Thursday, March 29, 2012

Former President of Signature Homes Joins Tolaris Homes as Principal, Managing Partner

Lake Forest, Fla. --- Larry Fleming, founder of Signature Homes Group, Inc., and past president of the Home Builders Association of Mid-Florida has joined Tolaris Homes as a principal and managing partner.

Rick Bavec, president of Tolaris Homes said Fleming has more than 28 years of experience as a hands-on custom homebuilder, and has built over 300 homes in Central Florida.

“Tolaris Homes is building custom homes and re-modeling, and we expect Fleming to play a key role in our growth,” Bavec said.

Central Florida Developer Jerome Henin Invited to White House Briefing on Florida Economic Development, Job Creation

DeBary, Fla. --- Jerome Henin, who heads the Henin Group and is developing Riviera Bella on the St. Johns River in DeBary, participated in the White House Business Leader forum recently with business leaders from Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando.

Henin said the forum included nearly two dozen speakers, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Chris Vane, White House Deputy Chief Technology Officer, David Agnew, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Francisco Sanchez, U.S. State Department’s Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade.

“We were given a comprehensive outline of White House strategies and directives to create jobs and increase economic competitiveness in Florida,” Henin said. “On those fronts, I think they rate A-plus.”

Henin said he was particularly impressed with the weight given political strategies.

“As a community developer, I am certainly aware of the political side of our business. But I was particularly impressed by the formidable political obstacles the White House must overcome to generate substantial economic development and job growth in Florida,” Henin said.

“When political entities defend their own interests, that’s democracy. But on the national level, given the broad mandate the White House is advancing in generating economic development and the critical importance of our national economy, I am troubled by political entities who seem more interested in seeing the current administration fail than in seeing the country succeed,” Henin added.

NAI Realvest Negotiates New Lease for Timeshare firm at SouthPark Business Center in Southwest Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new office lease agreement for 2,094 square feet at 8600 Commodity Circle, Suite 119 in South Park Business Center in Southwest Orlando.

Tom R. Kelley II, CCIM, principal at NAI Realvest, brokered the transaction representing the landlord Miami-based South Park, LLC. The tenant, Vacation Innovations LLC is based in Orlando.

About NAI Realvest
NAI Realvest in Orlando, 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.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Designs 15,000 square foot Retail Building in Altamonte Springs

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Baldwin Park, recently designed a 15,000 square foot retail building Dikeou Realty is developing on SR 436 in Altamonte Springs.

Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, LLC said Scherer Construction awarded the contract.

Ashton Woods Homes Starts Presales of New Town Homes with Private Courtyards at Lake Reams in Windermere

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes has started presales of 82 new town homes priced from the $160s with private courtyards at Lake Reams, located off Reams Road in Windermere.

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Orlando region, said the three-bedroom town homes features two-and-a-half baths and range in size from 1,523 square feet of living space to 1,563 square feet and are priced from $162,990.

Ashton Woods Homes, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies with operations in growth communities in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Killeen, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, Raleigh and Tampa.

For more information, visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

Emerson International Reports New Office Leases that Total More than 10,000 Square Feet in Orlando, Altamonte Springs

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. --- Emerson International reports it recently closed on three new long-term office lease agreements at Major Plaza in southwest Orlando and the Centerpointe II office building in Altamonte Springs that totaled more than 10,000 square feet of space.

Kenneth R. Koch, Commercial Portfolio Director at Emerson International, negotiated all three lease agreements.

Two of the lease agreements total 4,081 square feet of office space at Major Plaza I, located at 5728 Major Blvd. in southwest Orlando near I-Drive.

Florida Men’s Medical Clinic leased 1,861 square feet of office space at Major Plaza I. Accumen Chiropractic & Wellness Center leased 2,220 square feet.

Mauiva, a specialty travel company, leased 6,194 square feet of office space at Centerpointe II in Altamonte Springs.

