Tag Archive for: jon blunk

Tower Commercial Expands South Florida Team, Names Veteran Broker Senior Managing Director

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Stephen Smith, formerly vice president of the Hogan Group, has joined Tower Commercial Real Estate as Senior Managing Director serving the fast-growing commercial real estate brokerage’s clients in the Miami-Dade and Broward County markets.

Jon Blunk, Tower-CRE president, said, “With the projected growth of these markets, it’s timely to expand Tower-CRE’s team. Steve adds tremendous value for our clients, bringing insight into this region’s dynamics and deep real estate and investment expertise honed in working with leading institutional investors and trophy assets.”

Smith draws on 28 years of experience in leasing and marketing new development in Waterford at Blue Lagoon, a 250-acre office park adjacent to Miami International Airport.  During his tenure, the Hogan Group developed, leased and managed over 2.7 million square feet of multi-tenant and build-to-suit office buildings for Waterford’s joint venture owners, an affiliate of TIAA and Allianz Real Estate of America. Last year alone, Hogan’s team leased nearly 448 million square feet, and Smith was responsible for one of South Florida’s largest office transactions in recent years, a 150,000-square-foot build to suit lease for a major multinational corporation.

Earlier, Smith served as a Vice President at Carey, Kramer, Silvester Associates, loan correspondents for major insurance companies, and was a senior investment analyst for TIAA-CREF in New York, responsible for commercial mortgage investments in the Southeastern U.S.

A resident of Weston, Smith is a graduate of Hobart College and attended the Stern School of Business at New York University. He is a board member of NAIOP’s South Florida Chapter and is active in the Beacon Council and Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. A community leader, Smith is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Southern Florida Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is past Chair and currently serves on the Volunteer Leadership Council of the Miami-Dade Unit of the American Cancer Society.

“I’m excited to join the Tower Team and to help grow their Landlord Agency business. What Tower has achieved in three years since opening is remarkable. I look forward to leveraging my experience for Tower and its clients,” Smith said.

Blunk noted that Smith is the latest high-profile executive to join Tower-CRE as the boutique firm strengthens its presence throughout the Tri-county area. Most recently, Tower-CRE added a tenant representation group, expanded its Fort Lauderdale office, and added a research analyst.

New Building To Bring 300,000 SF Of Class A Office Space To Downtown West Palm Beach

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Related Companies has proposed a state-of-the-art Class A office building at the corner of Rosemary Avenue and Evernia Street in downtown West Palm Beach.

Created as an innovative and sustainably advanced corporate space, 360 Rosemary will complement CityPlace Office Tower, bookending the district with two distinct, premier office buildings and improving the region’s ability to attract new businesses and create jobs.

It will stand as the newest Class A office space constructed since the CityPlace Office Tower was built in 2008.

“The office building at 360 Rosemary is part of Related Companies’ vision for the future of the downtown district  – to transform the area from an entertainment destination into a thoughtful urban district, where residents and visitors are completely integrated into the fabric of the city,” said Gopal Rajegowda, Senior VP, Related Companies. “The state-of-the art office building will allow the downtown area to continue to thrive, bring more businesses, jobs and full-time residents to the epicenter of downtown West Palm Beach.”

If approved, construction of 360 Rosemary would begin later this year.  Its development will create more than 700 construction jobs, and, once complete, the building will employ at least 1,000 people.

Jon Blunk, President of Tower Commercial Real Estate, exclusive office leasing representative for 360 Rosemary, has worked with Related Companies on several successful projects – most notably – the lease out of City Place Office Tower.

“I’m thrilled to be working side-by-side with the Related Companies team again.  West Palm Beach is primed for a new high-end office tower of this design and caliber,” said Blunk.  “With its unmatched accessibility to the surrounding amenities and proximity to the Brightline Station, 360 Rosemary will be the location of choice for tenants in this market.”

Located just steps away from the new Brightline high-speed rail station, the 285,000 square foot LEED Silver-designed building will bring modern architecture and best-in-class office amenities to the West Palm Beach business community. With spaces designed to appeal to a variety of industries, including creative startups, technology firms and the financial service industry, 360 Rosemary will offer a technologically and stylistically forward-thinking approach to support companies operating in today’s modern business environment. Employees and visitors at 360 Rosemary will benefit from an on-site conference center facility, fitness center, 10-foot-plus ceilings on every floor, outdoor amenities, an industrial-style lobby and ample parking for cars and bikes.

Related Companies’ same expertise and knowledge that most recently leased more than eight million square feet of Class A commercial office space in Hudson Yards development – bringing more than a dozen of the world’s leading brands in fashion, beauty, technology, finance and law to Manhattan’s newest neighborhood – will be focused on bringing that same enhanced value to downtown West Palm Beach.

Tower Commercial RE Expands Tenant Representation With New Division Associate

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Rob Foster has joined Miami-based Tower Commercial Real Estate as an associate with the firm’s expanding Tenant Representation division, bringing experience in contract negotiation, site selection, disposition and business development.

Tower’s Tenant Representation division is headed by industry veteran Scott Allen, Senior Managing Director.

“We are thrilled to have Rob join the Tower team, bringing his diverse expertise to South Florida as we are seeing increasing demand for experienced on-the-ground tenant representation professionals,” Allen said.

Before joining Tower, Foster was recognized as one of northern New Jersey’s rising Commercial Real Estate brokers. A sales associate with American Properties Realty Inc., he was active with his senior team in some of northern New Jersey’s most recent notable transactions. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, magna cum laude, with a degree in political science and business administration, Foster is an active member of the South Florida Office Brokers Association (SFOBA) and NAIOP.

