Avalon Park matures as one of the Nation’s Premier Examples of “Neotraditional” community design

ORLANDO, Fla. --- When the first homeowners moved into Avalon Park in 1999, developer Beat Kähli and his staff wanted to establish the emerging neighborhood as one of Central Florida’s first neotraditional communities when “neotraditional” was the “next big thing” in community development and almost no one knew exactly what it meant. Today, Avalon Park is a mature community of 13,000 residents in neatly-tucked neighborhoods and Downtown Avalon Park, with six local schools, four banks, 15 restaurants, a YMCA community center and 16 miles of bike and hiking trails linking neighborhoods with retail and recreational facilities. Disney’s Celebration claimed title as the area’s first neotraditional community, but two books and dozens of trendy news articles focused on apparent inconsistencies in the Osceola County community and muddied the “neotraditional” water. Coined by Andrés Duany, the architect and urban planner who founded the Congress for the New Urbanism and designed Seaside in the Florida panhandle, “neotraditional” hoped to make a better world by combining traditional community values with efficient urban-style planning and design. The idea was to create a self-contained community with multiple residential options served by commercial, recreational and educational choices that are easily accessible. Ideally, residents could live, work, learn and play without ever leaving the safety and comfort of their community. Walking and bicycling paths were a critical element. Ideally, a resident could do almost everything---shopping, dining, doctor’s visits, school, church, workouts at the gym---without ever cranking the family car. “Today I feel we have achieved all those goals,” Kähli said recently. “What we have now is different in some ways from our original concept because we have responded to the market. Home buyers told us what kinds of homes they wanted, what kinds of neighborhoods,” Kähli said. Duany had played a major role imagining the predecessor of Avalon Park in the 1980s, but when Kähli took over the project in the mid-1990s, he went Duany one better. Almost immediately he carved off more than 7,000 acres from the original site plan and engineered a series of transactions that created a publicly-owned conservation area along the pristine Econlockhatchee River at bargain prices. Today, Avalon Park is considerably smaller than its first developers imagined a generation ago, but under Kähli’s guidance, the community now serves as many residents as the City of Longwood with even more services---schools, shopping and the like---and a fraction of the taxes. There’s more to come---the opening of a new Senior Living Facility in the coming weeks, a new round of apartment construction to serve senior citizens, a new parking garage in Downtown Avalon Park. Through all the changes Kähli’s initial vision has persevered. Today, Avalon Park lives up to its reputation as a community where residents can “live, learn, work, and play” without ever leaving the community.

Avalon Park to Open 100,000 Sq. Ft. Senior Living Facility and Memory Care Center employing 70 in Downtown Avalon Park

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Avalon Park will open its new Encore Senior Living Facility and Memory Care Center in Downtown Avalon Park in early 2015. Beat Kähli, who heads the Avalon Park development team, said the facility will offer the most sophisticated assisted living and memory care services in Central Florida. The facility includes 90 units, Kähli said. Sixty units are reserved for memory care residents, who typically require considerably more attention from professionals and staff. The $16.5 million facility totals 100,000 square feet of space and will require a professional staff of 70 people. Lamm and Co. is the general contractor. Kähli recently appointed Denise Stadler, RN, CMM, to head operations at the facility.

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.

Blackton, Inc. Earns $2.3 Million Contract from KB Home To Provide Roofing and Flooring Materials at Orchard Park in Winter Garden

Orlando, Fla. --- Blackton, Inc., a major provider of roofing and flooring materials for the home building industry, recently earned a contract from KB Home that will eventually be worth an estimated $2,325,000.00. Micky Blackton, chief executive officer of Blackton, Inc., said the family owned firm will provide roofing and flooring materials to KB Home for the construction of 75 new homes in the first phase at Orchard Park, located in Winter Garden. “Our contract covers the first phase of 75 new homes at Orchard Park,” Blackton said. Blackton said that altogether KB Home plans to build 155 new homes at Orchard Park.