Emerson International is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Emerson Group, the global corporation that is one of the largest privately-owned property development companies.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Renewal for 4,000 square feet of industrial space in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a renewal lease of 4,000 square feet of industrial space at 8350 Parkline Blvd., off Orange Avenue and McCoy Road in South Orlando.

Michael Heidrich, a principal at NAI Realvest, negotiated the transaction on behalf of the landlord Parkline Properties, LLC of Columbus, Ohio.

The tenant AZ Southeast Distributors, LLC – a Woodbury, N.Y. supplier of alcoholic beverage making equipment and provisions – renewed its lease of Unit 14 at the industrial center, represented by Lee Zerivitz of The Bywater Company.

About NAI Realvest:
NAI Realvest in Orlando, covering 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.

Only Nine New Homes remain for sale priced from the $80s at Eiland Park in Zephyrhills

TAMPA, Fla. --- Only nine new homes remain for sale at gated Eiland Park, located in Zephyrhills off Massey Road, west of U.S. 301 and north of S.R. 54.

Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said new town homes and villa homes at Eiland Park that range in size from 1,371 square feet of living space to 1,531 square feet are priced from the $80s.

Two and three bedroom town homes at Eiland Park offer two-and-a-half baths, and villa homes offer two and three bedrooms and two baths with a one-car garage.

Eiland Park features a community pool with cabana, playground, picnic areas with barbecue grills and a sand volleyball court.

NAI Realvest Negotiates $720,000 Sale of Retail Land in Apopka

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sale of a 30-acre retail parcel located the northwest corner of U.S. 441 and N. Hiawassee Road in Apopka for $720,000.

NAI Realvest principal Michael Heidrich negotiated the transaction representing the seller, Estate of George Swanson.

CD 149 Taurus Apopka Limited Partnership purchased the property for investment. John Park of Birkshire Realty represented the buyer.

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.

City of Apopka, Orange County, UCF officials to celebrate opening of Apopka Business Incubator

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Officials representing the City of Apopka, Orange County and the University of Central Florida will mark the opening of the new 8,000 square foot Business Incubation Center at 325 S. McGee Ave. in Apopka April 18.

Gordon Hogan, director of the UCF Business Incubation Program, said three companies have already expressed interest in joining the facility.

Hogan said the UCF Business Incubation Program now assists more than 125 client companies at business incubation facilities at Central Florida Research Park in east Orlando, on S.R. 50 in Orlando, as well as facilities in Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Leesburg, Winter Springs, Daytona Beach and Sanford.

Over the past 12 years, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 client companies create more than 1,600 new jobs in the Central Florida region, Hogan said. Last year the incubation program accepted 64 new companies and graduated more than 20 companies.

“Business incubation has shown to be the most cost-effective way to generate economic growth and create jobs in the local community,” Hogan explained.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 125 current clients) create over $200 million in annual total economic output and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With nine facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business 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, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. The UCFBIP will open its 10th incubator in Apopka in Spring 2012. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects designs interior renovation of Meadow Woods Health Care Center in Osceola County

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects of in Baldwin Park in Orlando, recently completed design work for interior renovation at the Meadow Woods Health Care Center on Landstar Blvd. in the Osceola County community of Buenaventura.

Lonnie Peterson, chairman at Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners LLC, said the design project included 5,000 square feet of interior space.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Names Five New Professionals

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, recently hired five new professionals, Tina Kennedy, director of human resources for the Baldwin Park Architectural firm, said.

The five are: Hany George AIA, LEED-AP, project architect, a graduate of Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt; Joseph Gamb, project manager, a graduate of Pratt Institute; Ruth Lorenzo, architectural graduate from Rensselarer Polytecnic Institute; Anthony Barrett, architectural graduate from the University of Florida and Ricky Rodriguez, a graduate of Politecnica University, was hired as project coordinator for the firm.

