Exclusive: Tampa real estate firm hits record sales volume

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Tampa real estate firm Smith & Associates has hit an all-time record sales volume in 2015.

The company said Thursday that it reached $1 billion in sales volume for the first time ever. Its sales volume in 2014 was more than $910 million, according to Tampa Bay Business Journal data.

In the TBBJ’s 2014 ranking of residential real estate firms, the top five had more than $1 billion in sales volume. Smith & Associates ranked No. 6 on that list. The company has residential and commercial divisions… …read more

Publix could pave the way for specialty grocer like Trader Joe’s in downtown Tampa

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Publix Super Markets Inc.’s decision to put a store in downtown Tampa’s Channel district could have ripple effects on residential and retail development in the urban core for years to come.

Lakeland-based Publix confirmed Tuesday that it will build a store at the intersection of East Twiggs Street and Meridian Avenue, just west of a 21-story apartment tower with 323 units. It’s a project that has been in the works for years, with Publix long-rumored as the grocer.

Tampa-based Mercury Advisors is… …read more

Developer reveals more details on Publix, 21-story apartment tower for Channel district (New rendering)

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Tuesday morning’s news was a long time coming for Ken Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg, principal of Tampa-based Mercury Advisors, has been working on a grocery store and apartment tower in downtown Tampa’s Channel district for years. On Tuesday, Lakeland-based Publix Supermarkets Inc. confirmed the grocery store and Mercury Advisors filed permits for the tower and retail store.

The 37,600-square-foot Publix will be built at the corner of East Twiggs Street and Meridian Avenue (see map below); the 21-story,… …read more

Bust a move: Local city gets top billing for ‘dance parties’

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Need to hire a DJ to spin some tracks for a holiday event? You’re in luck.

Tampa was named one of the best cities to “throw a dance party in 2015” by consumer services website Thumbtack.

More specifically, it was No. 7 on the list of best major metropolitan cities analyzed in the report to hire a DJ in, based on availability, cost and and local DJ ratings on the site. The average cost to hire a DJ in the United States is $528 and $455.58 in Tampa, according to Thumbtack.

Here are the top 10 cities… …read more

PGT’s $102 million deal opens new window of opportunity

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PGT Inc. has agreed to buy WinDoor Inc. for $102 million, introducing a third brand to PGT’s portfolio and enhancing the company’s leadership position in the impact-resistant window and door industry.

PGT (NASDAQ: PGTI), based in North Venice, will pay cash for WinDoor, and has a commitment letter from Deutsche Bank AG, Deutsche Bank Securities, SunTrust Bank and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey to finance the deal, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The $310 million… …read more

The Gray Storm: A new column explores an aging workforce

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There’s a gathering gray storm out there. The latest numbers say that the workforce and its leaders are aging, and fast.

Today there are almost four million more workers age 60 to 64 than there were in 2005. And there are fewer Americans age 20 to 55 working today than in 2005. As of the third quarter of 2015, a third of America’s workers are over age 50, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and employees over age 65 outnumber teenage workers.

So, what does all of this mean exactly?… …read more

St. Pete sustains strong condo market

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The strength of the condominium market in downtown St. Petersburg is surprising to even the developers who are making multimillion-dollar bets on it.

Driven by the city’s vibrant urban waterfront, downtown St. Pete has evolved into a true live-work-play neighborhood — one that can sustain demand for $1 million condominiums.

The resurgence of the condo market in St. Pete’s urban core is a ringing endorsement of revitalization efforts. It represents a market that evolved to a point that individuals… …read more

Unequal cities: Where rich and poor live within blocks of each other

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Consider the 94108 ZIP code, embedded in San Francisco. The area stretches from Chinatown to Union Square — or, for those unfamiliar with the area, from a part of the city that historically has been an enclave for thousands of immigrant Chinese, many of whom live in crushing poverty, to the part best known for its luxury shopping and high-end hotels.

A quick search shows that in recent years, at least one apartment in that ZIP code was listed for $9,500 per month. In and around Union Square, there… …read more

8 female founders on making the leap from corporate climber to entrepreneur

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Today is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, a worldwide celebration of women who are leading businesses and breaking barriers in the workplace.

The main celebration is at the United Nations, but other commemorations are being held in 114 countries. Throughout the day, women will share their stories of success, failure and comeback in a live-streamed broadcast.

While only in its second year, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day was founded by Wendy Diamond, a publisher and animal advocate, who was inspired to… …read more

Why retirement is dead (and what you can do about it)

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I submit that retirement as we know it is dead.

It’s my goal to challenge how people see traditional retirement so that more of us can start building and living the life of our dreams now, instead of waiting for some future day that may never come.

Steve is a highly successful sales executive for a media company. He, his wife and two children live in a multi-million dollar home not far from Denver. From the outside looking in, life is good for Steve and his family. He’s in his late 50s, he’s… …read more