Wheel and Deal

Head south on Tamiami Trail from downtown Sarasota, and you'll pass by all kinds of commercial properties. What you might not realize is many of them have been bought, renovated and often sold by local commercial real estate investor Rodney Dessberg.

Men's Wearhouse at 1507 S. Tamiami Trail. Sarasota Physicians Surgical Center at 3201 S. Tamiami Trail. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at 2001 Siesta Drive. Gym Source at 4300 S. Tamiami Trail. All occupy buildings that Dessberg has given new life.

“I've specialized in main frontage road properties,” says Dessberg. “And distressed ones made sense.”