NAI Realvest Negotiates Two Leases totaling 12,160 Square Feet of Industrial space at Monroe CommerCenter South

ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently completed two lease agreements, a renewal and a new lease, totaling 12,160 square feet at Monroe CommerCenter South in Sanford. NAI Realvest Principal Michael Heidrich represented Landlord Monroe North SPE, LLC in negotiating both transactions. The tenant Aramark Refreshment Services LLC of Philadelphia renewed its lease of 10,000 square feet at 4186 Incubator Court in the CommerCenter. The new tenant, B&B Countertop Restoration LLC of Sanford, leased suite 1017 with 2,160 square feet at 4295 Church Street.

Ashton Woods Homes names new sales counselor for the Orlando area

ORLANDO, Fla. — Ashton Woods Homes has appointed Cory Charles a sales counselor in the Orlando region. Michael Roche, vice president of sales for Ashton Woods Homes said Charles, a graduate of International Academy of Design & Technology, has four years of sales experience.

Hendricks-Berkadia and Dowd Properties negotiates $10,000-per-acre price in sale of 357-acre Lake Marion PUD Site in Haines City

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Hendricks-Berkadia, which ranks as one of the nation’s leading multi-family investment banking and research companies, and Dowd Properties recently negotiated a $10,000-per-acre sale price for the 357 acre Lake Marion PUD development site, located five miles east of U.S. 27 on C.R. 544 and Kokomo Road in Haines City. Cole Whitaker, partner with Hendricks-Berkadia, negotiated the sale along with Jim Dowd of Dowd Properties, Inc. based in Celebration. Hendricks-Berkadia and Dowd Properties represented the seller, Real Property Holding Polk County Florida, LLC. Nola Land Company, Inc. paid $3,575,800 to acquire the site.

Power Promise Organization Canned Food Drive Will Distribute To Families at Five Elementary Schools

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Power Promise Organization, dedicated to empowering youth and communities through prevention programs in the Central Florida community, has been collecting canned foods to distribute to families at five local elementary schools. Ursula James, Vice President and Program Director at the Power Promise Organization, said a canned food drive spearheaded by Power Promise has provided a way for people in the Central Florida community to give away dinners this holiday season. “The theme of the canned food drive is “Power Promise Deck the Halls Canned Food Drive Give-a-Way,” James added. The Power Promise Organization will distribute canned foods at Tildenville Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, Winegard Elementary, Lake Weston Elementary, Ridgewood Park Elementary. The Power Promise Organization’s primary vision is to serve as a resource to schools and communities in decreasing the number of teens involved in the juvenile justice system. They advocate for the fostering of system justice, fair policy practices and other beneficial actions that propel youth to realize their full potential. Since 2008, the Power Promise Organization has served over 1,000 youth, over 300 parents, and over 100 law enforcement officers. Power Promise is a client company of the UCF Business Incubation Program in Winter Springs.

Isabella’s Bella Cucina Italian Sauces Now Available at The Meat House in Winter Park

WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Isabella’s Bella Cucina, the Orlando-based caterer that provides entertaining cooking demonstrations for corporate events and team-building, has launched a fresh new venture---fresh organic Italian signature sauces for home cooking. Founder and CEO Isabella Morgia di Vicari---Chef Isabella---said she began preparing her organic signature sauces for retail sale two years ago and plans to market them nationwide in specialty supermarkets. The Meat House, located at 699 N. Orange Ave. in Winter Park’s foodie district, has signed on as the first retailer to offer Isabella’s Bella Cucina sauces. “We are very excited,” Chef Isabella said. “We want to make genuine Italian organic sauces available to a wider market because they are fabulous and will enhance any meal and take it to another level with very little effort, ” she said. Four Signature sauces are now available---Pesto, Bruschetta, Marinara Sauce and Caponata di Catagna, her Nonna’s recipe of eggplant, red peppers, capers and basil with readily available herbs and spices. All four sauces are gluten free, heart-healthy, and made from fresh certified organic ingredients using only extra virgin olive oil---no transfats. Only one of the sauces---Chef Isabella’s own Caponata di Catagna---uses added sugar, but it’s only one teaspoon per 12-ounce jar. “Sauces are an integral part of Italian cuisine, and they are what mama is always cooking in the kitchen in Italian movies,” Chef Isabella said. “Our organic Italian sauces have delighted thousands of people at our events and always we hear people tell us we should make them available for sale,” Isabella said. The preparation of sauces is a specialty that takes years to master, Chef Isabella said. “The fresh ingredients are key, the combinations of the right herbs and spices produce a wonderful taste sensation and that’s how you show ‘amore’ to your family. Give them the best, they’re worth it,” Chef Isabella said. Isabella’s Bella Cucina is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program.