RYLAND HOMES CELEBRATES 45 YEARS BUILDING NEW HOMES

Ryland Homes, which ranks as one of America’s top 10 home builders, is celebrating its 45th anniversary this month.

Krista Long, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in North Carolina, said the home builder opened its doors during the last week of March in 1967.

Nationwide, Ryland builds homes in, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois and Indiana, Minnesota, Texas, Colorado, Nevada and California.

In North Carolina, Ryland builds homes in 13 communities in the Charlotte and Raleigh regions.

For more information, visit www.ryland.com

About Ryland Homes
With headquarters in Southern California, Ryland is one of the nation’s largest homebuilders and a leading mortgage-finance company. The company currently operates in 28 markets across the country and has built more than 285,000 homes and financed more than 235,000 mortgages since its founding in 1967. Ryland is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RYL

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects completes production drawing for 150,000 square foot Publix Marketplace in Delray Beach

ORLANDO, Fla. – Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park recently completed production drawings for the 150,000 square foot Publix supermarket at the Delray Beach Marketplace located at Atlantic Avenue and Lyons Road in Delray Beach.

Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson, said the project was completed in conjunction with Wakefield Beasley & Associates Architects of Atlanta and Jacksonville.

Ryland Homes Opens Bayou Cove in Pinellas Park with 22 New Luxury Homes Priced from $299,900

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ryland Homes has opened Bayou Cove, an intimate new luxury community of just 22 home sites and luxury homes priced from $299,900 in Pinellas Park just north of Park Blvd. at Belcher Rd. across the street from the Bayou Club.

Tony Crimi, vice president of sales and marketing for Ryland Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said Ryland is offering its Palm series of luxury homes at Bayou Cove with seven distinct floor plans that range from three to five bedrooms and from 2,447 square feet of living space to 3,500 square feet.

All new homes at Bayou Cove come with three-car garages, Crimi said.

Crimi said Ryland Homes recently opened the Siesta model home at Bayou Cove which offers five bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths in 3,154 square feet of living space with a three-car garage, all priced from $343,990.

The Siesta model is open to the public at Bayou Cove daily, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

About Ryland Homes
With headquarters in Southern California, Ryland is one of the nation’s largest homebuilders and a leading mortgage-finance company. The company currently operates in 28 markets across the country and has built more than 285,000 homes and financed more than 235,000 mortgages since its founding in 1967. Ryland is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RYL.”

NAI Realvest Negotiates Renewal Lease for long-time Tenant on Horatio Avenue in Maitland

MAITLAND, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated a long term renewal lease agreement for 1,067 square feet of office space at Suite 1, 541 E. Horatio Ave. in Maitland.

Senior Broker Associate Mary Frances West, CCIM negotiated the transaction representing the landlord Dallas-based Horatio Florida Partners LLC.

The tenant Edward D. Jones and Company L.P. d/b/a Edward Jones has been located at this address for over 20 years and has renewed for an additional five years.

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.

Mercantile Capital Corporation Reports Busiest Month Ever in February, March Shaping Up to Smash another Record

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Mercantile Capital Corporation, which specializes in U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loans to small business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities, reports it closed a record volume of loans in February.

Chris Hurn, chief executive officer of Mercantile Capital Corporation, said the firm closed 11 new loans to finance projects valued at $31.2 million in six states: Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Illinois, California and Colorado.

Hurn said the largest single loan during the month will finance the $9.5 million acquisition of a hotel in Aberdeen, N.C.

Geof Longstaff, chairman of Mercantile Capital Corporation, said the surge in new business can be attributed to improved economic conditions and further awareness of Mercantile’s specialty: the SBA 504 loan program.

“We are seeing a marked increase in loan inquires, as more business owners project growth in the coming year and want to purchase still-discounted real estate, before values increase from here,” Longstaff said.

Hurn said loan applications in various stages of approval point to an equally strong volume in March.

“We may very well break another record for us in March,” Hurn said.

