the International Council of Shopping Centers, a professional organization with more then 60,000 members in the U.S., Canada and more than 80 other countries.

Crossman, a longtime member of the ICSC and a featured speaker at ICSC seminars and conventions, said the scholarship drive will support schools across the U.S., including Florida State, University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Villanova, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Northern Iowa, Indiana, Southern Methodist and many others.

“With the help of the ICSC Foundation, we are encouraging people to make a donation to the school of their choice,” Crossman said. “People can make a donation of as little as $10.”

Crossman said the scholarship drive will be publicized through the ICSC channels and on the ICSC website. Crossman’s own contacts have already been alerted, he said.

“While the scholarship drive is in recognition of my birthday, I really want this to be about the students and the universities,” Crossman said.

For more information and to donate, visit www.icsc.org/2011jcf.

About Crossman & Company

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Crossman & Company is a commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in the retail industry. Currently their portfolio under leasing and/or management exceeds 150 shopping centers throughout the Southeast US. Founded in 1990, Crossman & Company focuses solely on landlord representation and serves clients including Publix, PREIT, and GE. Please visit www.crossmanco.com, or call 407-423-5400 for more information.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Represents Highest and Best Offering for 36.5 Acre Deltona Site

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty announces highest and best offering for a 36.5 acre residential development site in Deltona with a current list price of $300,000.

Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the prime development site is located between Captain Drive and Haulover Blvd. in Deltona.

The site is zoned to permit six homes per acre, Soderstrom said.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty associate David Warren is representing the property for sale, Soderstrom said.

For more information about the site go to http://www.stirlingsir.com/eflyers/agents/sallyandy/Deltona_eflyer.jpg

About Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty:

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty is affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, the largest luxury real estate brand in the world. Stirling Sotheby’s exclusive services include luxury residential, new homes, commercial, property management, in addition to supporting builders, developers, lenders, and asset managers. The company operates three performance zones which serve all of Central Florida. Visit www.StirlingSIR.com

MEGAWATT VENTURES’ INAUGURAL TEN FINALIST TEAMS ANNOUNCED TO COMPETE FOR $100,000 GRAND PRIZE!

Orlando, Fla. – MegaWatt Ventures, an annual University of Central Florida clean energy business competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, selected ten teams to be awarded $10,000 in their inaugural class.

The ten selected teams will now compete for a $100,000 grand prize in September, said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the program.

In addition to the $10,000 award, the ten finalist teams will each be assigned professional mentors and gain access to business workshops which will help to develop a commercially viable technology company, said Dr. O’Neal, who is also associate vice president of UCF’s Office of Research and Commercialization.

Mentorship includes coaching on business plans and strategy, presenting a technical concept to potential investors and education on additional funding sources available, such as federal Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants. The teams will have access to both high-level executive business and product/technology development mentors. Many of the companies are spin-outs from Florida’s university research labs and all of the companies currently employ students from these universities. The ten companies were selected by a panel of seasoned venture capitalists, technology experts, and industry veterans.

The 2011 MegaWatt Venture’s finalists include: OrgSolar (Melbourne), Cyclocean (Vero Beach), RedOx Fuel Cells (Gainesville), Mud Power (St. Petersburg), Mesdi Systems (Orlando), SenNova Inc. (Orlando), Verdicorp Inc. (Tallahassee), I-RED LLC (Edgewater), Bladeworks (Melbourne) and NCAA Battery Corporation (Winter Park). While some of these companies have been involved in production or research prior to Megawatt Ventures, most were created as a result of the funding provided from becoming a finalist in this competition.

Many of the technologies are being developed in conjunction with Florida university research including programs at Florida Institute of Technology, Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida and University of South Florida. These technologies come from several different renewable sources including cost effective photovoltaics (OrgSolar), vertical wind turbines for low wind zones (I-Red), unique wind turbine blade designs (Bladeworks), wave energy turbines (Cyclocean), oceanic microbial fuel cells (Mud Power), solid oxide fuel cells (RedOx), smart grid sensor hardware (SenNova), heat sourced generators (Verdicorp), affordable utility batteries (NCAA), and large scale energy material deposition equipment (Mesdi Systems). Those companies which did not place this year will be eligible to compete next year, and are still welcome to attend some of the workshops and services that are available to the official teams.

