Kelly's new role provides platform

For at least three decades, Patrick Kelly has been widely recognized in Tampa Bay commercial real estate circles, most recently as president of Rubin Real Estate in Clearwater.

Now he has taken on a new role with Grubb & Ellis|Commercial Florida as executive vice president and managing director of the firm's Tampa office.

“Being able to step over to a national platform is beneficial in the world we live in today,” Kelly tells Coffee Talk.

He has prior experience with such companies, having been a state and regional partner with Vantage Cos., a national development and realty services firm, for 18 years before selling his interest in 2000.

The addition of Kelly represents a division of responsibilities within Grubb & Ellis' state franchise.

He is basically taking over responsibilities previously handled by Jeff Sweeney, Commercial Florida president, who had been dividing duties between its Tampa, Orlando and Melbourne offices.

The announcement that Kelly was joining Grubb & Ellis this month initially caused confusion, with some locals thinking Kelly succeeded Sweeney. Kelly says he has known Sweeney for years and is glad to be able to join a group of about 20 seasoned professionals at the Tampa office.

Kelly notes in Grubb & Ellis' second-quarter office report for the Tampa Bay region that net absorption through the first half of 2010 was 7,000 square feet, marking the first time it has been in positive territory in at least two years. While that's not much to get excited about, he admits, it is at least the right direction.

“We're all being cautious about how we read numbers,” he says, adding that job recovery will be a turning point for the market.