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  • 05/09/2023 2:18 PM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    EML Realty Partners, based in Jupiter, announced the acquisition of two industrial buildings located at 721 Industrial Drive in Wildwood.

    The main building is an SRS Distribution Center, with the smaller building leased by Patio Inspirations. The more than 65,000 square foot property sits on about 6 acres and was purchased for $5.7 million.

    “EML Realty Partners remains extremely bullish on expanding into different areas of Florida to do bigger industrial deals,” said Eric M. Levitt, founder of EML Realty Partners. “We are excited about the purchase of this property in an up-and-coming area of Central Florida with a great credit tenant. The purchase was well below replacement cost and well below market rent, too. ”

    EML Realty Partners specializes in the acquisition of opportunistic commercial real estate investments, with a diverse portfolio of industrial, flex, office, retail, and entertainment properties. Founded by Eric M. Levitt, EML Realty Partners specializes in creating value on these properties after they are acquired. Prior to moving to Florida, EML Realty Partners was a very active and well-respected real estate firm in the Mid-Atlantic region.


  • 05/04/2023 7:08 PM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    Avison Young’s Florida Capital Markets Group has been exclusively tapped to spearhead the court-ordered sale of Monarch Ranch, a unique ±3,400-acre industrial development opportunity in Sumter County.

    One of the largest vacant land sites positioned within one hour from each of the Orlando and Tampa Central Business Districts, two of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States, the property is ideal for distribution use. The buyer will have the opportunity to construct millions of square feet of industrial space – provided the zoning and development order is approved for such use – at the convergence point of Interstate 75 and Florida’s Turnpike, which sees more than 60% of all state highway truck traffic. 

    Avison Young Principals Jay Ziv, John K. Crotty, Michael T. Fay, David Duckworth, and Brian de la Fé will lead the marketing and sale of the property. 

    “By acquiring a footprint of Monarch Ranch’s scale and connectivity at the midpoint of Florida’s fastest-growing cities, a developer will be able to create an industrial node that defines distribution and warehousing activity for the state’s central corridor and Gulf Coast as it continues its massive wave of growth,” said Ziv. 

    Due to its unique combination of major roadway accessibility and multimodal systems, making it an ideal distribution hub for businesses, Sumter County has earned its title of Florida’s Center of Commerce. Monarch Ranch is located between two cities – Wildwood and Coleman – and the existing future land use map designation encourages industrial use. In addition to immediate access to Interstate 75, Florida’s Turnpike, and State Road 44, the property also directly borders CSX’s main eastern seaboard freight line, allowing for potential on-site connectivity to a ±20,000-mile rail network serving 23 states.

    “Florida’s industrial market continues to boom,” said Crotty. “Investor-developer and tenant demand for industrial space with connectivity to population centers has increased significantly in the past three years as the trend of southward migration to the Sunbelt accelerated with no signs of slowing down.” 

    Florida attracted the most significant influx of residents compared to any other U.S. state in 2022, gaining an average of 1,217 new residents daily. As a result, demand has driven rents for industrial space across virtually all Florida markets to record highs. For example, rental rates within Monarch Ranch’s immediate vicinity rose 11.1% year over year as of first-quarter 2023.

     


  • 05/02/2023 9:22 AM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    CBRE has arranged the sale of a three-building industrial portfolio totaling 241,124 square feet in Orlando.

    GID Industrial purchased the property from Boston-based institutional investor TA Realty LLC.

    José Lobón, Trey Barry, Frank Fallon, Royce Rose, and Alain Bonvecchio of CBRE Capital Markets represented the seller in the transaction. The Capital Markets team was assisted by David Murphy and Monica Wonus with CBRE Industrial & Logistics.

    The portfolio was fully occupied by 14 tenants, including anchor tenant USPS, at the time of sale.

