Central Florida’s First Holistic Preschool Nears Opening Date, Will Focus on Environment, Diet, Alternative Learning and Values

Winter Springs, Fla. --- The prototype campus of Irblich Schools, Central Florida’s first holistic preschool, is under construction now in Winter Springs and founder Birgitta Jorgenson hopes to open the unique facility before the end of this year. Located at 126 E. State Road 434 in Winter Springs, the first Irblich Schools campus will focus on a healthy environment, a healthy diet, alternative learning strategies and sustainable values, Jorgenson explained. “The interior build-out began in April and should be completed in August,” Jorgenson said. “The exterior construction should begin around the same time. We are transforming a portion of the existing parking lot into safe outdoor green space,” she added. The City of Winter Springs has been very supportive, Jorgenson said. Jorgenson’s four-year effort to develop the Irblich Schools concept could have a big payoff. She hopes to expand nationwide. Her 3,029-square foot facility was designed to create the healthiest possible environment for young students, and that starts with air quality. The flooring is made from recycled limestone. Large windows provide natural lighting. The furniture will be made of wood sourced from sustainable forests, using only water-based finishes and organic glues, she said. School lunches will feature a plant-strong diet stocked with Slow Food specialties Jorgenson said will be organic and locally sourced whenever available. The nine common foods that cause 90 percent of all U.S. food allergies won’t be on the menu. “Irblich Schools will boost the student’s brain and body naturally, and that should mean fewer trips to the pediatrician,” Jorgenson said. The curriculum is based on alternative learning strategies developed to foster resilience, tolerance, cooperation, and self-esteem. “Each student has innate gifts and our goal is to strengthen those natural talents,” Jorgenson said. “Exposing children to new and unfamiliar things helps them to appreciate and learn respect towards others,” she added. Daily school activities include gardening and composting, a strategy Jorgenson hopes will teach a love of labor and respect for sustainable values that will last through adulthood. A waiting list for students age three to five has already been established. “I have been surprised and delighted at the high level of interest so far,” Jorgenson said. To learn more, visit IrblichSchools.com/enrollment/. Irblich Schools is a client company of the University of Central Florida’s Business Incubation Program in Winter Springs.

LENNAR STARTS SALES OF NEW EXECUTIVE HOMES AT REFLECTION ISLES IN FORT MYERS

Fort Myers, Fla. --- Lennar Homes has started sales of its Executive Homes in the newest phase at Reflection Isles, the gated luxury community located on River Otter Drive west of I-75 off Palomino Lane in Fort Myers. David Meyers, director of sales and marketing at Lennar in the southwest Florida region, said three, four and five-bedroom Executive Homes in the new phase range in size from 1,340 square feet of living space to 3,357 square feet in seven distinctive one and two-story designs priced from $230,990. The single-story Trevi model at Reflection Isles offers four bedrooms and three baths in 2,032 square feet of living space priced from $262,990 with a two-car garage. New homes at Reflection Isles come with Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: a wide variety of upgrades such as crown molding, granite countertops, wood cabinetry, designer light fixtures, stainless steel appliances and a highly rated energy efficiency package all for the one Lennar Homes price. Visit www.Lennar.com

Hold Thyssen Real Estate Services Negotiates $1.45 Million Price in Sale of 125-Acre Equestrian Center in Marion County

Reddick, Fla. --- Hold Thyssen, Inc., a real estate services firm headquartered in Winter Park, with offices in Tampa, recently negotiated a $1.45 million price in the sale of the 125-acre Northwind Stables equestrian center on U.S. 441 in Reddick in Marion County. Robert Hold, president of Hold-Thyssen, Inc., was listing agent for the property along with Ocala Ranches. Hold said the Northwind Stables property includes a three-bedroom, two-bath owner’s home, a two-bedroom, two-bath manager’s house or guest house, and a one-bedroom apartment. Equestrian facilities include a four-stall stud barn with lab, a 15-stall quarantine barn, a 28-stall mare barn, two 20-stall training barns, a 24-stall barn, a hay barn, an equipment building, and a shop area, along with a farm office. Hold negotiated the deal representing Land Holding, LLC. The buyer was Stroud’s Lane Farms, LLC. Hold-Thyssen provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

Hold-Thyssen Negotiates Sale of 157,000 Square Foot Office Park in Tampa for $5.7 Million

TAMPA, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen, a real estate services firm headquartered in Winter Park with offices in Tampa, recently handled the $5,700,000 sale of Park at Bay Plaza, a 157,310 square foot office park at 9225-9350 Bay Plaza Blvd. in Tampa. R. Anthony Fisher, vice president at Hold-Thyssen, Inc., negotiated the sale on behalf of the Miami-based seller LNR Partners. Fisher said Hold-Thyssen has managed the property for the past two years and will continue in that role for the buyer whose name is undisclosed. Hold Thyssen was also assigned the leasing of the property upon the sale. The office park, located off highways 60 and 301, was constructed in two phases in 1979 and 1984, and was 55 percent leased at the time of the sale. Hold-Thyssen provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Sale of Altamonte Springs Office Building for $1.9+ Million

