Grubb & Ellis|Commercial Florida President Jeff Sweeney to address University Club of Orlando Young Professionals Society

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Jeff Sweeney, president and managing partner of Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida in Orlando, Tampa and Melbourne, will be the featured speaker on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at the breakfast meeting of The University Club of Orlando’s Young Professionals Society. The meeting will start at 7 a.m.

Sweeney, according to University Club of Orlando events director Justin Wright, will discuss economic trends and the recession.

Sweeney is the second in a series of monthly speakers at the University Club’s Young Professionals Society.

“We are booking knowledgeable high profile speakers who can share some of their insights into business, professional and social conditions to better prepare our members,” said Wright.

Membership in the University Club of Orlando Young Professionals Society is open to young professionals under 40 years of age.

Anyone interested should contact Wright at the University Club of Orlando 407-425-2514.

For more information about this press release, contact:S

usan Greene, General Manager, The University Club of Orlando 407-425-2514, gm@ucluborlando.com;
Justin Wright, Membership & Events Director, The University Club of Orlando 407-425-2514; PRIVATEEVENTS@UCLUBORLANDO.COM
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com.

Crossman & Company Broker Courtney Kowalchuk closes on 19 lease transactions in Orange, Volusia and Hillsborough Counties

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Courtney Kowalchuk, senior leasing associate at Crossman & Company, one of the largest third-party retail leasing and management firms in the Southeast, closed on 19 lease transactions that total 53,996 square feet of retail, office and warehouse space in Orlando, Winter Park, Deltona, Tampa.

John Crossman, president of Crossman & Company, based in Orlando, said Kowalchuk negotiated the 19 transactions representing the landlords for the following:

•Five leases totaling 16,271 square feet of medical/office space at Studio Plaza/Brookwood on Vineland Road in Southwest Orlando including two five-year leases – 5,003 square feet to Southwest Internal Medicine Specialists and 4,452 square feet to Celebration Dental Services, L.C; Two three-year leases – 2,560 square feet to Central Florida Wellness & Rehab, P.A. and 1,918 square feet to Franklin M. Watson II, DDS, P.A. and a two-year lease for 2,338 square feet to HCG International, Inc., a weight-loss clinic.

•A five-year lease agreement for 3,920 square feet of retail space with SIGI, LLC d/b/a Stefanos Italian Grille at Summerport Village in Windermere. Cornerstone at Summerport LLC is the landlord;

•Lake Highland Preparatory School, LLC leased 9,000 square feet of warehouse space for three years from Brookhaven/Virginia LLC, landlord of the facility located at 543 Brookhaven near downtown Orlando.

•Five-year lease agreement with First Alliance Insurance LLC for 880 square feet at 2254 Aloma Ave. in the Shoppes of Aloma and a two-year renewal lease for 810 square feet with Panesar, Inc., a drop-off drycleaner at 2238 Aloma in the same Winter Park center;

•At Deltona Fountains, a five-year lease agreement with West Volusia Memorial Hospital d/b/a Florida Hospital-Deland for 3,000 square feet of retail space and a three-year lease for 1,200 square feet to Jacob Botros for a pizza restaurant at the West Volusia County shopping center located at 777 Deltona Blvd.

•Five-year renewal agreement with The Pool Pleaser III, Inc. for 1,400 square feet of retail space at Cornerstone at Lake Hart on the corner of Narcoossee and Moss Park Roads in southeast Orlando;

•Central Florida Educators Federal Credit Union renewal of 150 square feet for five years at Aloma Shopping Center, 2279 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park

•Three-year lease renewal with Gambro Healthcare of East Orlando, LLP for 4,995 square feet of medical/office space at Orlando Medical & Professional Center on SR 436 north of Curry Ford Road in east Orlando;

•Three lease renewals at the Virginia Drive multi-building office complex located between Alden Road and Ferris Avenue including Flight Avionics with 7,171 square feet for three years at 520 Virginia Drive and one-year each for Oakwood Mortgage Corp. with 1,493 square feet at 636 Virginia Drive and ETA Logistics, 1,500 square feet at 511-2 Brookhaven Drive.

•At City Plaza at Tampa Palms, 16027 Tampa Palms Blvd. in Tampa, MAC Distribution, Inc. d/b/a UPS Store renewed its 1,015 square feet for 15 months and Tampa Palms Animal Hospital renewed its lease of 1,192 square feet for two years.

