Hendricks & Partners (Now Hendricks-Berkadia) negotiated Sale of The Willows Apartments in Birmingham for $5,200,000

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Hendricks & Partners, one of the nation’s largest and most active multifamily investment banking and research companies recently renamed to Hendricks-Berkadia, negotiated the sale of The Willows, a 170-unit apartment community located in Birmingham, for $5.2 million. David Oakley, senior investment advisor of the Hendricks-Berkadia Alabama office negotiated the sale representing the seller, Willows Partners, LLC, an Alabama limited liability company, based in Birmingham. The Willows, constructed in 1973 and renovated in 2011, has a total of 133,600 square feet of rentable living space with studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The buyer was Willow United LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, based out of Florida.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Two New Leases for Office Space at Winter Park Commerce Center

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently completed two new lease agreements totaling 4,325 square feet of office space at the Winter Park Commerce Center near downtown Winter Park. Michael Heidrich, principal at NAI Realvest brokered both transactions representing the landlord, Winter Park-based WFI, LLP. A local massage therapy firm, Gifted Touch, LLC, is the new tenant who leased 2,490 square feet at 917 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Daly Design Group, Inc. of Winter Park leased 1,835 square feet at 913 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Lennar starts construction of final phase of single family homes at Hampton Hills in Lakeland

LAKELAND, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division has started construction of single family homes in the final phase at Hampton Hills on Sleepy Hill Road west of U.S. 98, next to Lakeland Square Mall. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division said new three, four and five bedroom homes in the final phase at Hampton Hills offer one and two story designs with two car garages and prices that start from the $190s. Lennar is offering end-of-the-year closeout incentives on sales of all new homes in the Lakeland region. “On select homes we’re offering price reductions of up to $24,000. Other incentives include: zero closing costs with monthly mortgage payments as low as $1,196 per month,” Metheny said. New homes at Hampton Hills range in size from 1,677 square feet of living space to 2,858 square feet. For more information, visit www.Lennar.com or call 888-317-7489.

Cuhaci & Peterson completes design of the redeveloped Orange County Court Reporting Building

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, completed design and engineering work for restoration and redevelopment of the Orange County Court Reporting building at 633 East Colonial at the intersection of Summerlin Ave. in downtown Orlando. Lonnie Peterson, chairman of the architectural firm said the building will house the Court Reporting facility in 12,000 square feet of space.

Golden Bear Club Member earns Fourth Career PGA Tour victory in La Quinta, Calif.

Windermere, Fla. --- The Golden Bear Club at Keene’s Pointe in Windermere has special cause to celebrate: Golden Bear member and PGA pro Brian Gay came from behind to post his fourth career PGA Tour victory on January 21 at the Humana Challenge in partnership with The Clinton Foundation tournament at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif. Matthew Allen, general manager and director of golf at The Golden Bear Club at Keene's Pointe, said many Golden Bear members followed Gay’s victory stroke for stroke and the clubhouse erupted after his winning putt. Gay told PGA golf writer Helen Ross he thought he had lost the tournament when he shot par on the 72nd hole, but he played aggressively and turned a six-stroke deficit at the start of the day into back-to-back playoff birdies. A five-footer on the second extra hole proved to be the winning stroke. “Gay is very well liked around the Golden Bear Club and we’re all excited for him,” Allen said.

Centex Homes Unveils Seven Distinctive New Floor Plans at Stonebrier Sweetgrass in Lutz

LUTZ, Fla. --- Centex Homes will unveil seven new distinctive floor plans Saturday, Feb. 2 at Stonebrier Sweetgrass, located on Mapleridge Drive in Lutz off Lutz Lake Fern Road. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales and marketing for PulteGroup in North Florida, said new three, four, five and six-bedroom floor plans at Stonebrier Sweetgrass range in size from 1,674 square feet of living space to 3,242 square feet with up to four bathrooms. Strickler said the new one and two-story single-family home plans feature additional flex rooms, game rooms, two-car garages and oversized kitchens. Strickler said there are 85 home sites currently available at Stonebrier Sweetgrass and many sites are available with conservation views, water views and some with a combination of both. Home owners at Stonebrier Sweetgrass have a wide variety of recreational activities to enjoy throughout the community. The 14-acre neighborhood amenity center accommodates a community club house, a state-of-the-art fitness facility with weight training and cardio equipment, a tropical resort-style swimming pool with a jungle waterslide and children’s splash ground, a basketball court, a multi-use sports field, and a children’s playground complete with a rock climbing wall. Visit www.pulte.com/tampa for more information or call 877-215-3143.