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated the sale of the 17,000 square foot class A office building at 234 N. Westmonte Drive in Altamonte Springs for $1,907,500. Tom R. Kelley II, CCIM, a principal in the firm, and associate Chris Adams negotiated the sale after leasing it up to 100 percent on behalf of the seller, Alleve Investments, LLC of Orlando. MSR Westmonte LLC of Lake Mary purchased the fully-leased, 30+ year-old building. Shailesh Limbachia of Cosmopolitan Home Realty represented the buyer.

Hold-Thyssen Real Estate Services Negotiates $5.625 Million Price in Sale of 12.5-Acre Development Site in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen Inc. recently negotiated a $5,625,000 price in the sale of the 12.5 acre Westco Land Trust residential development site on Millennia Boulevard just west of John Young Parkway in west Orlando. Robert Hold, president of Hold-Thyssen, Inc., negotiated the transaction on behalf of the seller, Robert B. White, Jr., as trustee for Westco Land Trust. Florida Property Investments Assets represented the buyer, PSREG M North Owner LP. The buyer plans to develop 288 luxury apartments on the site. Hold also reported the $1.45 million sale of the 125-acre Northwind Stables equestrian center on U.S. 441 in Reddick in Marion County. Hold was listing agent for that transaction along with Ocala Ranches. Hold negotiated the deal representing Land Holding, LLC. The buyer was Stroud’s Lane Farms, LLC. The Northwind Stables property includes a three-bedroom owner’s home, a two-bedroom manager’s house and a one-bedroom apartment, along with 111 stables in six barns, along with offices and equipment facilities. Hold-Thyssen provides commercial property and leasing and management services to institutional and private investor clients nationwide. The 40-year old firm’s current portfolio includes more that 100 commercial properties throughout the United States.

StoneGate Golf Club at Solivita Names Bill Beasley Golf Course Superintendent

KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- StoneGate Golf Club at Solivita in Kissimmee has named Bill Beasley as superintendent. Larry Snyder, vice president of Agronomy for Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita, said Beasley has more than 15 years of experience in golf course management. Beasley is a graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in Tifton, Ga. and holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture Technology. He began his career in Orlando at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club. Most recently, Beasley was an assistant golf course superintendent at Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Central Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association. “We are excited that Bill has joined our staff at StoneGate Golf Club and look forward to seeing great results in our greens on the golf course,” Rahmani said.

Ashton Woods Homes Names New Sales Associate at Lake Mary Community

ORLANDO, Fla. – Ashton Woods Homes has appointed Richard Foutz a new home sales counselor. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes said Foutz, who has 10 years of real estate experience, will be working out of the Ashton Woods’ Fountain Parke community on Rinehart Rd. in Lake Mary.

NAI Realvest Negotiates Investment Sale of Five Acre Site on Williamson Blvd. in Daytona Beach

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NAI Realvest, based in Orlando, recently negotiated the $290,000 sale price for 5.13 acres of vacant land located at 551 N. Williamson Blvd. in Daytona Beach. Chris Butera, investment associate at NAI Realvest, brokered the transaction representing both the seller, BankFirst Realty, Inc. of Winter Park and the buyer, Ormond Beach-based, Williamson Partners, LLC. The property is zoned for professional office but the buyer has no plans for development in the foreseeable future.

NAI Realvest Negotiates new Industrial Lease of 19,594 square feet in Longwood for first Central Florida location of Tampa Bay Volleyball Academy

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new long-term lease agreement for 19,594 square feet of industrial space in Unit 100 at 1200 Charles St. in the American Industrial Center in Longwood. NAI Realvest Associate Mitch Heidrich and Principals Kevin O’Connor and Matt Cichocki negotiated the transaction representing the tenant, Tampa Bay Volleyball Academy LLC which is expanding its training facilities to Central Florida from Tampa. The landlord is American Industrial Center Ltd. The air-conditioned facility with ample parking is well-suited for recreational use and an October opening is anticipated.

