Henin Homes opens “The Estate” Phase at Riviera Bella in DeBary

DeBary, Fla. --- Henin Homes recently opened “The Estate” phase at Riviera Bella the gated, luxury community overlooking the St. Johns River in DeBary. Jerome Henin, founder and president of Henin Homes, said there are 16 home sites in the new phase for the homebuilder’s new Signature Series of four, five and six bedroom homes starting from the mid $500,000s to well over a Million dollars. Henin also reported that the home builder has a new Signature Series home underway at Riviera Bella with five bedrooms, four baths and a three-car garage. The new two-story home, priced in the $580’s has five bedrooms, four baths and a loft in 4,040 square feet of living area featuring a spectacular cast stone finish that will be completed by early February of 2015. The community overlooks the St. Johns River off Fort Florida Road, west of the 17-92 and Highbanks Rd. intersection in DeBary.

Hold-Thyssen Negotiates Office Building Purchase for Leading On Line Car Rental provider at Lexington Professional Park

TAMPA, Fla. --- Hold-Thyssen, Inc., a commercial property firm based in Winter Park, with offices in Tampa, recently negotiated the purchase of a $350,000 office building at Lexington Professional Park. Theresa Margaris, transaction specialist in Hold-Thyssen’s Tampa office, negotiated the transaction representing the buyer. Sevy Group Real Estate, LLC purchased the 2,500 square foot office facility to house the customer service team of Car Rental 8, America Car Rental and National Travel Deals, an online service that provides car rentals and hotels in 125 countries and 17,000 locations worldwide. The local seller was Waterman Enterprises, Inc. 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.

Blackton, Inc. Earns Contract from KB Home to Provide Roofing and Flooring for 85 New Homes Planned at Sawgrass Pointe

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Blackton, Inc. was recently awarded a contract from KB Home worth an estimated $1.275 million to provide roofing and flooring for 85 new homes planned at Sawgrass Pointe, located off Weatherbee Rd. near Lake Nona in southeast Orlando. Michael Blackton, whose father founded Blackton, Inc. more than 50 years ago, said the contract is one more example that Central Florida’s housing industry is growing again. Blackton, Inc., a leading supplier of wholesale materials and supplies to the home building industry, has reported new contracts totaling more than $12 million since June.

Dicapta Earns Major Grant from Colombia to Provide Aid for Children with Hearing Impairments

Winter Springs, Fla. --- Dicapta, the award-winning U.S. provider of digital media aids for people with visual or hearing limitations, was recently awarded a major grant from the Colombian Department of Communications and Information Technology and the Department of Culture. Maria Diaz, chief executive officer of Dicapta, said the grant award supports Comprendre, a major Dicapta project to develop a digital media library that includes video content with captions and audio description for children with hearing and visual disabilities. “Comprende was developed to support literacy of Spanish speaking students with visual and/or hearing disabilities living in Latin America,” Diaz said. “Comprendre provides tools for teachers, administrators, and parents, Diaz said. “Comprende’s team has designed a strategy to extend the benefits of this effort throughout the whole region,” she added. The grant---360,000 Colombian pesos---is equivalent to $174,355 U.S. dollars. Dicapta is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in Winter Springs.

DiVosta Homes Starts Construction of Three New Model Homes at Veranda Gardens in Port St. Lucie