According to Jon Blunk, Tower president and founder, “Companies appreciate that Tower delivers deep, local market knowledge and the sophisticated, strategic analysis to help them make the best decision.”

He added that Tower is active in the region’s key markets, from Miami’s CBD, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton to West Palm Beach.

 

Tower Commercial RE Names Scott Allen To Head Tenant Representation Division

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Tower Commercial Real Estate named Scott Allen as Managing Director to lead the growing firm’s tenant representation division.  Allen has focused exclusively on tenant representation  throughout his 23-year career, serving clients nationally and in South Florida.

The new executive is experienced in all aspects of transactions, from leasing, sales and build-to-suits to acquisition and disposition of assets. Allen has represented clients including mid-to-large cap corporations, law firms, financial service firms, healthcare, municipalities, banks and technology companies.

Before joining Tower, Allen was associated with CBRE since 1996, and represented clients including Spherion Staffing, VITAS Healthcare, City of Fort Lauderdale, Citibank and AutoNation.

“As Tower continues to expand its team and service lines, we are thrilled to have someone of Scott’s caliber and experience to lead and grow our Florida tenant representation platform,” said Jon Blunk, president and founder of Tower Commercial Real Estate.

Headquartered in Miami, with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, Tower Commercial Real Estate is a full service commercial real estate brokerage firm active throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.  The firm has a current leasing portfolio of more than 3 million square feet, including many of the region’s most prominent Class A office and mixed-use properties.

 

C&W Tapped To Lease Boca’s Wells Fargo Plaza

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Cushman & Wakefield announced that it has been named exclusive leasing agent for Wells Fargo Plaza in Boca Raton.

Located at the corner of Camino Real Boulevard and Federal Highway at 925 South Federal Highway, Wells Fargo Plaza is a 105,000-square-foot, class-A office building.

Cushman & Wakefield Associate Director John Criddle and Senior Director Jon Blunk will represent the building’s owner, Real Estate Capital Partners, in marketing the available 105,000 square feet in the building.

Designed by iconic architect Philip Johnson, Wells Fargo Plaza offers sweeping ocean views from its eastern offices, dynamic golf course views and floor-to-ceiling glass along the dramatic curve of the building. The building is flanked by The Boca Resort & Club and Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, two golf courses and dozens of dining options.

Real Estate Capital Partners has initiated modern interior design enhancements in the common areas and elevators, and has added new “move-in ready” suite renovations.

“Wells Faro Plaza’s high-end office space is centrally located and surrounded by amenities,” said Mr. Criddle. “Real Estate Capital Partners is a dedicated owner, and committed to the property and its tenants. We expect a great deal of interest in the available space, which ranges from 1,100 sf to 13,902 sf.”

Prominent building tenants include Wells Fargo, T. Rowe Price and Raymond James.

 

DCOTA Brings 35,000 SF In New Tenants Aboard

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In a series of separate transactions that continues the upsurge of office leasing activity at owner/developer Charles S. Cohen’s Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA), nearly 35,000 square feet of office space has been leased at the distinctive 30-acre, three-building Class A corporate center, bringing the total square footage of office deals to-date to over 100,000 square feet.

In the largest transaction, Magic Leap, a cutting edge digital animation and cinematic reality experience creator, has leased 11,500 square feet on the 4th floor at 1855 Griffin Road for its corporate offices.  The company, which is relocating from Hollywood, was represented by Bennett David of Sara David Realty, Inc.  John Criddle and Jon Blunk of Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, as well as Marc Horowtiz and Jennifer Doering of Cohen Brothers Realty, represented the landlord in the 8-year leasing transaction.

In another recent transaction, Orthosenor, Inc., a developer of orthopedic devices and real-time medical software, has leased 10,000 square feet on the 3rd floor for its new southeast headquarters.  The company is relocating from Sawgrass Corporate Park in Sunrise. John Criddle and Jon Blunk of Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, as well as Marc Horowitz and Jennifer Doering of Cohen Brothers Realty, represented both the tenant and the landlord in the 6-year leasing transaction.

Also relocating to DCOTA is ALS Management Solutions, LLC, a mortgage and loan servicing business which has taken 7,997 square feet of office space on the 3rd floor for its new Broward County headquarters. The company, which is currently located in Cypress Creek, was represented by Alex Brown of Cresa Partners in the nine-year transaction.

And finally, Empire Estate Holdings LLC, a newly formed internet marketing firm, has leased 5,300 square feet. Travis Herring of CBRE represented the tenant while John Criddle and Jon Blunk of Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, together with Marc Horowitz and Jennifer Doering of Cohen Brothers Realty, represented the landlord in the 7-year leasing transaction.

According to John Criddle and Jon Blunk of Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, exclusive office leasing agent for DCOTA, the 775,000-square-foot property, outstanding amenities, central location and close proximity to major highways were key factors in attracting all four tenants.

“While the property is extremely popular in the art/design community, we are seeing a strong uptick in leasing activity from non-design tenants as well,” Criddle said, noting that the new deals come on the heels of two other notable recent office transactions at the complex, including a 15,069-square-foot lease for Avis Budget Group and a 9,406-square-foot lease for Hull & Company.

Charles S. Cohen heads a multi-faceted real estate development company that owns and manages over eleven million square feet of prime Class A Manhattan, West Side Los Angeles and Houston commercial space. Among his signature New York commercial properties are 623 Fifth Avenue, 135 East 57th Street, 805 Third Avenue, 750 Lexington Avenue, 622 Third Avenue, 979 Third Avenue, 3 East 54th Street, 475 Park Avenue South, the D&D Building at 979 Third Avenue and 333 Westchester Avenue in White Plains, NY.