Condor Temperature Monitoring to Introduce New Product to Remotely Monitor, Alert Owners when Pets Get Overheated, Seeks Indiegogo Funding

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Condor Temperature Monitoring is introducing a new product that will remotely monitor animal enclosures---including the family car---and alert owners when their pets or even livestock become overheated, which can cause injury or death. Condor Temperature Monitoring, which already sells a wide range of environmental monitoring technology, is seeking funding for the initial production run of the Condor for Pets via Indiegogo.com, the web-based, crowd-sourced opportunity for small private investors to contribute to new inventions. Penni Blake, chief operating officer of Condor Temperature Monitoring, said startup production of the Condor for Pets will require initial capitalization in the amount of $31,000--funding that her company expects to acquire through an Indiegogo.com campaign (http://igg.me/at/condorpet/x/7582288). “There is no product on the market that reliably monitors temperature conditions inside cars, kennels, barns and other animal habitats and automatically alerts owners when temperatures reach unsafe levels,” Blake said. “Pet owners especially can find themselves in awkward circumstances when leaving pets in a car for even short durations when passers-by alert authorities,” she said. “The Condor for Pets comes with a highly visible decal for car windows to inform authorities and good Samaritans alike that the owner of the vehicle is responsibly caring for the pet and will be alerted if conditions threaten the health of the animal,” Blake explained. “The Condor for Pets provides an affordable, easy to use solution not only for vehicles but for kennels, warrens, coops, barn enclosures and other pet and livestock habitats,” she added. Basic materials required for the fulfillment of the Condor for Pets project are expensive. “We aren’t asking for speculative capital. Instead, we are offering presales of the Condor for Pets in order to drive costs down so we can offer the most advanced technology at a price everyone can afford,” Blake said. Condor Temperature Monitoring is one of the UCF Business Incubation Program’s soft-landing clients – a business headquartered outside the region that wants to startup operations in Metro Orlando – located at the Central Florida Research Park incubator site in East Orange County.

NAI Realvest Closes Sale of 22+ Acres of Lakeland Industrial Land for $1.26 Million

LAKELAND, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently closed the sale of 22.22 acres of industrial land located at 3150 County Line Rd. in Lakeland for $1,260,000.00. NAI Realvest broker associate Drew Saphos, CCIM, chairman George Livingston, principal Christie Alexander, and associate Paul Vera, CCIM negotiated the sale representing the seller, Ozark Automotive Distributors, Inc. c/a O’Reilly Auto Parts based in Springfield, Mo. Gateway Business Park, LLC, c/a The Ruthvens, Inc., a Lakeland-based development firm, purchased the property and was represented in the transaction by David Bunch of Hauger-Bunch, Inc. According to Saphos, The Ruthvens intend to develop the site for speculative industrial product, similar to their Ruthven Business Park on Gateway Boulevard to the northeast.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Named To The ZweigWhite List of 100 “Hot Firms” for 2014

ORLANDO, Fla. – Baldwin Park-based Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners, one of the nation’s leading designers of retail space, was recently named to the ZweigWhite Hot 100 Firms List for 2014. Cuhaci & Peterson President Jed Downs said ZweigWhite consulting firm based in Fayetteville, Ark., surveys architectural, engineering and environmental firms throughout the U.S. and Canada to select the 100 fastest growing companies based on revenue growth. This year’s 100 firms posted the highest percentage of revenue growth and dollar revenue growth over a three-year period compared to the other entrants. Downs said Cuhaci & Peterson’s revenues topped $15 Million in 2013. The firm employs a total staff of over 180 in Orlando and the Philadelphia area. The ZweigWhite Hot Firm List recognizes the firms that have outperformed the economy and competitors to become leaders in their chosen fields.

NAI Realvest negotiates new and renewal industrial leases in Sanford totaling 7,850 square feet

ORLANDO, Fla. --- NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new lease at 311 Specialty Place off CR 15 and SR 46 and a renewal lease in Monroe CommerCenter South in Sanford. Jeff Bloom, senior director at NAI Realvest, negotiated the lease of 3,850 square feet representing the new tenant, Orlando-based OE Holdings. Marie T. Figueiredo and Robert J. Maksimowicz of Orlando are the landlords at 311 Specialty Place. At Monroe CommerCenter South in Sanford, Michael Heidrich principal at NAI Realvest negotiated a renewal agreement with PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc. of Pittsburgh, representing the landlord Monroe South SPE, LLC. The tenant renewed the lease of 4,000 square feet at 666 Progress Way.

