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

Monroe CommerCenter South, Sanford, FL

Michael Heidrich

ORLANDO, FL  – 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.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

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

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

Jim Dowd

ORLANDO, FL --- 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

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.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

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

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

Econlockhatchee River, East Orlando, FL

Robert P. Hold

ORLANDO, FL --- 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

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.

Jim Dowd

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.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

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

Legends Golf Club Welcoming New and Returning Members for 2014 Calendar Year, Also Now Offering a Seasonal Membership

Legends Golf Club, Clermont, FL

CLERMONT, FL--- Legends Golf Club recently announced that 2014 Membership Information is now available and, for the first time, Legends will offer a Seasonal Membership.

Jay Scruggs, General Manager at Legends Golf Club, said he’s very excited about the upcoming year and the prospect of growing the course’s membership.  As part of that initiative, the Seasonal Membership option is being offered under Celebration Golf Management, Scruggs added.

Celebration Golf Course, Celebration, FL

“Golf Membership is, and has always been, an integral part of our course. Each year we receive incredibly positive feedback from our members. 

"Last year we expanded on our offerings by adding an Executive Membership. This year, we’ve taken it a step further by adding a Seasonal Membership,” Scruggs said.

Legends Golf Club also offers a Junior Membership, as well as an annual Driving Range Pass and an Annual Twilight Pass. Scruggs said,

  

For more information regarding Memberships, please contact the course.Visit www.cgmgolfproperties.com.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

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

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

StoneGate Golf Club at Solivita, Kissimmee, FL

KISSIMMEE, FL  -- 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.

Arto Rahmani

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.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

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

Newcastle Partners Completes Construction of 600,000-Square-Foot Distribution Building in Meridian Business Park at Riverside, CA

Meridian Industrial Park, 14600 Innovation Drive, Meridian Industrial Park, Riverside, CA

                SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Newcastle Partners, Inc., a San Francisco-based real estate investment and development company, has completed construction of a 600,000-square-foot Class A distribution building located at 14600 Innovation Drive in the Meridian Industrial Park in Riverside, Calif.

Phil Lombardo

                The state-of-the-art facility is situated on the west side of the 215 freeway, offering excellent visibility to the freeway and strategic access to Southern California and the ports. The building features include: 32' clear height, ESFR sprinkler system, 200' truck courts, and immediate access to the 215 freeway.

“This project is consistent with Newcastle Partners’ strategy of aggressively growing a substantial industrial portfolio in the Inland Empire,” said Dennis Higgs, Newcastle Partners’ Managing Partner and Founder.

“The Inland Empire industrial market continues to outperform other national markets across all fundamentals. We’ll continue to invest in this region as corporate America continues to expand here.

"Our building offers the highest construction quality as well as the best identity and security in the entire market, for both the Inland Empire East and West.”

Chuck Beldon

According to Jackson Smith, who heads Southern California operations for Newcastle Partners, the property has already attracted a significant amount of interest.

 “Large, corporate users are actively seeking to either bring their distribution activity into the Inland Empire market, or they are local and are seeking to relocate and/or expand into new, quality product of this size requirement.”

Leasing agents for the Meridian Industrial Park facility are Phil Lombardo and Chuck Beldon of Cushman and Wakefield. 

Founded in 1999, Newcastle Partners, Inc. is a real estate investor and developer focused on industrial, office and business park properties in California.

Newcastle Partners has a proven track record of creating substantial value. Newcastle Partners has offices in Irvine and San Francisco, California, and currently owns or has recently developed more than $728 million of properties.

Visit Newcastle Partners at www.newcastlepartners.com

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Darcie Giacchetto

Spaulding Thompson & Associates

949.278.6224

CFLB Partnership, LLC Finalizes Purchase of Former Trump International Hotel and Tower Fort Lauderdale

Former Trump International Hotel and Tower Fort Lauderdale
551 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Dec. 20, 2013 – CFLB Partnership, LLC announced the purchase has been finalized December 19 of the former Trump International Hotel and Tower Fort Lauderdale, a 24-story oceanfront property located at 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard.

