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03/11/10
Stuart S. Golding Co. buys Shoppes At 54Stuart S. Golding Co. buys Shoppes At 54 BUYER: Shoppes At 54 LLC, Clearwater SELLER: Synovus Bank PROPERTY: 7643 State Road 54, New Port Richey PRICE: $1.2 million PREVIOUS PRICE: $540,000, January 2005 LAW FIRM ON DEED: Ruppel & Burns LLP, Clearwater PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Clearwater developer Stuart S. Golding Co.…
03/11/10
Morgan House owners buy Fort Myers buildingMorgan House owners buy downtown Fort Myers building BUYER: Price Holdings of Southwest Florida LLC (principals: Michael and Patti Price), Fort Myers SELLER: Wachovia Commercial Mortgage Inc. PROPERTY: 33 Patio De Leon, Fort Myers PRICE: $410,000 PREVIOUS PRICE: $1.45 million, May 2006 LAW FIRM ON DEED: Duncan & Associates PA,…
03/11/10
Atco Inc. buys gas stationAtco Inc. buys gas station BUYER: Atco Inc. (principals: Jack Milholland Jr., Alan Elwell, Mark Hesser and Steve Anast), Sarasota SELLER: McCarley Oil Co. Inc. PROPERTY: 5424 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach PRICE: $1.23 million PREVIOUS PRICE: $285,000, December 1995 LAW FIRM ON DEED: Lyons Beaudry & Harrison PA, Sarasota PLANS,…
03/11/10
Group buys Potter Park office buildingsGroup buys Potter Park office buildings BUYER: Palmer Ranch Executive Office Center LLC (principal: Stephen Anderson), Sarasota SELLER: Palmer OB LLC PROPERTY: 8586-8588 Potter Park Drive, Sarasota PRICE: $800,000 PREVIOUS PRICE: $1.25 million, October 2008 LAW FIRM ON DEED: Scheef & Stone LLP, Dallas PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Palmer Ranch Executive Office…
03/11/10
Motel operators buy U.S. 41 motelNorth Port motel operators buy the U.S. 41 motel BUYER: Warm Mineral Springs Motel Inc. (principals: Karl Gerhard, Roger Herber and Karl Vivienne), North Port SELLER: Gisel Dierig PROPERTY: 12597 S. Tamiami Trail, North Port PRICE: $350,000 PREVIOUS PRICE: $280,000, February 1996 LAW FIRM ON DEED: Steven W. Ledbetter, attorney…
03/11/10
Alliance Group of Tampa Bay buys 131st Avenue flex buildingAlliance Group of Tampa Bay buys 131st Avenue flex building BUYER: The Alliance Group of Tampa Bay VIII LLC (principals: Armando Flores and Armando Flores III), Tampa SELLER: Norrie Gateway LLC PROPERTY: 3734 131st Ave. N., Clearwater PRICE: $1.18 million PREVIOUS PRICE: $1.35 million, February 2006 LAW FIRM ON DEED:…
03/11/10
Garrison group starts Alafia projectGarrison group starts Alafia project Garrison Developer Group of Florida has started construction on The Preserve at Alafia, a Riverview development with 351 waterfront apartments. The project will also feature a clubhouse, docks, fitness facilities, business center, Cyber Café, demo kitchen for cooking classes, theater room, pool, spas and volleyball…
03/11/10
McGarvey Development builds villas in Quail WestMcGarvey Development builds villas in Quail West BUYER: QW Villas I LLC (principals: John, Jennifer and Joanne McGarvey and William Price Jr.), Fort Myers SELLER: Quail West Development Co. LLC PROPERTY: lots 1-3, 7-11 and 23-45 Quail West, phase 2 PRICE: $2.15 million BUYER: QW Villas II LLC (principals: John,…
03/11/10
Patient executive makes his move+ Patient executive finally makes his move Steve Marino was stunned in 2004 when a commercial real estate broker told him the bad news: If he wanted to build a new office and showroom for his growing Fort Myers-based company in east Manatee County, he’d have to pay more than…
03/11/10
Lee bonds draw a diverse crowd+ Lee bonds draw a diverse crowd News that $56.1 million in federal tax-exempt financing is available for Lee County businesses has generated considerable interest. Susan Noe, the business assistance manager at the Fort Myers Regional Partnership, says she’s received 75 inquiries since the program was announced in late January.…
03/11/10
Clash with McClash over Amendment 4+ Clash with McClash over Amendment 4 When two Republican county commissioners from adjacent counties faced off over proposed state constitutional Amendment 4 — a.k.a. “Hometown Democracy” — in front of the Lakewood Ranch Democrat Club, the audience knew to expect an unusual exchange. That it came from commissioners known…
03/11/10