For more information please contact:
Courtney Kowalchuk, Senior Associate Crossman & Company, 407-581-6232; ckowalchuk@crossmanco.com
Justin Greider, Senior Associate, Crossman & Company/ICSC Florida Next Generation Chair, 407-581-6225; jgreider@crossmanco.com
John Crossman, CCIM, President, Crossman & Company, 407-581-6218, jcrossman@crossmanco.com
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com

About Crossman & Company:
Crossman & Company is one of the largest third-party retail leasing and management companies in the Southeast with over 16 million square feet under leasing and/or management. Founded in Orlando in 1990, Crossman & Company is a full service commercial real estate firm that advises its clients in leasing, management, development and investment sales of retail and office properties and serves clients including Publix Super Markets, Inc., Lake Nona, PREIT, and LaSalle Investment Management. Please visit www.crossmanco.com, or call 407-423-5400 for more information.

Ashton Woods Homes Starts New Phase at The Landings in South Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. --- Ashton Woods Homes recently started development a new phase with 35 home sites at The Landings located off Interbay and Westshore Blvds. in South Tampa

Michael Roche, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes in the Tampa region, said new three, four and five-bedroom single-family homes in the new phase will range in size from 1,308 square feet of living space to 2,800 square feet, priced from $194,900.

Ashton Woods Homes is a subsidiary of the Great Gulf Group of Companies, a North American real estate conglomerate headquartered in Toronto, and currently has communities under development in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa, Denver and Orlando.

For more information, contact:
Michael Roche, VP Sales & Marketing Ashton Woods Homes-Orlando/Tampa, 407-647-3700;
John Reny, President, Ashton Woods Homes-Orlando/Tampa 407-647-3700
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Avalon Park Group to Launch Holiday Season “Avalon Aglow” Dec. 5 with real snow, Christmas parade, fireworks

ORLANDO, Fla. - Avalon Park Group in east Orlando will host the Avalon Aglow Christmas Parade through downtown Avalon Park on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Stephanie Hodson, marketing coordinator at Avalon Park Group, said the “Avalon Aglow” Christmas parade will include a Santa Claus float, snow, fireworks, caroling and entertainment from 4 to 9 p.m.

The “Avalon Aglow” Christmas parade will kick off the holiday season for “Avalon Aglow,” a series of music and public entertainment events in downtown Avalon Park.
On Saturday, Dec. 13, “Avalon Aglow” will host a concert by the Florida Symphony Orchestra at 2 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information about “Avalon Aglow” or “Avalon Aglow” Christmas parade telephone 407-658-6565. Avalon Park is located off Alafaya Trail south of S.R. 50 in east Orlando

For more information about this release, please contact:
Stephanie Hodson, Marketing Coordinator, Avalon Park Group, 407-658-6565
Eric Marks, Vice President, Avalon Park Group, 407-658-6565
Beat Kahli, Owner / Founder, Avalon Park Group, 407-658-6565
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Sanford Airport Authority Board Gets Two New Members

SANFORD, Fla. --- The Sanford City Commission recently appointed Steve Smith and Bill Litton to the Sanford Airport Authority, which is responsible for operation, maintenance and development of the Orlando Sanford International Airport and the airport's facilities.

Larry Dale, president of Orlando Sanford International Airport, said Smith is a general contractor based in Geneva.

Bill Lilton

Litton, who served as past president of Rotary International Club in Sanford, is employed with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department.

Smith and Litton replace retiring board members Robbie Robertson, who served as vice chairman of the Airport Authority for two years, and Col. Charles Gibson, USAF-Ret., who currently heads the R.O.T.C. program at Seminole High School. Col. Gibson, appointed in 1993, has served on the SAA Board for 16 years. Robertson was appointed in 1997 and has served for 12 years.

“Col. Gibson and Robbie Robertson have provided an invaluable service to the Central Florida community and their expertise and knowledge will be sorely missed on the Sanford Airport Authority board,” Dale said.

Steve Smith

“Steve Smith and Bill Litton are both outstanding members of our community with excellent records of community service and we are looking forward to working closely with them as members of the SAA’s board of directors,” Dale said.

For more information about this news release contact

Diane Crews or Larry Dale, Sanford Airport Authority, 407-322-7771;
Geof Longstaff, Sanford Airport Authority, 407-786-5040;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142

Centex by Pulte Homes to Unveil New Clarry Floor Plan at Sterling Meadows in Sanford

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Centex by Pulte plans to unveil the new Clarry floor plan at Sterling Meadows, located off S.R. 415 near the intersection of S.R. 46 and East Lake Mary Blvd. in Sanford.

