Pulte Homes and Cameratta Companies Form Joint Venture to Develop Community of 700 Single-Family Homes in Estero

Fort Myers, Fla. --- Pulte Homes and Cameratta Companies have formed a joint venture to develop a master-planned community of 700 single-family homes on a 722-acre site located three miles east of Interstate 75 on Corkscrew Rd. in Estero. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for Pulte Homes in South Florida, said the site includes a 222-acre lake. Several of the homesites offer spectacular views of the lake along with natural wooded preserves, he said.   Land development at the site should start in the fall and the first new homes are projected to go on sale in early 2014. “The surrounding area includes many established master-planned communities and a wide selection of retail, restaurant, and entertainment venues, with excellent primary and higher education opportunities,” Mairn said. “The property is well served with easy access to I-75 and Southwest Florida International Airport, along with Germain Arena, Miromar Outlets, Gulf Coast Town Center, Coconut Point Shopping Mall, and Florida Gulf Coast University,” he added. Mairn said the development team has plans for a secluded community recreational amenity on a large peninsula along the northern side of the lake. This will be the second project involving Pulte Homes and Cameratta Companies, having successfully opened The Preserve at Corkscrew in Estero this past summer.

NAI Realvest negotiates $3.9 Million sale of property to be developed as restaurant complex to include Bahama Breeze, Olive Garden brands

MAITLAND, Fla. --- NAI Realvest negotiated a $3.9 million price in the sale of the 127-room former Ramada Inn hotel at 1798 International Speedway Blvd. in Daytona Beach. Paul P. Partyka, managing partner at NAI Realvest, negotiated the sale representing seller Consolidated Inns of Daytona Beach, Inc. Development Options Center, LLC of Chattanooga, Tenn. acquired the 4.1-acre property to develop as a three-restaurant complex that will include a Bahama Breeze restaurant and an Olive Garden restaurant, Partyka said. “We were able to negotiate successfully on the property due to its prime location and the development plan with very popular Darden Restaurant brands is just perfect for the site,” said Partyka. “This has been a win-win-win transaction all around,” he said. The site is located directly across International Speedway Blvd. from Daytona International Speedway.

Henin Homes Reports 30 New Home Sales in Past Nine Months, Up More than 70 Percent over 2011

DeBary, Fla. --- Henin Homes, which builds luxury homes at Riviera Bella, the award-winning luxury community that overlooks the St. Johns River in DeBary, reported it sold 30 new homes since April. Matt Boltz, recently named vice president of Henin Homes, Inc., said the sales represented revenues of close to $10 million and an increase of more than 70 percent over 2011 sales.

Henin Homes Has Three Move-In Ready Homes Underway at Riviera Bella in DeBary

DeBary, Fla. – Henin Homes will have three ready-to-move-in homes opening for viewing in mid-January through early Spring. The homes are located at Riviera Bella, the luxury community the Henin Group is developing on the St. Johns River in DeBary. Matt Boltz, vice president of Henin Homes, Inc., said the new homes range is size from 2,300 square feet of living space to 3,100 square feet priced from the $300s.

Park Square Homes Appoints Kenny Geils Senior Purchasing Agent

Orlando, Fla. --- Park Square Homes has appointed Kenny Geils senior purchasing agent. Anthony Rouhana, marketing coordinator at Park Square Homes, said Geils earned his B.A. Degree in Social Science from Auburn University and has more than 11 years of experience as a purchasing executive, having worked on projects all over the world. Geils began his career in the U.S. Air Force, working for the 42nd Air Base Wing and Air University. As a purchasing agent for Pulte Homes, Geils made all purchases for Land Development. As a purchasing consultant, Geils’ projects included the renovation of Disney’s Contemporary Resort Pool Deck, the Ritz Carlton’s Wedding Pavilion and Municipal Park for City of Ocoee. As director of purchasing for Technomedia Solutions, Geils oversaw worldwide projects for Abercrombie, Margaritaville, Universal Studios, Hard Rock Café and Hollister. Geils earned his Construction Estimating Certification from University of Florida Rinker School of Construction and has enrolled in the University of Florida’s MBA Program..

University Club of Orlando to Host Cocktails for a Cause Jan. 24 to Benefit Coastal Conservation Association

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The University Club of Orlando will host a Cocktails for a Cause reception Thursday, Jan. 24, to raise more than $5,000 for the Central Florida Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), an organization of saltwater anglers and conservation activists in 17 states with 30 Florida chapters. Justin Wright, general manager of the University Club of Orlando, said the Fifth Annual CCA Cocktails for a Cause event is an important one for the club. “CCA has held a Cocktails for a Cause event at the University Club of Orlando for the past four years and we’ve established a tradition among the group of influential men and women who are thoroughly committed to the conservation of coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public,” Wright said. The University Club’s Cocktail for a Cause events have helped raise more than $175,000 over the past five years to benefit a wide range of civic, community, educational and charitable organizations. Wright emphasized Cocktails for a Cause events give organizations the opportunity to raise money while having fun. “When the leaders of an organization play cocktail servers, you’re bound to have a good time,” Wright said. “They donate all their tips to the cause, and some organizations have raised as much as $5,000 in a single evening,” Wright added.

“Sustainable” is the Standard for New Breed of Community Banks, Says First Green Bank Chairman Ken LaRoe

Mount Dora, Fla. --- “Sustainable” is the standard for a new generation of bankers who aim to make a difference along with a profit in the market that’s emerged since the collapse of too-big-to-fail Lehman Brothers four years ago. Kenneth M. LaRoe, chairman of First Green Bank in Mount Dora, said sustainable banking practices will steer the industry back to its original course---stable and solid financial returns and resiliency through strong capital positions---and restore the world economy. A critical industry analysis issued last month by the Global Alliance for Banking on Values---a worldwide network of proponents of sustainable banking practices---proves LaRoe’s point. “Sustainable banks allocate almost twice as much of their balance sheet to lending to the real economy than the too-big to-fail banks,” LaRoe said. “Dominant big banks lend less, attract fewer deposits and have a weaker capital base than sustainable banks, and financial results over the last ten years show sustainable banks are resilient, support the real economy, and provide stable returns,” he said. “Those are fundamentals of sustainable banking,” LaRoe said recently. “It’s who we are, it’s why we do business.” Banks have a huge role to play in their communities, with a vested interest in real economic growth, LaRoe said. Earlier this year First Green Bank became the first Florida bank admitted to The Global Alliance for Banking on Values. The group’s study, “Strong and Straightforward: The Business Case for Sustainable Banking,” has LaRoe and his colleagues excited. “’Strong and Straightforward’ lays out the philosophy mainstream banking will eventually embrace, but it will take time,” LaRoe predicts. “I’m delighted the evolution is under way,” he said. LaRoe, whose First Green Bank opened its award-winning headquarters facility in Mount Dora last year and a branch facility in bustling downtown Orlando recently, said sustainable banking practices form the core of First Green’s expanding business model. First Green Bank also has locations in Ormond Beach, Clermont and a planned branch in Winter Park sometime next year. It’s a highly successful model: First Green reports its assets grew by more than 20 percent in 2012 and its loan volume by more than 25 percent. First Green Bank scored the highest among Central Florida banks in a recent Asset Quality Review by the Carson Medlin Company. LaRoe said the benefits of sustainable banking extend well past the bank’s bottom line. “Sustainable banks increased their activity during the financial crisis, expanding their lending to small and growing businesses in particular,” LaRoe said. “Sustainable banks provide demand-driven banking services to the real economy with a long-term view toward developmental and environmental needs. We are stewards of equitable and environmentally sound capitalism,” he said.