    The 130,400-square-foot building at 10425 S. Orange Avenue is located directly adjacent to Orlando International Airport. This fully fenced property features clearance heights ranging from 22 to 27 feet, 20 front-load dock doors, one drive-in door, a brand-new roof, a guard house, 58 car parking spaces and 20 trailer parking spaces.

    The 62,210-square-foot building at 523 W. Grant Street features 18-foot clearance heights, 13 front-load dock doors, one drive-in door, a brand-new roof, and 52 car parking spaces.

    The 48,514-square-foot building at 444 27th Street features 18-foot clearance heights, seven front-load dock doors, four drive-in doors, a brand-new roof, and 46 car parking spaces.

    The buildings at 523 W. Grant Street and 444 27th Street are located minutes from Downtown Orlando and have frontage long Interstate 4.

    “Each of these infill buildings sit in Orlando’s highly desirable Southeast Orange County submarket, providing distribution users with excellent transportation linkages to South Florida via the Florida Turnpike, to Tampa and Jacksonville via Interstate 4, and the east coast of Florida using the Beachline Expressway (SR 528). The buyer will be able to capitalize on the high tenant demand and rapid rent growth we are seeing in Southeast Orlando,” said CBRE Vice Chairman José Lobón.

     

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  • 04/27/2023 9:59 PM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler announced the addition of two accomplished Certified Commercial Investment Members (CCIMs) to its team of Senior Advisors.

    Rick Gonzalez, ALC, CCIM and Liz Menéndez, CCIM bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication to the company, further solidifying SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler's commitment to providing unparalleled service in the land and commercial real estate market. With the addition of Gonzalez and Menéndez, there are now 16 advisors who hold the CCIM designation at the firm.

    "We are excited to welcome Liz Menéndez and Rick Gonzalez to our team," said Gary Ralston, Partner and Managing Director of SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler. "CCIM’s dedication to client service, vast knowledge, and extensive experience in the commercial real estate industry makes these two professionals valuable assets to the firm and our clients."

    Rick Gonzalez, ALC, CCIM, is an 8th-generation Floridian and US Army Veteran who brings a unique combination of education and expertise to the firm. With a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Soils from the University of Florida, Rick is well-equipped to address a wide range of land and commercial real estate needs. As a CCIM and an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC), Rick is dedicated to providing top-notch services to his clients. Rick is also highly engaged in professional community organizations within Lake County, and he currently serves as the 2023 Chapter President of the Florida CCIM Chapter.

    “Joining SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler is an incredible opportunity for me to continue growing professionally alongside some of my fellow CCIMs,” said Rick. “I am eager to contribute to the company's ongoing accomplishments and to serve our clients with the highest level of professionalism and commitment."

    Liz Menéndez, CCIM, is a distinguished REALTOR® with extensive experience in both residential and commercial sales and leasing. As the 2023 President-Elect of the CCIM Florida Chapter, Liz's commitment to providing superior service and building lasting relationships with clients is truly at the heart of her career. Prior to working in real estate, Liz spent 17 years in the banking industry while developing skills in administration, commercial and consumer lending, business banking, and financial consulting. She even graduated from the University of South Florida with her BA in Finance. As a lifetime resident of South Tampa, Liz's deep understanding of the local market will be invaluable to SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler and its clients.

    "I am thrilled to be joining Gary Ralston and the rest of the Saunders Ralston Dantzler team,” said Liz. “Combined with my CCIM connections, I cannot wait to represent the brokerage in Tampa Bay!"

    Senior Advisors Rick Gonzalez and Liz Menéndez perfectly resemble the company's commitment to delivering exceptional land and commercial real estate services. As leaders within the CCIM Florida Chapter, their valuable experience and dedication to the industry will further enhance the firm's capabilities in providing tailored solutions to clients throughout Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

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  • 04/25/2023 11:10 AM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    Hillary S. Bressler is an Associate Advisor at SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate in Orlando.