Peggy Olin Fucci

 “We are excited to rebrand this property as the new Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Residences and officially begin sales for studio, one-, two-, three- or four-bedroom residences,” said Peggy Olin Fucci, president and CEO of One World Properties, which is handling sales and marketing of the property’s residences. 

“The property is undergoing more than $30 million in enhancements and luxury upgrades – and with listings at approximately 40 percent less than the original pre-2009 prices, condominium resort and hotel residences at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Residences offer outstanding value compared to beachfront condominiums for sale in Miami.” 

CFLB Partnership, LLC purchased the 490,595 square-foot property from 551 North FLB Marketing, LLC for $115 million.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Jane Grant

+1 954-776-1999, ext. 224

jgrant@piersongrant.com

 Lauren Simo

Pierson Grant Public Relations

6301 Northwest 5th Way, Suite 2600

Fort Lauderdale, FL  33309

phone: (954) 776-1999  ext. 238

fax: (954) 776-0290

lsimo@piersongrant.com

www.piersongrant.com

www.highimpactdigital.com

www.ConradFortLauderdaleBeachResidences.com

954-749-7200.

Marcus & Millichap’s Evan Kristol Spells Out Five Habits for Investment Real Estate Success

  

MIAMI, FL – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services notes success in investment real estate, as in any other industry, comes down to hard work, smart choices, and maybe a little luck.

“As we begin a new year full of promise and potential, we asked Marcus & Millichap Senior Vice President Investments Evan P. Kristol to share the top habits of highly successful real estate investors,” states a company newsletter.

Kristol recommends that investors establish these five essential habits to guide every transaction:

1.Start with a goal. We need goals in all aspects of our lives so that we can evaluate our progress and reach our full potential.

Evan P. Kristol

Our most successful clients set specific goals for what they want to accomplish each year. Goals create expectations that motivate you to stay focused and work harder and, hopefully, smarter.

They also facilitate analysis. If your goal was to buy six assets and you only bought four, you can ask, "Why?" and find an answer.

2.Establish a realistic business plan. A business plan is your roadmap to success. It's a living, breathing thing that should be modified constantly — whether you're meeting, surpassing, or falling short of your goals.

 The plan must be realistic and achievable. Don't set yourself up for failure with overly ambitious targets. Instead, make a realistic plan for success and amend it as needed.

3.Acquire a deep, thorough knowledge of the market you invest in. In real estate, information is essential for success. Because location is the one thing investors can't change with their checkbooks, successful investors know their markets. 

Market knowledge protects you from making poor acquisition or disposition decisions. 

Smart investors know about the submarkets, the job market, new developments, changes to laws and ordinances, companies going out of business, what's on the market, and what actually trades. Any one of these factors (and many others) could significantly impact the value, or even the liquidity, of your assets.

4.Find the right capital or financing. It's important to be on top of the capital markets because debt has a significant impact on value. That means not only knowing where the treasuries are at the moment, but also who the best and most active lenders and mortgage brokers are.

5.Maintain high ethical standards and service levels for your tenants. As a real estate agent who sells assets for many different owners, I have the opportunity to observe many different management styles. Some owners are hands-off, some are hands-on.

  

Either way, truly successful real estate investors practice friendly professionalism, value integrity, and maintain high ethical standards in all their dealings.

It's easy to start off the year with fresh resolve, but it takes good habits like these to maintain that momentum and focus. What kind of year would you like to have — and what will it take to get there?