Lennar Reports 2012 was Strong Rebuilding Year with Sales up by 40 percent, 2013 looks even better

TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division reports that sales of single family homes and town homes grew by almost 40 percent in 2012 over 2011 sales and the picture in 2013 looks even brighter. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said a combination of smart new product designs, resurging investor demand for resort-style vacation communities, and pent up demand for active adult communities powered Lennar’s strong rebuilding year in 2012 and will likely sustain even greater growth prospects through 2013. Strong job formation in the Orlando and Tampa markets will add to the impetus, he said. Lennar’s NextGen Homes — larger homes designed for three generations, with separate private living quarters inside the family home — are increasingly popular, Metheny said. “Our NextGen designs are really taking off in our Orlando communities. We recognize that family demographics are changing and our NextGen home designs appeal to families who want to accommodate aging parents or adult children and grandchildren in their family home,” Metheny said. Metheny said Lennar’s Central Florida Division expects to open six to eight new communities in Southeast and Southwest Orlando and another six to eight communities in the Tampa region — South Hillsborough, New Tampa and Central Pasco — in 2013. Currently Lennar sells single family and town homes priced from the low $100s to more than $300 in 18 communities in the Orlando region which includes Clermont and Space Coast and 22 communities in the Tampa bay region. Sales have been particularly strong in active adult communities where the lifestyle — with planned activities, sports and recreation and outings — is an important as new home design. Metheny said new home sales at Heritage Isle in Viera and Heritage Hills in Clermont were strong all year. In Tampa, new home sales at Tampa Bay Golf and County Club, Pelican Strand and The Sanctuary — all in San Antonio — were strong all year.

VOLUSIA LAW FIRM HELPS VETERAN-FOCUSED MOTORCYCLE GROUP PROVIDE FREE COMPUTER TRAINING FOR RETURNING VETERANS

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The Port Orange-based law firm of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell has joined with Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Florida Chapter 8 – a non-profit veterans-for-veterans group – to offer free computer training for veterans starting Jan. 30. The first session will be led by Rolling Thunder board members John Trask and Ken Paul from 6 to 7 p.m. at Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell, 632 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange. Classes, which are planned for every two weeks at alternating sites, will include training in MSWord, Excel, Power Point and basic internet searches. “We’ve taken it upon ourselves to ‘pay it forward’,” Trask said of the volunteer organization that works to educate the public about prisoners of war and those still missing in action and left behind in previous wars. According to Trask, many returning veterans have limited skills, a sense of being alone and often feel they have no place in society. “At this time, the folks at Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell are the sole sponsors of this training program and they have been extremely generous in helping us,” Trask said. “But, we are hoping to gain additional support to allow us to expand our computer training and offer additional programs and eventually open a storefront for classes five days a week.” Allan L. Ziffra, president of the personal-injury law firm, said they are excited to help and they hope veterans in the community take advantage of the free program. “We’re very happy to help with this program,” Ziffra said. “It’s important that our veterans get the basic computer skills they need, whether it’s to find jobs, stay informed or to just keep in touch with family and friends.” Class sizes are limited and reservations are required. More information, including additional class dates and times, is available from Rolling Thunder members Ken Paul at 407-797-4848 or kpofusa@yahoo.com or Trask√ at 386-503-7009 or jrtrask1950@cfl.rr.com. Anyone interested in sponsorship can also contact the group for details, Trask said. “Helping other veterans return from a war experience to become a working member of society is the biggest reward you can get from your efforts,” he said.