Mercantile Capital Corporation Finances Commercial Property in Orlando Worth $253,000

Orlando, Fla. – Mercantile Capital Corporation, which ranks as one of the nation’s leading providers of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loans for small business owners who want to acquire or develop their own facilities, closed a loan for Love Packaging, LLC recently for $253,000 in total project costs.

Love Packaging is a full service supplier of packaging materials and contract packing services for a wide range of applications and markets, providing solutions based on new methods and emerging technologies.

“Mercantile provided us with a cost effective long term solution for the funding of a new digital printing press that will enable us to provide short production runs and facilitate our customer’s needs,” said co-owner, Satish Sharma. “We appreciate Mercantile’s attention to detail and the effort to take the time and care required to assist us with our borrowing needs.”

The SBA 504 Loan Program helps owners of small to mid-sized businesses have an opportunity to create wealth and financial freedom. Their specialization in these 504 loans, allows borrowers, like Rod Ali and Satish Sharma, to own their commercial property with the highest cash-on-cash return financing available, without tying up their precious capital.

UCF Business Incubation Program appoints Rick Parks site manager at Apopka Branch

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program has appointed Rick Parks site manager of the new UCF Business Incubation facility in Apopka.

Gordon Hogan, director of the UCF Business Incubation Program said Parks attended Southern Illinois University, Chrysler Institute in Detroit and the Illinois Institute of Technology. Parks has more than 40 years of experience, including 17 years with Abbott Laboratories, 25 years as a serial entrepreneur and three years as a coach at the University of Central Florida Venture Lab.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 125 current clients) create over $200 million in annual total economic output and more than 1,600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With nine facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Business 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, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. The UCFBIP will open its 10th incubator in Apopka in Spring 2012. Please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu and UCFBIP on Facebook, on www.facebook.com/ucf4bip.

2012 Avid Awards Honoring Mattamy Homes - Jacksonville for Best Customer Service in U.S.

Jacksonville, Fla. – Avid Ratings recently announced the winners of the 2012 Avid® Award for Best Customer Experience. Jacksonville builder Mattamy Homes has been awarded the Avid Diamond Award - Best Customer Experience in the U.S.

Now in its ninth year, the Avid Award is the leading industry-sponsored award program honoring the best builders in the U.S. for delighting homeowners. The awards include the Avid Diamond Award, which recognizes the No. 1 builder in the U.S.; the Avid Gold Award, which recognizes the No. 1 builder in a U.S. region; and the Avid Benchmark Award, which honors up to two builders in a region that rank among the top 25 percent nationwide for customer experience.

Mattamy Homes - Jacksonville is recognized in 2012 as the No. 1 builder in the U.S. for customer experience. The company topped all U.S. builders in the study with an Avid Index Score of 282 points (out of a total 300 points) as rated by their customers. Over 97 percent of their home buyers said they would recommend Mattamy Homes - Jacksonville to family and friends. An article profiling Mattamy Homes - Jacksonville and its survey results will be published on AvidBuilder.com, an online content-rich resource for housing news and information.

In addition, Mattamy’s Charlotte, N.C. division was awarded a 2012 Avid Benchmark Award ranking them among the top 25 percent of homebuilders in the U.S. for customer experience.

About Mattamy Homes
Mattamy Homes expanded into the U.S. in 2003. Headquartered in Winter Park, Florida, Mattamy Homes U.S. Group has divisions in Jacksonville, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The homebuilder is the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion.

About Avid Ratings
Founded in 2003, Avid Ratings is a full-service customer loyalty management firm, providing customer loyalty research, organizational strategies, employee training, and proprietary solutions to the home building industry. Serving over 50 companies in Canada and over 220 companies in the U.S., Avid Ratings maintains the largest homebuyer survey database in the home building industry. Avid assesses homebuyers' experiences and then provides focused business solutions and training to improve referrals, margins, and long-term customer loyalty.