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

marcus_millichap_south_florida@updatefrom.com

PM Hospitality Strategies Names Tara Kucharski Director of Sales for Westin Wilmington

                        

The 180-Room Westin Wilmington, 815 Justison Street, Wilmington, DE
 scheduled to open in Spring 2014

            WILMINGTON, DE and WASHINGTON, DC—PM Hospitality Strategies (PMHS), a hotel management company, announced the appointment of Tara Kucharski as director of sales for the soon-to-open Westin Wilmington connected to the Chase Convention Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Del.

Tara Kucharski

The 180-room, four-star hotel is slated to open in the spring of 2014 and is a joint venture between Buccini/Pollin Group and Westport Capital.  

PMHS is overseeing construction, providing pre-opening services and will operate the hotel upon opening.

A native of the Wilmington area, Kucharski has worked her entire career in the hospitality industry, rising from a bartender at the locally popular Three Little Bakers dinner theater, and most recently serving as director of sales and marketing at the Sheraton Suites Wilmington.   

 “Tara not only knows the hotel market in Wilmington, but has deep personal and business ties to the area, which will give us a tremendous advantage as we introduce the Westin brand to the state of Delaware,” said Joseph Bojanowski, PMHS president. 

“This hotel, with 100,000 square feet of its own meeting space, will enable Wilmington to accommodate groups that had previously expressed interest, but were too large for the existing hotel inventory. 

“Tara’s combination of hotel sales and local market expertise will be critical in putting together all of the pieces to achieve this goal.” 

Joseph Bojanowski

The LEED-designed Westin Wilmington also will feature a legal center, full service restaurant, a Westin WORKOUT® Gym, indoor pool and 24-hour business center. 

“The Westin is the first, new full-service hotel built in Wilmington in 20 years, and its convention center location in the heart of our entertainment and cultural center, gives us an opportunity to welcome new business and leisure visitors to our part of the first state,” Kucharski said.

  “With the addition of the Westin’s market leading meeting space, Wilmington now can compete with Philadelphia and Baltimore for convention and meeting business.”

Located at 815 Justison St., the Westin Wilmington will offer guests easy access to I-95 and the Philadelphia International Airport (30 mins.), neighboring restaurants and shops, as well as all of the riverfront’s attractions, including Frawley Stadium (home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks), the Delaware Theater Company, Delaware Children’s Museum, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts and a 15-screen IMAX theater. 

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Chris Daly, Jerry Daly media

(703) 435-6293

chris@dalygray.com

 www.pmhs.com

RealtyTrac® Reports Share of All-Cash Sales of Homes Reaches New High in November; REO Sales Share Increases for Third Consecutive Month

IRVINE, CA — RealtyTrac® (www.realtytrac.com), the nation’s leading source for comprehensive housing data, today released its November 2013 U.S. Residential & Foreclosure Sales Report, which shows that U.S. residential properties, including single family homes, condominiums and townhomes, sold at an estimated annual pace of 5,146,565 in November, a less than 1 percent increase from a revised pace of 5,128,034 in October and up 10 percent from November 2012.

Daren Blomquist

“The housing market recovery continued to be driven by investors and other cash purchasers in November,” said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.

 “Lenders are taking advantage of this environment to unload more of their bank-owned inventory and in-foreclosure inventory at the foreclosure auction.

“But as the backlog of distressed inventory available dries up in many of the markets with the most efficient foreclosure processes — namely California, Arizona and Nevada, with Georgia not far behind — overall sales volume is declining and will continue to do so until more non-distressed sellers enter the market.”

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Jennifer von Pohlmann

PR Manager

Office: 949.502.8300 ext 139

jennifer.vonpohlmann@realtytrac.com

FrontDoor Communities Expands Charleston, SC Office with Addition of Bob Pickard as Director of Development and Acquisition

Bob Pickard

 ATLANTA, GA – FrontDoor Communities announced today the addition of Bob Pickard as the new Director of Development and Acquisition for the firm’s Charleston, S.C. office.

In his new position, Pickard will develop business plans, maintain budgets and manage land acquisition, development and construction. Pickard brings more than 15 years of experience in project management and land development to the role.