    As an investor in commercial real estate and former CEO, Hillary is well-respected as a credible CRE advisor. She brings 25 years of business experience to her clients and has been investing in commercial real estate since 1999. Before joining SVN SRD, Hillary was a pioneer in the digital marketing industry, launching The Golf Channel’s first website. She later went on to start one of the first and largest nationwide digital advertising agency. As their founder and CEO, Hillary was able to provide a wide range of services to corporate and national clients like Marriott, Dell, and Universal Studios.

    Hillary is a second-generation commercial real estate investor. Growing up in Orlando, her family owned many industrial factories and showrooms throughout Orange County. She acquired her first commercial building for her privately-owned advertising agency which sparked her career as a commercial real estate investor.

    Hillary’s background in digital marketing coupled with a passion for commercial real estate creates what she calls, “the digital real estate advisor”. She goes above and beyond to market her listings and service her clients. Her creative methodology allows her to locate buyers or tenants using advanced digital media strategies.

    She also holds experience in mergers and acquisitions with her own agency being acquired in 2014 while negotiating a 5-year lease of her building. Hillary’s diverse background and extensive knowledge of the Central Florida market provides guidance to property owners and entrepreneurs as they navigate site selection, effective investment solutions, and the ever-changing real estate market.

    Hillary specializes in:
    • Industrial/Warehouse
    • Office
    • Land
    • 1031 Exchange

    Hillary can be reached at hillary.bressler@svn.com.


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  • 04/20/2023 10:40 AM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)
    The way Craig Ustler sees it, if you were to look at a map of Orlando and identify its best untapped locations, the industrial corridor in SoDo would reveal itself as primed for redevelopment.

    Specifically, it could be the next place to see the kind of infill redevelopment the city already has experienced in areas such as Creative Village and the Packing District.

    "You drop the pin on the map, and it's a really good location," Ustler told Orlando Business Journal. "It's right next to a hospital [Orlando Health's Orlando Regional Medical Center], and there's an ability to add thousands and thousands of housing units. There's a SunRail station, an [Interstate 4] exit and a lot of retail that already exists on Orange Avenue."

    Ustler's bullishness on the area isn't just talk, either. As OBJ previously reported, his Ustler Development Inc. is involved in the mixed-use project that would bring 856 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space to a 5.6-acre industrial site at the northeast corner of West Kaley Street and South Division Avenue. The project is being co-developed with Orlando-based CentreCorp Inc. and Orlando-based Atrium Management Co.

    (Ustler will be honored at CFCAR's upcoming 2023 Hallmark Awards Event as the Recipient of the Wilbur Strickland Lifetime Achievement Award.)

    The development team isn't unique in reassessing the potential of the industrial corridor along South Division Avenue, either, said Misty Heath, the executive director for the SoDo Main Street District. Not only that, but the involvement of Ustler — who also is the master developer for the $1.5 billion Creative Village mixed-use project and has been nicknamed "Mr. Downtown" for his success in areas around Orlando's urban core — lends credibility to the speculation about the area's potential.

    "I do perceive that people are looking at the area with a different lens," Heath said. "Some out-of-town developers are looking to more intentionally develop that space. Over the next 10 years or so, we're going to see a greater shift — I wouldn't be surprised, long term, if we see that area have a more walkable, neighborhood feel."

    Heath told OBJ there are industrial property owners within the corridor who actively are considering whether or not now is time to get top dollar for their land, sell to a developer and relocate. Others, she added, are mainstays and are not likely going anywhere.

    As for the West Kaley project, it would rise on land currently home to Nassal Co., a scenic fabricator for themed environments. Ustler, who recently has talked about the challenging environment for lending for projects in the urban core, told OBJ the land contract between his development group and the property owner has been extended through the third quarter of this year and includes additional built-in extensions. He added that even once the transaction closes with Nassal Co., the plan is for the firm to lease back the property for a time. Ustler said the project likely will have a couple of years of predevelopment work before really ramping up in 2026 or 2027.

