Law Firm Celebrates Grand Opening Friday with Chamber Ribbon Cutting

Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell will host an open house after cutting the ribbon on their neighboring office space at 640 Dunlawton Ave. in Port Orange PORT ORANGE – At noon Friday 6/14, the partners of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell will make the building adjacent to their Dunlawton Boulevard office an official part of the longtime personal-injury firm with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an open house. The ceremony, led by firm partners and officials from the Daytona Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce, will include tours of the property as well as a light lunch and refreshments. The 6,000-square-foot two-story building, which sits on 1½ acres, previously was used as a medical and a real estate office. Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell purchased the building in 2010 and it now houses about one half of the company’s 45-person staff, including those working in the Social Security, worker’s compensation, medical malpractice and litigation departments. The building is the fourth office operated by the 30-year-old Port Orange-based law firm, as they also have offices in DeLand and Palm Coast.

Avex Homes reports 12 new home starts at Avalon Park West in Wesley Chapel

Wesley Chapel, Fla. --- Avex Homes reports 12 new home starts at Avalon Park West in Wesley Chapel from May 1 through May 31. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing for Avex Homes, said Avex Homes closed on three sales and signed seven new contracts in May. Avex Homes started construction of 12 new homes during the month of May and the homebuilder expects to start construction of more than 20 new homes in June, Hodson said. The three-bedroom, two bath Braden model home from Avex Homes’ Celebration Series has proved to be the most popular during the month, Hodson said. The single story Braden floor plan offers 1,697 square feet of living space with a two-car garage. 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. For information call 813-364-4918 or email Stephanie@AvexHomes.com.

New long term lease in Downtown Avalon Park brings Real Estate Attorney, Title Company and seven full time employees

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Avalon Park Group recently negotiated a new long term lease agreement for 1,600 square feet of office space on the second floor of a Class A Office Building located at 3680 Avalon Park East Blvd. in Downtown Avalon Park. Stephanie Hodson, vice president of marketing at Avalon Park Group, said Vice President Rich Browning negotiated the lease agreement for Avalon Park Group. Attorney Karen R. Spell, P.A. is the new tenant, along with Avex Title, LLC. Hodson said the law firm and title company totals seven full time employees.

Two Independent Rating Agencies Rank First Green Bank Highest in Asset Quality

Mount Dora, Fla. --- First Green Bank, the Lake County-based community bank with branch offices in Clermont, Ormond Beach, and downtown Orlando, was recently ranked the best community bank in Central Florida for asset quality by two top ratings agencies. The 2013 First Quarter Asset Quality Review by Monroe Financial Services, a leading U.S. investment bank serving community banks since 1968, ranked asset quality at First Green Bank the best of 29 Central Florida community banks in its study. Kenneth LaRoe, founder and chairman of First Green Bank, said the Monroe study focused on total assets, non-performing assets (NPAs) and the highly respected Texas Ratio, a benchmark used to rate banks’ financial security. The Monroe study ranked First Green Bank highest in all three categories. “We scored the lowest in the region when NPAs were included and when NPAs were excluded we scored perfect zeroes,” LaRoe said. Hacker Johnson and Smith, the leading provider of independent audit and tax services to financial institutions in Florida, ranked First Green Bank’s asset quality among the top five banks in Florida. The Hacker Johnson and Smith study also ranked First Green Bank as first in Central Florida in growth in assets. “These studies are interesting to our shareholders and customers as they are an accurate way of measuring our conservative, community-based banking strategy and we are very proud of the results,” LaRoe said. First Green Bank plans to open a branch office in Winter Park later this year. Headquartered on U.S. 441 in Mount Dora and ranked one of the greenest banks in America by the America Bankers Association, First Green Bank opened in 2009.

Lennar’s Central Florida Division Promotes Don Lunko to Land Development Project Manager in Orlando Region

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lennar’s Central Florida Division, which builds single family, town homes, villas and vacation homes in the Orlando area, including Clermont and the Space Coast, has promoted Don Lunko to land development project manager. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said Lunko joined Lennar 23 years ago and most recently served as due diligence land manager. For the past three years Lunko has focused on land acquisition and development. “Don will be working with Lennar business partners to acquire and develop sites for new and existing communities,” Metheny said. The first projects on Lunko’s to do list include new phases at Emerson Park in Apopka and Heritage Hills in Clermont. “We are on track to expand our community development efforts and Don Lunko is one of the most experienced residential community land acquisition experts in the mid-Florida region,” Metheny said.

Lennar’s Central Florida Division Names Veteran Marketing Executive Beverly Drain Design Production Manager

TAMPA, Fla. – The Central Florida division of Lennar Homes has appointed Beverly Drain design production manager in the Tampa Bay region. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida division, said Drain is a marketing professional and graphic design specialist who has more then 24 years of experience. “Beverly ranks as one of the most widely experienced marketing design specialists in the Tampa Bay area and we are looking forward to her contribution at Lennar,” Metheny said. Drain will be responsible for in-house graphic design and marketing collateral that supports sales of new single-family homes, including Lennar’s NextGen homes for multi generational families, town homes and active adult communities throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties.

Hendricks-Berkadia Negotiates sale of 123 Acre Site in New Smyrna Beach area for $500,000

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Hendricks-Berkadia Real Estate Advisors, one of the nations’ largest multi-family property investment advisors and a leading provider of commercial capital in the U.S. recently negotiated the sale of a 123-acre site on S. Glencoe Road in the New Smyrna Beach area for $500,000. Cole Whitaker, partner who heads the Southeast for Hendricks-Berkadia, and Jim Dowd of Jim Dowd Properties, Inc. based in Celebration negotiated the sale representing the seller, PNC Bank. Patricia Johnson and David Heyburn acquired the site.