LENNAR HOMES OPENS NEW PHASE OF ESTATE HOMES AT POPULAR GRAN PARADISO IN VENICE

VENICE, Fla. --- Lennar Homes has opened a new phase of Estate Homes at its popular new Gran Paradiso community, located off Tamiami Trail east of N. River Road in Venice. David Meyers, director of sales and marketing for Lennar’s Southwest Florida Division, said Lennar’s Estate Series homes have proved the most popular of five new home collections at Gran Paradiso since the much-anticipated community opened in January. Lennar’s Estate Homes at Gran Paradiso offer five distinctive floor plans that range in size from 2,361 square feet of living space in the four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath Oakmont model to the five-bedroom, four-bath Colonade Grand design, a majestic two-story home. All Estate Series homes at Gran Paradiso offer three-car garages, along with stately entryways, sweeping open floor plans, enormous gourmet kitchens and covered lanais that create spacious outdoor living areas. Meyers said 51 Estate Series homes are planned in the new phase and Lennar will start construction of the first Estate Series homes in the new phase in September. Gran Paradiso was designed as a resort for everyday living, with a massive community clubhouse, a resort-style swimming pool and spa, steam room, a media center, tennis courts and fitness trails. Altogether 1,800 new homes are planned at Gran Paradiso priced from the high $100s to more than $500,000, including Estate Homes, Executive Homes, Manor Homes and Villas that range in size from 1,340 square feet of living space to almost 4,000 square feet. Gran Paradiso will also offer Lennar’s NextGenTM ‘home within a home’ designed to accommodate multiple generations. All new homes at Gran Paradiso come with Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” pledge: upgrades such as crown molding, granite counters, wood cabinetry, designer fixtures, stainless steel appliances and a highly rated energy efficiency package all for the one Lennar Homes price. “Gran Paradiso was planned and designed to be the showcase luxury resort community in Venice,” Meyers said. Visit www.Lennar.com.

Berkadia Negotiates $21.3 Million Sale of Arbour Apartments in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. – Berkadia recently negotiated the $21.3 Million sale of the Arbour Apartments at 11000–11600 MacKay Boulevard, only one-half mile from the University of Central Florida in east Orlando. Berkadia’s Florida Partner, Cole Whitaker, led the team of Hal Warren, Berkadia’s Senior Vice President, and Robert Hold, Hold-Thyssen, Inc.’s President, in representing the seller, Arbour Apartments LLC. The buyer was BW Arbour Apartments LLC, based out of New York. The apartment complex was built in 1972 with one and two bedroom units totaling 292,000 rentable square feet in 36 buildings situated on 22.7 acres The transaction included two swimming pools, lighted tennis and basketball courts, fitness center, billiard room and two 24-hour laundry centers.

M/I Homes Acquires home sites at Lake Pointe on Lake ToHo in St. Cloud

ORLANDO, Fla. -- M/I Homes has acquired 12 home sites at Lake Pointe, the gated community that sits on Fells Cove on East Lake ToHo in St. Cloud. David Byrnes, area president of M/I Homes, said the homebuilder will start construction of three move-in ready homes at Lake Pointe in August, priced from $499,000. Byrnes said the three move-in ready homes will be ready for occupancy in January. Lake Pointe, located off Narcoossee Road, features security cameras at the entry, pristine ponds, natural preserve area, swimming pool, waterfront park with tennis court and a viewing dock.

Pulte Homes recently started Pre-selling New Single-Family Homes in Country Walk

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. --- Pulte Homes has started pre-selling in its newest single-family homes community, Country Walk, located off Meadow Pointe Blvd. south of S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. Sean Strickler, vice president of sales for the north Florida region, said Pulte plans to build 32 new three and four bedroom homes at Country Walk that will range in size from 1,827 square feet of living space to 2,443 square feet, priced from the low $200s with two-car garages. Strickler said three Life Tested® home designs are available at Country Walk with features that include flex rooms, lofts, game rooms and optional drop zones and lanais. Country Walk is within an A-rated school system including Wiregrass High School, Dr. John Long Middle School, and Double Branch Elementary School. The community features a 5,000 square foot community clubhouse, an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis court, basketball court, covered children’s playground and fitness center. Country Walk is minutes from the Shops at Wiregrass and boasts easy access to I-75 and I-275. New Pulte homes at Country Walk will be available for presale at an offsite location, Stonebrier Waterbridge, located at 3202 Mapleridge Dr. in Lutz. For more information, email Vincent.kuntz@pulte.com or call 866- 230-3599.

Partyka Group at NAI Realvest negotiates $513,000 Sale of retail facility off Hwy 192 in Kissimmee

ORLANDO, Fla. – Paul P. Partyka and Juan Jimenez – the Partyka Group at NAI Realvest – recently negotiated the $513,000 sale price for a 10,500 square foot restaurant /retail facility at 4118 W. Vine St. off Hwy. 192 in Kissimmee. Partyka and Jimenez brokered the transaction representing the seller, Titusville, Fla-based SBI Leasing, Inc. The buyer Latin Ale House, LLC has strong retail experience in Central Florida, according to Partyka.

Ashton Woods Homes Names New Sales Associate

ORLANDO, Fla. – Ashton Woods Homes has appointed Ramune Cruz a sales associate. Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Orlando region said Cruz will work out of the homebuilder’s Laureate Park community on Narcoossee Road in the Lake Nona area. Cruz has more than 10 years of experience in real estate sales, Roche said.