First Green Bank’s Alan Rowe Appointed to Orlando Better Business Bureau Board of Directors Second Time

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Alan Rowe, regional president at First Green Bank, has been appointed a second time to the Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida (BBB). Rowe, who lives in Belle Isle, joined First Green Bank in January of 2011. He formerly served as a BBB Board member and was the Central Florida Region’s Chairman in 2003. The Better Business Bureau of Central Florida serves 11 counties across Central Florida.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Acquires Philadelphia-Based LMA Architects

ORLANDO, Fla./Blue Bell, Pa --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, which ranks as one of the nation’s most active designers of retail facilities, has acquired LMA Architects, a 35-year old architectural firm based just outside Philadelphia in Blue Bell, Pa. Jed Downs, president of Cuhaci & Peterson, said LMA Architects has served the needs of Wawa Convenience stores in the chain’s core mid-Atlantic markets since 1980. Wawa is based in Media, Pa., only a few miles from the LMA office and currently operates over 600 stores in their core markets. Acquisition of LMA Architects brings on new professional employees that will allow Cuhaci & Peterson to expand their reach while better serving the needs of Wawa Stores. “Cuhaci & Peterson has been the sole architect in the creation and expansion of Wawa stores in the Florida market for the last two years,” said Downs. “Our priority in 2013 will be to transition smoothly into a substantially larger design, engineering and planning firm that can meet all the needs of our existing clients more efficiently,” Downs said. Established in 1978, Cuhaci & Peterson currently employs more than 120 professionals to focus on retail and corporate architectural and engineering services. Downs said Oscar Martinez, AIA, owner of LMA Architects, will stay on in the new Cuhaci & Peterson Northeast office to assist with the transition.

NAI Realvest negotiates sale of office condominium for $500,000 at Maitland Professional Office Village

MAITLAND, Fla. — NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sale of a 3,700 square foot office condo at 630 N. Wymore Rd. in the Maitland Professional Office Village for $500,000.00. Tom R. Kelley, II, CCIM, principal at NAI Realvest negotiated the sale of Suite 330 at the center representing the seller Marlyn D. Felsing, LLC of Maitland. Longwood based FTI Funding LLC, a privately held investment firm, purchased the office condominium. Mark Harkins, Harkins Commercial, Inc. represented the buyer in the transaction.

Royal Oak Homes will be acquiring 116 home sites at Sorrento Springs Golf Course Community near Mount Dora

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Royal Oak Homes, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, will be acquiring 116 new home sites at Sorrento Springs, a gated golf course community located off SR 46 in Mount Dora. Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes, said the community includes an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, fully equipped clubhouse and a resort-style swimming pool. Orosz said new three, four and five bedroom homes at Sorrento Springs will be priced from the 140's. Royal Oak Homes will start construction of the first new model home at Sorrento Springs in February. Currently Royal Oak Homes builds single-family homes in ten Central Florida communities. The third generation family home builder’s track record includes more than 14,000 new homes in Central Florida over the past 30 years.

Avalon Park West to premier two new model homes at Feb. 2 Grand Opening with a complimentary BBQ, bounce park, free gifts

Wesley Chapel, Fla. -- Avalon Park West in Wesley Chapel will host a family-friendly grand opening at 5116 Autumn Ridge Drive in Wesley Chapel Saturday, Feb. 2 to unveil two new single family model homes priced from the $160s. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing for Avalon Park West, said admission to the grand opening is free and the public is invited to enjoy refreshments, family BBQ, bounce park for the kids and free gifts. Avex Homes is premiering its new Braden and Jesup II model homes at Avalon Park West. The single story Braden model home offers three bedrooms and two baths in 1,697 square feet of living space with a two car garage priced from $169,990,” Hodson said. Options include a lanai, study, bonus room, extended garage and upgraded master bath suite. The Braden model home is offered in three distinctive elevations. The two story Jesup II model home offers four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths in 2,974 square feet of living space with a two car garage and bonus room. The Jesup II model features a study and media room. Avex Homes is offering up to $7,000 in free closing costs and $10,000 towards upgrades with every new home sold during grand opening weekend, Hodson said. New home owners will get a second gift too: a free porch swing, which has come to symbolize the relaxed traditional family lifestyle at Avalon Park West. Built on the rich traditions of small-town life, Avalon Park West has a pedestrian friendly character with tree-lined streets meandering around lakes and neighborhood parks, rocking chair porches on its craftsman styled homes, nearby schools, and shops that are designed to evoke the ideal of main street America. Avex Homes is building 342 homes in the first phase, Cypress Village at Avalon Park West. Eventually Avalon Park West will have 4,400 homes and more than 700,000 square feet of commercial space in its Town Center. Avalon Park West is located 3.5 Miles East of I-75 on SR 54 at 5116 Autumn Ridge Drive, Wesley Chapel FL 33545. For information call 813-364-4918 or email Stephanie@avalonparkgroup.com

NAI Realvest Negotiates Lease Agreements at Orlando, Kissimmee and Sanford Industrial Centers

MAITLAND, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated three lease agreements totaling 15,890 square feet of industrial space in Orlando, Kissimmee and Sanford. NAI Realvest Associate Michael Heidrich, Jr., and Principal Michael Heidrich Sr. represented Winter Park based Brio LLC, the landlord at Brio Business Center in a lease agreement for 1,680 square feet at 1267 West Airport Blvd. The new tenant was represented in the transaction by NAI Realvest associate Paul Vera, broker associate Drew Saphos, CCIM with principal Christie Alexander and chairman George Livingston. In Kissimmee Heidrich Sr. brokered a new lease agreement for Landlord Small Bay Partners of Maitland and tenant Play Auto Export LLC who will occupy 1,890 square feet of industrial space at 1773 Business Center Lane in Poinciana CommerCenter East. A lease renewal for 12,320 square feet of industrial space was negotiated by Heidrich Sr. representing the Columbus, Ohio-based landlord Parkline Properties LLC for Units 8-10 at 8350 Parkline Blvd. in Parkline Business Center in Orlando. John Doran of RE Commercial represented local tenant Rotech Oxygen and Medical Equipment Inc.

Ashton Woods Homes to Start Development of 91 Home Sites at Whitaker Park in Sarasota Area

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes will start development of 91 luxury homes in January at Whitaker Park, located off Richardson Road in Sarasota County. John Reny, division president of Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa Bay area, said 91 home sites are planned and the homebuilder will start construction of two model homes at Whitaker Park in the spring. New three, four and five bedroom homes at Whitaker Park will range in size from 1,700 square feet of living space to 3,000 square feet. 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 http://www.ashtonwoods.com.