New Design Studio Does Double Duty by Offering Homebuying Choices for Both SeaGate Homes and Bellagio Custom Homes

PALM COAST – A new 2,300-square-foot design studio has opened at the corporate offices of SeaGate Homes and Bellagio Custom Homes at 185 Cypress Point Parkway in Palm Coast. The studio – which offers those building with either SeaGate Homes or Bellagio Custom Homes the opportunity to make all of their new home selections under one roof– provides a wide selection of new styles and finishes of today’s most popular products used throughout new homes, according to Michael Sawdai√, vice president of operations for both companies. “The studio is unique in that it features full-size displays of three separate kitchens, a master bathroom, a staircase display with railing options, as well as a sitting room with a fireplace,” he said. “Here, customers can see and feel a variety of products such as flooring, plumbing and lighting as they personalize their homes.” The studio showcases more than 200 carpet selections, over 100 choices for cabinet doors and floor and wall tiles, seven vanity displays, a wall of Moen faucets, more than 75 wood-flooring selections, entry door and cultured stone displays, and countertop examples in granite, Silestone, Cambria, Piedrafina and travertine. Sawdai said while both companies share the new space, certain areas of the studio offers products specific to each builder. For more information, please call 386-437-6188 or visit SeaGateHomes.com. About SeaGate Homes: SeaGate Homes, Flagler County’s largest homebuilder, is an 18-year-old, family-owned company with headquarters in Palm Coast. SeaGate builds quality homes at communities in St. Augustine, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach and Edgewater, as well as through their On-Your-Lot program in Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties. Prices range from the $100s to the $400s.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Completes Design on Two Bottom Dollar Stores in Pennsylvania

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, completed design on two Bottom Dollar stores in Pennsylvania. Both stores are 18,000 square feet, according to Chairman Lonnie Peterson. One store is on Ninth Street in Philadelphia and the other one is at 15th Street and Edgemont in Chester, Pa.

Cuhaci & Peterson completes design work on three projects in Florida, Construction underway on all including Orlando Gateway Phase Two

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, completed design work on three retail projects including phase two of 20,000 square feet of design work for retail shops and restaurants at Orlando Gateway, located off SR 436 and the Beachline. The second project is a Canopy renovation at Granada Plaza, a 100,000 square foot shopping center in Ormond Beach. The third project is another Canopy renovation of the 50,000 square foot shopping center in Westchester in southwest Dade County, Fla.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects named to remodel New Tribes Mission in Sanford

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park has been hired to conduct interior remodeling of a multi-story headquarters for New Tribes Mission located at 1000 E. First St. in Sanford. Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, said the interior remodeling will cover some 30,000 square feet.

LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE FOR FREE JUNE 15 SPANISH LEGAL SEMINAR

ORANGE CITY – The Port Orange-based law firm of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell is partnering with the Volusia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to present a free legal seminar for area Spanish speaking residents June 15 in Orange City. Luis Gracia, a partner in the personal-injury firm, will lead the reserved-seat session from 9 a.m. to noon at the Holiday Inn Express near the intersection of Saxon Boulevard and Interstate 4. Gracia – who focuses mainly on Social Security disability, workers’ compensation, and personal injury and wrongful deaths cases – said the seminar is designed to educate the Hispanic community about common legal issues and inform them of their rights regarding everything from Social Security disability and Workers’ Compensation to automobile and motorcycle accidents. “Those participating will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn what to do if they are ever faced with a personal-injury situation,” he said. Carlos Valderrama, president of the Volusia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber is very pleased with the partnership it has forged with the firm. “This partnership with Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell allows us to offer free legal seminars and workshops about pertinent legal topics of today for our residents, as well as potential business owners,” Valderrama said. Space for the seminar is limited to 65 seats and reservations must be made by calling 386-788-7700, 1-800-JUSTICE, or visiting www.rueziffra.com.

M/I Homes expands its position at Randal Park near Lake Nona, Sees big opportunity of home buyers

ORLANDO, Fla. --- M/I Homes sees a bright future for new home buyers at Randal Park located on Dowden Rd. near Narcoossee Road in Southeast Orlando. David Byrnes, area president in the Orlando region, said M/I Homes recently acquired 62 additional home sites at Randal Park, increasing its inventory there to 110 home sites. And at the rate new homes are selling at Randal Park, Byrnes said he may sell all 110 homes by the end of 2014. Randal Park is averaging 10 new home sales every month so far this year, Byrnes said. “This is a beautiful prosperous, highly desirable area that serves the new College of Medicine campus along with the healthcare facilities and research centers that comprise Medical City,” Byrnes said. M/I Homes is building one and two story homes at Randal Park that range in size from 1,750 square feet of living area to 2,800 square feet priced in the mid-$200s to the high $300s. Byrnes said M/I Homes recently started construction of a new two story luxury home at Randal Park that will be ready to move in by July 1. Priced from $269,990 the Norwood II floor plan – from M/I’s Eco series of new home designs – offers 2,178 square feet of living space with a two car garage. Standard features include 42-inch kitchen cabinets with crown molding, granite kitchen and master bath counters, stainless steel Energy Star® appliances, tiled wet areas, a tray ceiling in the master bedroom and an oversized covered lanai.