There’s money in that pet poop+ There’s money in that pet poop Dan Vickers is the proud franchisee of a larger business that generated $4.5 million in 2009. Representing one of 100 nationwide locations, the company saw dramatic growth last year, despite a slow economy. That company is Pet Butler. Their business: poop scooping. According…
03/11/10
Bank hints at real estate recovery+ Bank hints at real estate recovery Despite posting grim earnings recently, Naples-based bank holding company TIB Financial Corp. reported an improving real estate market in Naples and Fort Myers. “We are beginning to observe the return of sophisticated, fundamentals-driven investors who see the long term value of southern Florida…
03/11/10
Liberal prof blogs for conservatives+ Liberal prof blogs for conservatives Tampa’s the best spot for the 2012 Republican convention, at least according to Florida Atlantic University Professor Ronald Feinman, a self-described liberal and progressive who penned a recent blog on the topic. The city is one of three finalists for the convention along with…
03/11/10
Dual RolesReview Summary Attorney. Robert Lincoln, Sarasota Specialty. Land use law Key. Lincoln represents a client on Longboat Key that aims to stop one of the largest potential construction projects on the Gulf Coast. Robert Lincoln looks more like a teddy bear than a clever terminator. Nonetheless, Lincoln holds the distinction…
03/11/10
Shutts’ open doorsReview Summary Company. Shutts & Bowen, LLP Industry. Law Key. Taking a long-term view has helped Shutts & Bowen stay price competitive during a difficult economic time. The decision to begin doing business at a new location always involves some risk. In 2006, one of the state’s oldest law firms…
03/11/10
Downtown ChampionReview Summary Who. Randy Henderson Jr. What. Mayor of Fort Myers Key. Develop a long-term vision to prepare for the economic recovery. As Lee County grows more hostile to developers and builders, along comes Randy Henderson Jr. The newly elected mayor of Fort Myers is swinging open the doors of…
03/11/10
Backs to BusinessReview Summary What. The disconnect between business and local government lobbies. Issue. Legislative programs of local government groups largely ignore state leaders’ biggest priorities: jobs and the economy. Impact. Local government lobbies’ failure to see the big picture could dampen recovery. Jobs and the economy head the list of legislative…
03/11/10
Flat FeeThe billable hour is the benchmark of the legal profession. But Osterhout, McKinney & Prather, a Fort Myers law firm specializing in elder law, started charging a flat fee three years ago, promising life-planning services for the remaining short life of a chronically ill person. The idea was to diversify…
03/11/10
Seeking good loansWells Fargo is so eager to make loans it’s taking a second look at those it already has turned down. “The biggest challenge is finding good earning assets,” Wells Fargo Chairman, President and Chief Executive John Stumpf told a gathering of the Forum Club of Southwest Florida in Naples on…
03/11/10
Recording GrowthGiven the relentless march of technology, you might think the video production industry would be moribund. Beyond the more than 100 million videos on YouTube, professional-grade video editing software has never been easier to obtain. Furthermore, smart phones are equipped to allow users to upload video at any time, from…
03/11/10
Small package, big successVenture capital money tends to fly over and past Florida, with investors consistently lamenting there are too few startups in the state with the right mix of innovation, potential and moxie. The stats show the problem: For example, Florida, the fourth most populous state in the country, ranked 17th nationwide…
03/11/10
Smaller firms grow, tooWith its 2006 expansion into Tampa, Shutts Bowen grew by building its new office on the foundation of a 100-year history, and the nearly 200 lawyers already on staff across the state. However, several smaller law firms have found a way to grow as well. Here are a few examples…
03/11/10
Lee commissioner Bob Janes diesLee commissioner Bob Janes dies Bob Janes, the District 1 commissioner for Lee County, passed away Wednesday, March 10, at his home. The 78-year old Republican, a former banker and Army Colonel, represented Cape Coral, Sanibel, Captiva and Pine Island. First elected in 2000, Janes was in the middle of…
