NAI Realvest Negotiates New Lease for Mellow Mushroom restaurant at former Big Boy building in Sanford

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new lease agreement for a Mellow Mushroom restaurant in the 5,100 square foot former Big Boy facility at 1831 Rinehart Rd. near Seminole Towne Center Mall off SR 46 in Sanford. The NAI Realvest retail team of Mitch Heidrich, Kevin O’Connor and Matthew Cichocki negotiated the lease representing the tenant Brown Enterprises of Orlando, Inc. who is renovating the property and expects to open the new Mellow Mushroom restaurant in the first quarter this year. This is the fifth Mellow Mushroom restaurant to open in Central Florida. Recent openings this past year have been in Mount Dora and on International Drive. The landlord, Irv Lichtenwald Trustee based in San Francisco, was represented in the transaction by David Gabbai of The Shopping Center Group.

Lennar names Steve Seeger Director of Sales and Marketing for Tampa Market

TAMPA, Fla. --- Lennar has named Steve Seeger director of sales and marketing for the Tampa market. Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said Seeger has been involved in sales and marketing in the homebuilding industry since 1995, and has held executive sales and marketing positions with national home builders in the major markets of Phoenix, Houston, San Diego and Los Angeles. The University of West Florida graduate also holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix. “Steve is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable sales and marketing executives in the country and we are delighted he has joined our team in Tampa,” Metheny said. Seeger will be responsible for Lennar’s 39 communities in the Tampa market.

EXAM PLUS CEO RECEIVES INDUSTRY LEADEARSHIP AWARD

Winter Springs, Fla. --- José Batista president and CEO of Exam Plus, which administers drug and alcohol testing programs for employers, sports, governmental and law enforcement agencies, was named Emotional Intelligence Community Leader by the Society of Emotional Intelligence (SoEI) 2014 EQ Awards. “SoEI recognized our use of emotional intelligence skills and our role in the community of working to help employers, employees, churches and families have a better quality of life,” Batista said. “Exam Plus provides solutions for substance abuse and abusers, as well as prevention of the abuse of minors including sexual abuse,” he explained. Exam Plus, a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program located in Winter Springs, is a member of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association and the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association. The SoEI is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) professional association, established in 2009 dedicated to bringing emotional intelligence into practice in all walks of life including schools, families, organizations, and communities.

Hold-Thyssen Negotiates 10-Year Lease Renewal with Chatham’s Place Restaurant at Phillips Place on Dr. Phillips Blvd. and closes new lease with mortgage company

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen, a real estate services firm headquartered in Winter Park, recently negotiated a 10 year lease renewal with Chatham’s Place restaurant at Phillips Place, 7575 Dr. Philips Blvd. in Southwest Orlando. Darby Hold, transaction specialist for Hold-Thyssen, Inc., brokered the lease transaction representing the landlord, Financial Way Realty, Inc., based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The tenant, a renowned Orlando restaurant for over 25 years, renewed its lease of suites consisting of 2,660 square feet. “Chatham’s Place has a commitment to established clientele and that was the basis of their decision to remain in the Dr. Phillips area,” Hold said At the same time, Hold negotiated a new three year lease for 1,317 square feet with Security National Mortgage Company, a Utah based firm with over 80 branch offices in the U.S., establishing its second office in Central Florida. Todd Haber with Cresa Orlando represented the tenant. Hold-Thyssen, Inc. is the leasing and management representative for the 56,000 square foot Phillips Place. Hold-Thyssen, Inc. 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 Closes New Retail Lease for Fred’s Southern Market Restaurant at former Macaroni Grill property in Lake Mary

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Two NAI Realvest broker teams recently joined forces to negotiate a long-term lease agreement for the former Macaroni Grill property at 835 Currency Circle in the northeast quadrant of Interstate 4 and Lake Mary Blvd. NAI Realvest principals Kevin O’Connor and Matt Cichocki who represent Fred’s Southern Market, said the restaurant group that started in the Plant City Farmer’s Market some 50 years ago leased the facility and plans to open its doors during the first quarter of this year. Kim Manson, director of retail and investment sales at NAI Realvest and Jeff Tanner, senior VP of investment sales and leasing, represent the John and Golda Cohen Trust, owners of the 6,612 square foot freestanding restaurant building and its 1.6+ acre site. O’Connor said Fred’s Southern Market opened two additional locations - one in Riverview near Tampa, one in Lakeland, and they will be opening another one this year in Sarasota. “Lake Mary is their first venture outside their immediate region,” he added.

Lennar’s 16,500 Square Foot Oasis Club at ChampionsGate Officially Opened with Ribbon Cutting, Inaugural Golf Tournament

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lennar recently hosted local government officials and residents at a ribbon cutting ceremony to open its newly completed Oasis Club at ChampionsGate, the master-planned golf community located on ChampionsGate Blvd. off I-4 Exit 58 (C.R. 532) south of Orlando near Disney. Brock Nicholas, division president for Lennar in the Orlando region said Davenport Mayor Darlene Bradley joined Lennar officials to cut the ribbon at the Oasis Club. The new 18-hole, Clifton, Ezell & Clifton-designed ChampionsGate golf course opened the same day with a four-man scramble tournament for homeowners. The course is being booked by organizations for golf tournaments year round. Nicholas said the magnificent Oasis Club is a 10 acre state-of-the-art leisure palace with a 16,500 square foot clubhouse, its own restaurant, concierge, movie theater, fitness center, arcade, resort style swimming pool, spa, hot tub, outdoor Tiki bar, beach-entry pool, lazy river, private cabanas and water slides and the Oasis Kids Camp. One of the best Lennar features is a golf membership included in the purchase of a new home in The Country Club where Lennar is building single-family homes priced from the high $200s. Every Lennar home comes with the ‘Everything’s Included” pledge -- thousands of dollars of features and upgrades included in the price of the home – whether in The Country Club, or The Retreat with short-term luxury vacation homes priced from the high $300s; Four-plex Carriage Homes at The Champions Club from the high $100s; Golf Villas at The Vistas from the low $300s or single-family homes in The Estates at ChampionsGate priced from the mid $300s. For more information, visit www.LennarOrlando.com or call 800-454-3151.

Berkadia Closes on 88 Units in Gardendale for $4,100,000

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Berkadia, one of the nation’s largest and most active multifamily investment banking and research companies, recently negotiated and financed the sale of two Gardendale apartment communities -- Gardendale Manor with 48 units for $2,200,000 and Gardendale Oaks with 40 units for $1,900,000. David Oakley, Partner, and Josh Jacobs, Associate, located in the Berkadia Alabama office, negotiated $4.1 million dollar sale of Gardendale Manor and Gardendale Oaks representing the Birmingham based Seller. A Colorado-based private equity firm purchased all 88 units. Gardendale Manor, built in 1996, is 100 percent two-bedroom units while Gardendale Oaks, built in 1986, is comprised of 25 percent one-bedroom and 75 percent two-bedroom units. Both garden-style, two-story apartment communities are located in the thriving submarket of Gardendale, Alabama and will be managed by Birmingham’s Highline Property Advisors.