Sean Strickler, vice president of sales & marketing at Centex by Pulte, said the Clarry floor plan offers three distinctive elevations with three bedrooms, two baths and 1,335 square feet of living space.

The Clarry floor plan is priced from $139,990, Strickler said.

Centex by Pulte has 42 home sites at Sterling Meadows and new three, four, five and six-bedroom homes range in size from 1,335 square feet of living space to 3,514 square feet.

New single-family homes at Sterling Meadows are priced from $139,990 to $219,990.
Visit http://www.centex.com/.

For more information, contact
Sean Strickler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Centex by Pulte Homes 407-661-2150
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, Inc. 407-644-4142

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Awarded contract to design 10,500 square foot medical office interiors at Lucerne Medical Plaza in downtown Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC of Orlando’s Baldwin Park, was awarded the contract to design medical office interior improvements at the Lucerne Medical Plaza, located at 100 W. Gore St. in downtown Orlando.

Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, said the design contract was awarded by Halladay Properties.

For more information, contact:
Lonnie Peterson, Chairman Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC 407-661-9100
Jed Downs, President Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, LLC 407-661-9100
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

Mattamy Homes US Group Acquires New Home Sites at Hubbard Falls in North Charlotte and Millbridge near Ballentyne in Union County

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Mattamy Homes US Group, the U.S. division of Canada’s largest home builder, has acquired 67 homes sites with an option to acquire additional home sites at Hubbard Falls, located off W. Sugar Creek Rd. and Harris Blvd. in north Charlotte.

Marie Lorimer, marketing manager at Mattamy Homes US Group in Charlotte, said the home builder plans to build new single-family homes priced from the $150s that range in size from 1,200 square feet of living space to 2,400 square feet.

Mattamy Homes US Group will start construction at Hubbard Falls next year and more than five floor plans will be available, Lorimer added.

Mattamy Homes US Group also acquired 46 new 50 and 60-foot home sites at Millbridge, a master-planned mixed-use community located off Jim Wilson Rd. in the Waxhaw/Weddington area of Union County.

Lorimer said Mattamy has introduced a new series of floor plans for the newly acquired lots at Millbridge.

New single-family homes at Millbridge range in size from 2,255 square feet of living space to 2,859 square feet.

The 920 acre Millbridge community will eventually provide homes for 2,243 families, Lorimer said. Amenities include a 9,000 square foot clubhouse, junior Olympic swimming pool, water slide, playgrounds and walking trails. Athletic fields are under construction.

For more information contact:
Bill Kiselick, Division President Mattamy Homes US Group-Charlotte 704-375-9373 Bill.Kiselick@mattamyhomes.com

Steve Parker, President Mattamy Homes US Group 407-599-9994 Steve.Parker@mattamyhomes.com

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

About Mattamy Homes:
Mattamy Homes www.mattamyhomes.com expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and is headquartered in Winter Park, Fla. with divisions in Charlotte, Jacksonville, Orlando, Minneapolis and Phoenix. The homebuilder, the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion was ranked among the highest of all homebuilders in the greater Toronto and Ottawa areas in a nationwide customer satisfaction survey conducted by J.D. Power Associates.

Grubb & Ellis|Commercial Florida Negotiates Office Lease at Cory Lake Isles Professional Center in New Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. --- Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida, associated with 130 offices worldwide, recently completed a new lease agreement at 10329 Cross Creek Blvd. at the Cory Lake Isles Professional Center in New Tampa.

Richard Andretta, SIOR, vice president in the firm’s Office Group and associate Rob Turner negotiated the lease representing the landlord Cory Lake Isles Professional Center.

The tenant, Thompson Studios, a local fine photography firm, leased suite H with 1,250 square feet.

About Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida:
Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida is an affiliated commercial real estate services firm specializing in the leasing and sale of office, industrial, retail, land and investment properties. Currently Grubb & EllisCommercial Florida has 30 brokers divided among its Tampa, Orlando and Melbourne offices which serve the entire mid-Florida marketplace.

About Grubb & Ellis:
Named to The Global Outsourcing 100™ in 2009 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals™, Grubb & Ellis Company (NYSE: GBE) is one of the largest and most respected commercial real estate services and investment companies in the world. Our 6,000 professionals in more than 130 company-owned and affiliate offices draw from a unique platform of real estate services, practice groups and investment products to deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions to real estate owners, tenants and investors. The firm’s transaction, management, consulting and investment services are supported by highly regarded proprietary market research and extensive local expertise. Through Grubb & Ellis Realty Investors, the company is a leading sponsor of real estate investment programs that provide individuals and institutions the opportunity to invest in a broad range of real estate investment vehicles, including public non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), tenant-in-common (TIC) investments suitable for tax-deferred 1031 exchanges and other real estate investment funds. For more information, visit www.grubb-ellis.com.