“With our introduction of the Freeman’s Point community in James Island last month, we are poised to expand our presence in the Charleston market,” said Terry Russell, chief executive officer of FrontDoor Communities. “Bob will bring invaluable leadership and insight to our team as we ramp up work in the region, and we’re thrilled to have him on board.”

Before joining FrontDoor, Pickard served as the director of business development and environmental services for Ikhana Design and Construction, where he managed relationships with clients, oversaw projects, crafted proposals and headed business development.

Terry Russell

Prior to Ikhana, Pickard worked as a business development consultant with SEG engineering in Atlanta. 

Additionally, he has held multiple project and land development positions at Landmark Construction Co., Ryland Homes, Benchmark Group and URS Corporation.

Pickard earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of South Carolina. 

He currently serves as the president of the government affairs committee at the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Michael Phillips                                                                                                                     

404.996.0828

mphillips@frontdoorcommunities.com

Jones Lang LaSalle Expands Retail Brokerage Platform into Phoenix, AZ

  

Tyson Switzenberg

 PHOENIX, AZ— Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) announced the expansion of its retail platform into Phoenix, with the addition of three brokerage specialists.

Tyson Switzenberg will lead the firm’s newly formed Phoenix retail brokerage practice, along with Senior Associate John Reva and Associate Trask Switzenberg.

 Together they will partner with Craig Killman, JLL’s West Coast Retail Market Lead, to provide brokerage services to retail owners and tenants in the region.

“Phoenix is a target market for retail owners and tenants alike, and the addition of Tyson, John and Trask will allow us to better serve our clients’ growing demands in the region.

Trask Switzenberg

“Their acute knowledge of the Phoenix commercial real estate market and ability to recognize developing trends will provide our clients unmatched strategic planning and execution,” said Killman.

Steve Yenser, National Retail Brokerage Lead for Jones Lang LaSalle, added, “The trio’s ability to add value to retail owned assets and hone in on the right site selection options for our retailer clients is a tremendous addition to our platform. In the year ahead we’ll continue to add top-talent brokerage experts in key markets across the Southwest and United States.”

Tyson, John and Trask join JLL from SR Commercial Real Estate and bring with them a strong roster of local and national clients.

 In their new roles at JLL, they will be responsible for developing and executing strategies that maximize clients’ real estate needs to their full potential. Additionally, they’ll be focused on developing new business opportunities for current and future investor and retailer clients.

Craig Killman

Prior to forming SR Commercial Real Estate, Tyson Switzenberg was a Senior Associate with Phoenix Commercial Advisors, where he managed more than 60 transactions each year.

 He also worked at D.L. Slaughter Company, where he facilitated more than 20 major U.S. drugstore transactions and leased eight ground-up grocery-anchored centers. 

Tyson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from McNeese State University and is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

John Reva

Prior to forming SR Commercial Real Estate, John Reva served a Leasing Associate with Vestar Development Co., where he was responsible for the leasing of shop space at Tempe Marketplace, Oro Valley Marketplace and Canyon Trails Towne Center. 

Additionally, his experience includes working as a Retail Specialist with Retail Brokers, Inc., where he leased a retail portfolio of more than 35 assets totaling more than 300,000 square feet. 

John earned the degree of Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Mich. and a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and from 2010 – 2013 served as ICSC’s State Next Generation Chair for Arizona/New Mexico.

Steve Yenser

Trask Switzenberg previously served as an Associate at SR Commercial Real Estate, LLC, where he handled the leasing for a portfolio of 20-plus assets totalling more than one million square feet, and prior to that he worked at Pinnacle Development, LLC. Trask earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

For more news, videos and research resources on Jones Lang LaSalle, please visit the firm’s U.S. media center Web page.  Bookmark it here:  http://bit.ly/11so3pe.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

  Stacey Hershauer

480.600.0195

stacey@focusaz.com

www.jllretail.com

.