    That timing is intentional, he added, as the development group is trying to nail down the schedule for what he deemed a "pioneering" project in an emerging district and does not want to be "too early."

    That said, the redevelopment of an industrial corridor is an exciting prospect, he added, noting the successful redevelopment of large out-of-state industrial areas such as the west side of Atlanta and Brooklyn in New York City.

    "There are industrial areas all over the country that are being sort of recycled. We're not scared of that part of it at all."

    Far from it, he noted the potential for architectural design in the would-be district to lean into the area's industrial roots. Additionally, both Ustler and Heath noted the South Division Avenue corridor's relative lack of existing residential inventory helps create another plus for developers — that being a dearth of neighbors to push back against new projects.

    Meanwhile, demand for multifamily housing in Orlando's urban core will continue to make projects like the West Kaley plans more attractive to developers.

    Given the updated timeline Ustler laid out for the West Kaley project, it also may find itself ramping up during a time when Orlando could, once again, be experiencing challenges related to apartment supply and demand.

    Source: OBJ

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  • 04/18/2023 1:19 PM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)
    The Annual CFCAR | CFCREA Hallmark Awards honoring the top commercial real estate producers in Alachua, Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia Counties returns for another exciting year!

    This year's event will take place on June 21st at The Monroe, located on the ground floor of The Julian Apartments at Creative Village in Downtown Orlando. Craig Ustler, CCIM, the developer behind many highrises in downtown Orlando including Creative Village, will be honored at CFCAR's upcoming 2023 Hallmark Awards event as the Recipient of the Wilbur Strickland Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Award entries will be accepted until May 24th and and the process for applying for an award just got A WHOLE LOT EASIER!

    The new application GREATLY SIMPLIFIES the process and can be completed ONLINE!

    It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

    The ONE PAGEonline application asks you to…

    1. Enter YOUR NAME.
    2. Enter the total DOLLAR VOLUME of your transactions for each category you would like to be considered for.
    3. Provide your SIGNATURE to certify that you followed all the rules associated with the HALLMARK Awards.

    THAT’S IT!

    Take a moment to apply TODAY at https://form.jotform.com/230874332819158.

    Event sponsorships are also available at a variety of levels.


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  • 04/13/2023 12:18 PM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    JLL Capital Markets closed the sale and financing of Building 100, a 464,400-square-foot, cross-dock distribution facility at Pace Logistics Center in Auburndale.

    JLL represented the seller, Intersect Development Group, in the sale of the property. JLL also worked on behalf of the new buyer to secure the acquisition financing.

    Completed in 2023, Building 100 is a state-of-the-art facility that offers 40-foot clear heights, a 60-foot speed bay, dock levelers, 450-foot building depth and a 185-190-foot truck court.

    The 30-acre site is located at 1234 Pace Rd. within a strong industrial submarket in the I-4 corridor of Polk County. The property is equidistant between Tampa and Orlando with convenient access to Interstate 4 as well as State Routes 557 and 33. The Polk County industrial market has only a 3% vacancy rate with growing rents and strong historical absorption.

    The JLL Capital Markets Investment Sales and Advisory Team representing the seller was led by Managing Director Luis Castillo, Senior Managing Director Britton Burdette, Director Cody Brais and Analyst Taylor Osborne. The JLL Capital Markets Debt Placement Team representing the new owner was led by Managing Director Paul Spellman, Senior Director Taylor Allison and Analyst Emma Buch.

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  • 04/11/2023 2:52 PM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    As Orange County planners prepare for a population uptick of 700,000 people by 2050, they’re expecting many of these newcomers to take up residence in one of four core areas: along the International Drive corridor, around the campus of UCF, next to downtown Orlando or near the Orlando International Airport.

    “Our analysis identifies this sector, which is about 34,000 acres in size, as being able to absorb about 44% of the population growth,” Alberto Vargas, the county’s lead planner, told GrowthSpotter. “So out of 700,000 people we are talking about 304,000 people that will move into the urban service area.”