M/I Homes to unveil new Sonoma Model Home at gated Magnolia Park Estates in Apopka

ORLANDO, Fla. – M/I Homes plans to open the new two-story Sonoma model home in January at Magnolia Park Estates, the gated residential community of single-family homes located off Ocoee-Apopka Road and S. Binion Road in Apopka. David Byrnes, area president for M/I Homes in Central Florida, said the Sonoma offers five bedrooms and three baths in 3,642 square feet of living space priced from $297,990 with a three-car garage. M/I Homes plans to build 32 new single-family homes at Magnolia Park Estates that feature open space designs and large kitchen islands with plenty of options to choose from. Eight distinctive floor plans are available that range in size from 2,300 square feet to 4,800 square feet. New homes at Magnolia Park Estates are priced from $241,990 $410,990. The community features a children’s playground, basketball court and pavilion.

Royal Oak Homes opens new phase at Sorrento Springs in Sorrento

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Royal Oak Homes has opened a new phase with 78 single-family home sites at Sorrento Springs, the golf course community located off S.R. 44 in Sorrento. Matt Orosz, co-president of Royal Oak Homes, said over 170 visitors participated in a grand opening weekend event recently at Sorrento Springs. Orosz said the four-bedroom, two-bath Monica model home that is complete and open for viewing with 1,927 square feet of living area is priced from $163,000. New homes by Royal Oak at Sorrento Springs range from 1,695 square feet of living area to 3,237 square feet, and are priced from the mid-$100s. Community amenities include the Eagle Dunes golf course and club, swimming pool, two tennis courts, pavilion and playground. Sorrento Springs is just eight miles from downtown Mount Dora. Royal Oak Homes is a third-generation home builder whose track record boasts more than 14,000 new homes built in Central Florida over the past 30 years under the Cambridge Homes brand, one of the region’s most successful home builders in the 1980s and 1990s. Founded in 2011, Royal Oak Homes is rapidly becoming one of the largest and most active home builders in the Central Florida area, building in ten active communities in the region. Visit www.royaloakhomesfl.com.

Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita Provides Food, Beverages, Silent Auction Prizes, helps raise $22,000 for food pantry and Habitat for Humanity

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- StoneGate Golf Club at Solivita in Kissimmee participated in a Big Band Charity Event recently that raised more than $20,000 and a truckload of food for the St. Rose of Lima Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity of Osceola County. General Manager Arto Rahmani said StoneGate Golf Club provided good food and beverages for 350 at the fundraiser that was hosted by The Do Unto Others initiative. Rahmani said the annual event is the largest fundraiser held at Solivita. This year the event featured dancing to the music of Smitty & The Crew, a 17-piece orchestra under the direction of Donald Lohr. Guests participated in holiday shopping for charity at the huge silent auction. StoneGate Golf Club donated golf foursomes for auction. Proceeds were divided between the two charitable organizations.

Celebration Golf Chief Operating Officer Kenny Nairn is Top Professional at 2013 Wilson World Pro-Am in Pebble Beach

Celebration, Fla. --- Kenny Nairn, the Scottish PGA Golf Professional who serves as chief operating officer and executive vice president for Celebration Golf Management, hasn’t given up his golf clubs for the executive suite. Nairn was the top finisher recently at the 2013 Wilson World Pro-Am Tournament in Pebble Beach, open to teams consisting of three amateurs and one club pro. The 72-hole team tournament scored one low gross and one low net on each hole. The professionals played a stable ford format. Nairn posted a blistering 16-19-17-18 for a 70 score and first place ranking in the professional division. The Celebration Golf team---Nairn plus Rudy Arribas, Willis Milner and Brent St James---placed third in the gross division. For Nairn, the 2013 Wilson World Pro-Am Tournament was a reprise of sorts. Nairn won the tournament in 2010.

Hendricks-Berkadia and Hold-Thyssen Negotiates $4.5 Million Price in Sale of 32.25-Acre Econ Landing Town Home Development Site

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Hendricks-Berkadia and Hold-Thyssen recently negotiated the sale of the 32.25 acre Econ Landing town home development site located at the intersection of Curry Ford Rd. and S.R. 417 near the Econlockhatchee River in east Orlando. Cole Whitaker, partner with Hendricks-Berkadia, negotiated the sale along with Bob Hold of Hold-Thyssen, Inc. based in Winter Park and Jim Dowd of Dowd Properties, Inc. based in Celebration. Hendricks-Berkadia and Hold-Thyssen represented the seller, Econ Landing LLP. M/I Homes of Orlando, LLC, represented by Dowd Properties, paid $4.5 million to acquire the site which is in close proximity major retailers, employers, restaurants and schools and Orlando International Airport.