“We feel this competition will help not only these companies in their quest to commercialize, but will also raise awareness of the business opportunities in the renewable energy sector to many other entrepreneurs in Florida”, Dr. O’Neal said

These companies will compete at the MegaWatt Ventures’ showcase event, which will be held at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida, on Sept. 8 – 9, 2011. FSEC was created by the Florida Legislature in 1975 to conduct research, test and certify solar systems and develop education programs across a breadth of renewable energy technologies. Both the rigorous education program and competition the finalists will participate in are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the University of Central Florida, and other energy organizations.

In the months leading up to the event, all teams will be required to attend unique workshops customized to the renewable energy industry. Since most of the companies were founded by technologists, their first workshop will be a “Business Bootcamp” based on the Kauffman Foundation content, focusing on venture capital fundraising and other necessary management skills. Ensuing workshops will include how to effectively produce a return on investment analyses, critical sales techniques for the clean energy industry, as well as a rare peak into the entire customer decision chain in implementing solar solutions for municipalities.

MegaWatt Ventures

MegaWatt Ventures is an annual clean energy business plan competition that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Central Florida in conjunction with the University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida State University, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and the Florida Institute of Technology. The competition has an over-riding mission of encouraging the commercialization of innovative energy-related technologies from the lab bench into the marketplace. Students, entrepreneurs and faculty are eligible to participate in this exciting annual program that brings innovation, entrepreneurship and the energy industry together to create new ventures that have the potential to create new jobs and help solve today’s global energy issues. For more information, please visit www.megawattventures.com or call 407-882-0594.

Tolaris Realty Group Sees Big Jump in Construction, Sales, Traffic at Lake Forest

LAKE FOREST, Fla. – Tolaris Realty Group reports it is seeing a big jump in construction and sales activity at Lake Forest, the luxury residential community located off SR 46 west of Sanford.

Richard Bavec, president of Tolaris Realty Group, said Taylor Morrison has more than nine homes under construction at Lake Forest priced from the $400s to the $600s and several pre-sold homes priced from the $700s to $1.5 million are also under construction, Bavec said.

“We’re seeing substantially more activity in the sales office and we think all the new construction has something to do with it, Bavec said.

Tolaris Realty Group specializes in sales of luxury homes in Central Florida and focuses on the Lake Forest community.

Henin Realty Group Reports Sales of Seven New Homes at Riviera Bella in DeBary, Construction of New Model Homes Underway

DeBary, Fla. – Henin Group, which is developing Riviera Bella luxury community overlooking the St. Johns River in DeBary, reported it sold seven new homes at Riviera Bella during the first quarter for more than $2 million.

Jerome Henin, who heads the Henin Group as well as the homebuilder Henin Signature Homes, said Riviera Bella will open the two-story Turino model home in May on a waterfront home site at Riviera Bella. By June 1, Riviera Bella will see the construction of six ready-to-move-in luxury homes priced from the $180s to the $280s.

“We have a lot of activity underway at Riviera Bella,” Henin said. “The housing market is recovering, we are seeing a lot of pent up demand for new luxury homes and Riviera Bella is a unique location in Central Florida,” he said.

Henin said Riviera Bella’s “smaller, smarter” luxury homes appeal to cost conscious home buyers.

The Turino model home at Riviera Bella offers 3,057 square feet of living space with five bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths priced from $282,400. Its home site offers a spectacular water view, Henin added.

Henin recently started a second Turino model home at Riviera Bella with five bedrooms and three-and-a half-baths in 3,477 square feet of luxury living space with a 300 square foot bonus room.

Henin Signature Homes plans to start construction of a three-story model home at Riviera Bella later this year, priced from under $200,000 with four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage. The Maranello model will offer 2,244 square feet of living space, Henin said.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Long-Term Lease for 3,800 Square Feet of Office Space at SunTech Commerce Park in Lake Mary

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new long-term lease agreement for 3,800 square feet of office space at 43 Skyline Drive in the SunTech Commerce Park in Lake Mary.

NAI Realvest associates Drew Saphos, CCIM and Paul Vera along with Christie Alexander, principal and George Livingston, chairman emeritus, negotiated the transaction representing the tenant, EDCO Group, Inc. d/b/a ABI Document Support Services of Lake Mary.

Butters Real Estate Funds of Coconut Creek, Fla. is the landlord who was represented in the transaction by Christi Davis CCIM of Morrison Commercial Real Estate.

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. NAI Global is an international commercial real estate network with over 350 offices spanning the globe. Since 1978, clients have built 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.