Port St. Lucie, Fla. --- DiVosta Homes has started construction of three new model homes at Veranda Gardens, the gated family community located on Southeast Becker Rd. one-half mile east of the Florida Turnpike. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for DiVosta Homes in South Florida, said the new model homes will open in December priced from the high $200s to the $400s. Mairn said the Martin Ray model is one of DiVosta’s most popular designs. The 1,968 square foot home offers two bedrooms and two baths with a flex room and an optional loft, with a two-car garage with its own golf cart port. A view of the Martin Ray’s interior shows why this home has been so well-received: DiVosta Homes has extended its open floor plan to create a sweeping family living space that includes an island kitchen, café and gathering room that together measure almost 600 square feet of living space that opens onto an outdoor living lanai that adds another 128 square feet. “The design creates a transitional family space with multiple options for furnishings and media with a look and feel that’s quite spectacular,” Mairn said. The Pinnacle model home at Veranda Gardens offers three bedrooms and three baths in 2,488 square feet with a flex room and an optional upstairs loft. The Pinnacle model home features a two-car and a golf cart port. The Abbeyville model – with two bedrooms plus flex room and two baths in 1,673 square feet of living space – will showcase the optional sunroom and second-floor loft with bedroom and bathroom expanding the model to 2,404 square feet of living area with three bedrooms and three baths. The model will also showcase the optional den instead of the flex room. Mairn said a new sales center and state-of-the-art New Home Design Studio are also underway, nearing completion at Veranda Gardens. A resort-style swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, community clubhouse, tennis courts, and a fire pit with an outdoor barefoot bar and barbeque grill are among the amenities planned, he added.

Vision Engineering Solutions Earns 2014 TechNovation Rising Star in Technology Award

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Vision Engineering Solutions, LLC (Vision) was recently awarded a Congressional Medal of Recognition from Congressman Bill Posey’s office as the Rising Star in Technology at the 2014 TechNovation Awards Banquet. The annual awards banquet is held in conjunction with the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce’s technology and innovation exposition- Florida TechXpo. The Rising Star in Technology Award is presented to a new company or one that has made the most significant progress in the last 18 months. The award citation reads, “This company’s growth puts it on track to make a positive impact in their markets and on the region’s technology community.” Vision began operations in March 2012 at Kennedy Space Center providing engineering services in optics and photonics for aerospace applications primarily to Department of Defense (DoD) laser programs. Since April 2013, the company has grown from seven to its current staff of 17 specialized workers. Ed Logue, Chief Executive Officer at Vision, said the company designed, developed and integrated several subsystems into a Navy prototype laser system, and last month assisted the Navy in installing that laser system onboard a combatant ship, and performing the at-sea testing. Additionally, the company is building a transportable electro-optical tracking system of its own design to be delivered to the University of Central Florida by March 2015. Vision Engineering focuses on advanced imaging and sensing, modeling and simulation, pointing and tracking systems, and data collection and analysis. Its Predictive Avoidance and Safety System (PASS) is already used by defense agencies to protect satellites, personnel and assets from inadvertent illumination by lasers. Vision Engineering Solutions, a client company of the UCF Business Incubation Program at Central Florida Research Park in east Orange County, also has an office in Merritt Island and is a member of the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as the East Orlando Chamber of Commerce.

Berkadia closes sale of 152-Unit Apartment Community in Lady Lake

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Berkadia Real Estate Advisors, one of the nation’s largest and most active multifamily investment banking and research companies, recently closed on sale of the 152-unit Carmendy Square Apartments in Lady Lake, Fla. Berkadia’s Southeast Partner, Cole Whitaker of Orlando, and Senior Vice Presidents, Hal Warren of Orlando and Jason Stanton of Tampa, negotiated the sale representing the seller Lady Lake Crossings, LLC of West Springfield, MA. Houston-based Apexone Investment Partners, LLC and Philadelphia-based Balfour Beatty Communities purchased the apartment community which was built in 2002 and is located off Hwy 441 at 367 Sunny Oaks Way in Lady Lake. Carmendy Square Apartments, which was 94.74 percent occupied at the time of the sale, is situated on approximately 13.13 acres of land. The two and three-bedroom units situated in 38 buildings comprise a total of 184,152 rentable square feet.

