Meritage Homes Names New Sales Consultant

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Meritage Homes has named Omar Watson sales trainee working out of Hammock Reserve in Oviedo. Brian Kittle, division vice president for Meritage Homes, said Watson is a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida. Meritage Homes builds new homes in 15 communities throughout the Orlando region with from two to eight bedrooms priced from the low $100s to the high $700s.

Meritage Homes Opens New Community in Apopka

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Meritage Homes opened its newest community Fisher Plantation located on Shopke-Lester Rd. off Plymouth-Sorrento Rd. in Apopka in northwest Orange County. Brian Kittle, division vice president for Meritage Homes in the Orlando region, said Meritage has 41 home sites at Fisher Plantation for homes ranging from 3,082 square feet of living area to 5,107 square feet, priced from the high-$200s. A new model — the Palermo — is now under construction and will be ready for viewing in June. The Palermo will offer five bedrooms and four baths in 3,082 square feet of living area.

New Release from Sundog Software Makes Virtual Oceans Come Alive For Simulation, Game Developers

ORLANDO, Fla. --- The newest software release from Sundog Software LLC combines real oceanographic research with advanced mathematics and the latest graphics technology to make virtual oceans come alive for developers of training simulators and video games. Frank Kane, founder of Sundog Software, said Version 2.1 of Sundog’s Triton Ocean SDK software library, used by developers worldwide to add realistic 3D water effects to games, simulations, and training applications, offers unparalleled realism in the look and action of ocean forces. And the closer you get, the better it looks. “Triton 2.1 simulates literally tens of thousands of waves at once, and adds them together in every frame with a technique called inverse fast Fourier transform (FFT) to produce highly realistic swells, spray, and wind waves based on a real physical simulation,” Kane explained. “We’re using real oceanographic research to power real-time water effects with a stunning level of realism. That’s as important for game developers as it is for maritime training simulators---what trainees see on the monitors is almost exactly what they will see on the ocean,” Kane said. Sundog’s Triton 2.1 applies the latest physical models for ocean waves---Pierson-Moskowitz and JONSWAP---to tens of thousands of waves at once, at hundreds of frames per second. With Triton 2.1, game and simulation developers can add swells from distant storms and can even simulate fetch length---the effect of how far wind has traveled on the waves in the scene. Sundog’s Triton Ocean SDK software library is already popular with video game companies and large military contractors, and has been purchased by the US Navy and the Federal Aviation Administration. Demos, videos, and evaluation kits are available from Sundog’s website at http://www.sundog-soft.com/ Sundog Software is a client company of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park in East Orange County.

PulteGroup in South Florida Honors Top Salesperson for March

Bonita Springs, Fla. --- PulteGroup in South Florida has named Karen Nichols its Top Sales Consultant for March, working out of the community of VillageWalk of Bonita Springs. Scott Mairn, vice president of sales and marketing for the South Florida Division of PulteGroup, said Nichols sold the highest number of new homes among all PulteGroup communities and brands in the South Florida division which includes Pulte Homes, Centex Homes, DiVosta Homes and Del Webb brands. Nichols has been with DiVosta Homes and PulteGroup for two-and-a-half years. The Chicago area native holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Western Illinois University and has more than 15 years of experience in the home building industry. Nichols currently sells new two and three-bedroom single-family homes by DiVosta priced from the $190s in ten distinctive designs at VillageWalk of Bonita Springs located on Umiak Court off Bonita Beach Road S.E. east of I-75 in Bonita Springs. PulteGroup ranks as one of the nation’s largest home builders and community developers.

ICI Homes to Host Realtor Open House April 11 to Showcase Manchester Model Home at Tidewater in Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Fla. --- ICI Homes will host an open house for Jacksonville-area realtors on Thursday, April 11 to showcase the new Manchester model home at Tidewater, located on Clapboard Creek Drive off Cedar Point Road along the I-95 and I-295 beltway in northeast Jacksonville. Don Wilford, Northeast Florida division president at ICI Homes, said the event from 5 to 7 p.m. is open to Jacksonville-area realtors and brokers Refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres will be plentiful and Wilford said he plans to hold a drawing for door prizes. The five-bedroom Manchester model home at Tidewater offers three-and-a-half baths in 3,277 square feet of luxury living space along with an upstairs game room and loft. The Manchester model boasts an enormous master suite downstairs, a formal dining room, a gourmet kitchen and breakfast nook that opens onto a huge family gathering room with a fireplace. With its two-car garage, the Manchester is base-priced from $299,900. ICI Homes plans to build 66 new homes at Tidewater in 20 distinctive and customizable floor plans priced from the $200s. Tidewater features a community swimming pool, fitness center and children’s playground.

Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell to Help Sponsor Poker Run for Cancer Patient

BUNNELL – The Port Orange-based law firm of Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell is helping to sponsor a benefit poker run on April 20 for Sam Leonard, a well-known motorcycle enthusiast who recently was diagnosed with lung cancer. Sam Leonard, and her husband, Leo, have been involved in numerous benefit poker runs to help other individuals and organizations. Now, Leonard is facing expensive medical treatment with no health insurance, according to David Sweat, a partner in the personal-injury firm and an avid motorcycle rider. “Leo and Sam have donated their own money and helped organize similar events for many others, and now it’s our turn to help them,” he said. Registration for the run – at $10 a hand – will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at the White Eagle Lounge, U.S. Highway 1 in Bunnell, where free breakfast and $1 Bloody Marys and mimosas will be available. Included will be a 50/50 game, live and silent auctions, raffles and awards for the best and worst poker hands. After making stops, the last bike will check in at 3:30 p.m. at the Iron Horse Saloon in Ormond Beach, where live music will be provided by country rocker Bobby Scott until 5 p.m. For details or more information, visit www.rueziffra.com or contact Sherry Fletcher at 386-235-3172.

Hendricks-Berkadia Negotiates sale of three apartment properties — 1,130 units —for $62 million

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Hendricks-Berkadia Real Estate Advisors, which ranks as one of the leading multi-family investment banking and research companies in the nation, recently negotiated the sale of three apartment properties in Bradenton and Orlando that total some 1,130 units and valued at close to $62 million. Cole Whitaker, partner who heads the Southeast Division of Hendricks-Berkadia, negotiated all three transactions with associate partner Hal Warren and vice president Jason Stanton. The three sales brought $61,780,000. Hendricks-Berkadia represented the seller in all three transactions. Whitaker and Warren negotiated the sale of Braden Lakes Apartment Homes on 50th Avenue West in Bradenton for $14,280,000 representing seller Situs, LLC. Lexsignia LLC acquired the property comprising 264 units in 16 two-story garden style buildings and a clubhouse. Whitaker and Warren represented Situs, LLC in a second sale of The Cornerstone Apartments with 430 units on S. Conway Rd. in Orlando for $23 million. Robbins Property Associates LLC, acquired the property with a total of 317,190 rentable square feet on 27 acres. Whitaker and Warren negotiated the $24,500,000 sale of Park Baldwin Palms at 2250 N. Semoran Blvd. in Orlando representing seller Everglades Partners, LLC. Covenant Capital Group, LLC acquired the property with 436 apartments situated in 38 two-story garden-style buildings on 21.8 acres.

DiMucci raising roof for new headquarters facility on Dunlawton Blvd in Daytona Beach Shores

Daytona Beach Shores, Fla. --- The DiMucci Companies, which is completing its new million dollar plus headquarters facility on Dunlawton Blvd. in Daytona Beach Shores, is completing construction of the roof on the 3,500 square foot building. Anthony DiMucci, who heads the DiMucci Companies, said the two-story facility will open in about 30 days.

D.A. Points is Golden Bear Club’s Newest PGA Star with Win at Shell Houston PGA Open

ORLANDO, Fla. --- When D.A. Points clinched his second career PGA victory with a 13-foot putt at the Shell Houston Open in Humble, Texas last weekend, the clubhouse crowd at the Golden Bear Club at Windermere’s Keene’s Pointe let our a resounding cheer. Or, maybe two. Points is the second Golden Bear Club member to win a PGA tournament this year---Brian Gay posted his fourth career win at the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, California in January. Matthew Allen, general manager and director of golf at The Golden Bear Club at Keene's Pointe, said the clubhouse was packed for the tournament. “The Golden Bear Club is a very special community,” Allen said. “We have some serious golfers here. When we aren’t playing, we’re studying the game. And watching one of our friends win a PGA tournament is the next best thing to winning one ourselves,” he said. The 38-year-old Points, a homeowner at Keene’s Pointe and a popular member of the Golden Bear Club, shot 16 under for the tournament and 66 in the final round of the Shell Houston open with a clutch par putt on 18. “D.A. Points is highly respected and well loved,” Allen said. “We’re all anxious to congratulate him.”

Grand Opening held for Marketplace in Delray, Cuhaci & Peterson completes design work

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects Engineers Planners based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, completed design work on major projects at the Marketplace in Delray Beach. Lonnie Peterson, chairman of Cuhaci & Peterson, said the firm completed design work on a 45,000 square foot Publix supermarket and 154,147 square feet of retail shops at the center located at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Lyons Road in Delray Beach. A grand opening at the plaza was held recently and Publix is now open.