Richard Andretta, SIOR 813-639-1111 (255)
Rob Turner, 813-639-1111 (235)
Jeffrey Sweeney, SIOR President 407-481-5387
Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

Industry-Leading Sabalcore, Inc. Opens New Data Center in Melbourne to Substantially Increase Computing Capacity

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Sabalcore Computing, Inc., formerly known as Tsunamic Technologies Inc., has opened a new data center in Melbourne.

John Van Workum, president and chief executive officer of Sabalcore Computing, Inc., said the new data center will substantially expand Sabalcore’s cluster computing capacity to support new business and improved services for the company’s existing clients.

Sabalcore, which opened in 2000, maintains cluster computing networks that link hundreds of Linux-based computers to provide enormous online computing power to large-scale users at a fraction of the cost of dedicated servers, Van Workum explained.

Recently, Sabalcore won a major contract from the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Geophysics Branch at China Lake to provide computing time to power weather modeling and analysis to support battlefield operations.

“Sabalcore’s high performance computing networks were specifically designed to provide the enormous volume of computing power such complex calculations require,” Van Workum said.
Sabalcore’s cluster computing networks have played a key role in computer aided engineering, oil and gas exploration , weather modeling and prediction, genomics, helping communities predict the spread of infectious diseases, and modeling the benefits and effects of experimental pharmaceuticals.

Sabalcore is a client company of the University of Central Florida’s Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in east Orlando.

For more information, contact
John D. Van Workum, President Sabalcore Computing, Inc. 877-492-8027; John@sabalcore.com

Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com

About the UCF Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 130 emerging companies (including nearly 80 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With six facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.

Mattamy Homes US Group Appoints Randy Turkovics Vice President of Production in Charlotte Region

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Mattamy Homes US Group has appointed Randy Turkovics vice president of production in the Charlotte region.

Marie Lorimer, marketing manager at Mattamy Homes US Group in Charlotte, said Turkovics earned his B.S. Degree in Architectural and Construction Engineering/Technologies from the University of Florida.

Turkovics has more than 20 years of experience in home building, including executive positions as vice president of purchasing and senior vice president of operations for major home builders.

Altogether he has been responsible for construction of more than 2,500 new homes.

For more information contact:
Bill Kiselick, Division President Mattamy Homes US Group -Charlotte 704-375-9373 Bill.Kiselick@mattamyhomes.com
Steve Parker, President Mattamy Homes US Group 407-599-9994 Steve.Parker@mattamyhomes.com
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

About Mattamy Homes:
Mattamy Homes, www.mattamyhomes.com, expanded into the U.S. in 2003 and is headquartered in Winter Park, FL with divisions in Orlando, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Minneapolis, MN; and Charlotte, NC. The homebuilder, the largest and most active in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $1.3 billion, was ranked among the highest of all homebuilders in the greater Toronto and Ottawa areas in a nationwide customer satisfaction survey conducted by J.D. Power Associates.

NAI Realvest to Launch International Marketing Campaign to Sell 78-Acre Palm Coast Commercial Site

Maitland, Fla. --- NAI Realvest has been selected as exclusive sales and marketing agents for a 78-acre commercial site located off Rt. 100 East of I-95 in Palm Coast.

Paul P. Partyka, principal and managing director of NAI Realvest, said the Colbert Commercial Center site is fully entitled to develop over 750,000 square feet of commercial mixed-use space.

NAI Realvest will launch an international marketing campaign to sell the site.

Partyka said he plans to marshal his extensive links to business entities in Dubai, UAE, and to utilize the NAI global network that includes more than 3,000 commercial property brokers worldwide.

Colbert Lane, LLC, is the developer/owner.

For more information contact:
Paul P. Partyka, Managing Partner, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 ppartyka@realvest.com
Patrick Mahoney, President, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 pmahoney@realvest.com
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications, Inc., 407-644-4142

About NAI Realvest:
NAI Realvest, serving all of central Florida, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide through NAI Global, an international commercial real estate network with over 325 offices spanning the globe. Since 1978, clients have built their businesses on the power of NAI Global’s expanding network. Extensive services include multi-site acquisitions and dispositions, sublease, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence and related consulting and advisory services. To learn more, visit www.NAIRealvest.com.