Lennar Launches November Sale at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek in Naples with Market-Low Interest rates on 10 New Move-In Ready Homes

NAPLES, Fla. --- Lennar Homes has launched a year-end sale with market-low interest rates on seven move-in ready Executive Homes and three Coach Homes at Fiddler’s Creek, the luxury community located on Aviamar Circle between Collier Boulevard and Tamiami Trail in Naples. David Meyers, director of sales and marketing for Lennar in southwest Florida, said the move-in ready homes are located in the Millbrook subdivision of Fiddler’s Creek and all homes must sell and close before Nov. 30 to take advantage of the low 1.625 percent APR being offered this month by United American Mortgage Company. “We expect the Naples area economy will see a very robust winter season,” Meyers said. “Our inquiries and sales are very encouraging. Many people who put off the move to Florida because of the economy are rethinking their plans now we’re seeing signs of what they call pent-up demand,” he said. Meyers said he expects to sell all ten move-in-ready homes before the new season gets under way and then Lennar will start construction of more. Four of the new move-in ready homes are in Lennar’s Isabella design, an Executive Home at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek base priced from $390,990 with three bedrooms in 2,246 square feet of living space, with a two-car garage. In addition, three Coach Homes at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek in Lennar’s Florence design are move-in ready and base priced at $284,990. The Florence offers 1,741 square feet of living space in three bedrooms and two baths with a two-car garage. All new homes at Millbrook at Fiddler’s Creek feature Lennar’s exclusive “Everything’s Included” pledge that offers upgraded interior features that are typically optional included in the one Lennar Homes price. Fiddler's Creek also has a wealth of amenities like a 54,000-square-foot Club & Spa, fitness center, resort-style multi-pool swimming complex, tennis courts and restaurants. Homeowners have the opportunity to join the Golf Club, ranked in Golfweek's 100 Best Residential Golf Courses in the country for the ninth consecutive year, and the Tarpon Club, which offers residents a beach and boating lifestyle.

Blackton Inc. awarded contract to provide materials for Taylor Morrison’s newest community – Esplanade at Highland Ranch – in Clermont

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Blackton, Inc., a leading supplier of wholesale materials and supplies to the home building industry, was recently awarded a contract to supply new home construction at Esplanade at Highland Ranch, the newest Taylor Morrison Homes community in Clermont. Michael “Micky” Blackton, chairman of Blackton Inc., said the contract includes roofing for 475 new homes Taylor Morrison plans to build at Esplanade at Highland Ranch including models starting this fall. Esplanade is a new gated neighborhood within Taylor Morrison’s Highland Ranch community that is designed for the 55+ vacation or retirement homebuyer and is located off Hammock Pointe Circle in Clermont.

Centex Homes will grand open two new Model Homes and a new Sales Center in early November at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands in North Port

NORTH PORT, Fla. --- Centex Homes will grand open two new model homes along with a new sales center in early November at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands located on Marton Oak Boulevard at Panacea Boulevard, three miles east of the Toledo Blade intersection in North Port. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for Centex Homes in south Florida, said the single-story Canopy model, priced from $180,990, offers three bedrooms, two baths and a flex room in 1,972 square feet of living space with an open plan that features a great room, café and kitchen that total more than 500 square feet of family living area and an optional kitchen island. The two-car garage offers a three-car option, Mairn said, and the flex room located at the front end of the Canopy model can serve as a formal living room, an office, crafts room or even a fourth bedroom. The two-story Citrus Grove model, with four bedrooms, two baths and a half bath for guests in 2,830 square feet of living space, is priced from $214,990 with a flex room, a large game room and a two-car garage that can expand to a three-car option. The Citrus Grove offers a large open island kitchen that serves a gathering room and café that altogether total nearly 700 square feet to accommodate family gatherings or neighborhood social occasions, Mairn said. The Citrus Grove model also boasts a downstairs master suite with three bedrooms upstairs. Centex is offering five distinctive floor plans at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands that range in size from 1,674 square feet to 3,172 square feet, priced from $164,990. Amenities at Cedar Grove at the Woodlands include a community swimming pool, cabana and children’s playground.