    On Tuesday, the Orange County Commission will vote on a major overhaul to its long-term comprehensive plan called Vision 2050. While the 497-page draft document delves into growth expectations for the entire county —including neighborhoods and rural communities — a major emphasis is placed on these targeted, high-population centers.

    Under Vision 2050, county planners are clearing the way for higher-density (from 50 dwelling units per acre to up to 100 dwelling units per acre) and taller buildings in the tourism district, near Orlando’s downtown, along University and Alafaya Drive, and areas near Lake Nona. They’re also hoping to make it easier for developers to bring residential products to old, underutilized commercial properties, such as strip malls, where large parking lots sit mostly empty.

    The prospect of higher density and taller buildings being allowed in the county is encouraging to Craig Ustler, CCIM, the developer behind many highrises in downtown Orlando including Creative Village.

    Ustler will be honored at CFCAR's upcoming 2023 Hallmark Awards Event as the Recipient of the Wilbur Strickland Lifetime Achievement Award.

    “Vargas has done a great job with the Vision 2050 plan and it follows the principles of new urbanism and facilitates density in the appropriate locations,” he told GrowthSpotter. “I am focused on Downtown Orlando and the city but I appreciate what Alberto and the County have done and it will attract more ‘urban type’ development as well as the developers that deliver that kind of product.”

    With the changes presented in Vision 2050, Ustler said he could potentially be interested in future projects in the county.

    “I commend Alberto and the County for this Vision 2050 plan because it is well presented and functions as a ‘market mover’ meaning it creates clear expectations and directs growth to the desired locations,” he said. “The County’s plan certainly makes it more likely that I would be interested in future projects in the County, but in the near term my focus is on Creative Village and Downtown Orlando.”

    The current comprehensive plan the county follows was adopted in 1991 and was last updated in 2009. The county’s Vision 2050 plan has been a work in progress for many years with input from residents and the development sector.

    Leading up to the adoption of its Vision 2050 plan, the county has in recent months taken steps to speed up the approval process for new multifamily development projects. The county has also used public meetings to itch the need for more missing middle products

    In January, county planners identified private land where these missing middle projects could go: two locations along Colonial Drive and another near Orange Blossom Trail where an operating, yet old, shopping center sits.

    These under-utilized shopping centers dot the Orange County landscape, Vargas said. One goal of Vision 2050 is to make it easier for the private sector to redevelop these properties by adding residential units.

    Under the current plan, developers would have to go through several steps in the rezoning and approval process to move forward. It will be simpler under Vision 2050.

    “Now we are focusing very much on the retrofitting of those under-utilized parcels which are a big chunk of that 34,000 acres in the targeted segment,” Vargas said. “We did not get many developers (for projects like this) in the past because developers were not able to do it, there were all of those barriers, now it’s a lot more attractive. The hope is that when developers know this door is open, they will be more willing to bring forward projects like this.”


    Source:  GrowthSpotter


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  • 04/06/2023 11:07 AM | Debbie Colangelo (Administrator)

    At its March 13 meeting, the Leesburg City Commission approved the rezoning and a site plan for the Crossings at 44, a mixed-use development on State Road 44 just west of the Sumter County line.

    The property, located to the west of Whitney Road, spans 34.7 acres and its plan calls for a 280-unit apartment complex, a 150-bed assisted living center, a 120-bed rehabilitation center and a 120-bed skilled nursing facility as well as 40,000 square feet for commercial use. The maximum building height across the community is three stories, and the developer must employ “dark sky” lighting standards.

    Ryan Solstice, representing Hesko Holdings, told the commission that the development would be completed in phases, starting with the apartment complex, then commercial.

    The city’s planning commission recommended approval at a meeting in January. And the city commission approved the plan unanimously after hearing from Solstice, Planning and Zoning Director Dan Miller and the public.


    Source:  GrowthSpotter


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