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Results for:

  • By Mark Gordon |
  • February 18, 2026
Potential New College takeover of USF Sarasota-Manatee campus looms

A local group is fighting back against the move, with a former University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee top official saying this would sacrifice one public school for another's dreams.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • August 24, 2007
Coffee Talk

The Barby just got hotter: It's still king of the hill in number of locations, but it got a little hotter in the kitchen, or near the barby this month for Tampa-based OSI Restaurant Partners, parent company of Outback Steakhouse.Sunshine state employees are smiling: Given the plethora of negative economic news lurking around Florida and beyond, Coffee Talk was mildly, and pleasantly, surprised to see the results of a statewide survey on employment confidence.Hurricane season: high-risk shell game: As Gulf Coast residents watched Hurricane Dean with trepidation, one insurance expert says public opinion is beginning to shift in the industry's favor as the benefits from a state-run insurer are not being delivered as advertised.Commercial real estate broker goes cross-country: Sarasota-based commercial real estate broker Andrew Greenwell knew the market was slowing. But he had no idea his best opportunity would take him 2,500 miles away, to downtown Seattle.Marco bank sees jump in problem loans: Marco Community Bancorp, the Marco Island bank that's being acquired by an investment group led by the prominent Barron Collier and Lutgert families, recently reported a jump in non-accrual loans, according to securities filings.SeaFair takes art to the high seas:SeaFair, the traveling art gallery on a ship, will be making its inaugural sailing from Greenwich, Conn., next month.

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • February 15, 2008
Coffee Talk

Lee County housing is nation's worst: Look at things on the bright side. Wachovia Senior Economist Mark Vitner does, especially when it comes to the housing market in Lee County.Real estate market on two strikes: When national housing economist Jack McCabe brought his brand of blunt analysis to a group of high-end Sarasota and Bradenton Realtors recently, he settled on a baseball analogy for one of his best zingers. StarLite adding to its fleet: One of the Tampa Bay area's oldest tourist and leisure businesses, StarLite Cruises, is adding another vessel to its dinner and sightseeing fleet.Tech group forms in SW Florida: Southwest Florida isn't exactly a bastion for high-tech entrepreneurs. Techies who toil here often do so alone.A Franchise first for First Watch: Lakewood Ranch-based First Watch, one of the Gulf Coast's most popular breakfast-brunch-lunch restaurant chains, is officially opening its franchise doorConstruction executive leaves lasting legacy: John Cox has long been highly thought of in Gulf Coast development and construction circles for his projectsGulf Coast BUILDING

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • September 19, 2005
Landlords' Market

Get ready for sticker shock if you plan to negotiate a new lease for office space in Lee and parts of Collier counties.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • April 21, 2006
Coffee Talk

Naples college gets pumped up with donation: International College, a Naples-based college that focuses on career-oriented studies such as accounting and information technology for working adults, landed a multimillion-dollar gift from Lavern Norris Gaynor, an heiress to the Texaco oil fortune.Development lending up: The folks who pay off depositors at failed banks have issued their latest quarterly overview of the Florida economy, just in time for the Review's special banking issue.A good audit: During this time of year, the word audit is normally not a good thing. But for Sarasota County, a recent audit turned out OK. Bancshares of Florida reveals growth strategy: Naples-based Bancshares of Florida officials are mum about their planned secondary offering of stock, but its recent filing provides some revealing clues about the future of the company headed by CEO and President Michael L. McMullan HMA to bond market: You're OK: The corporate-bond market doesn't look so bad after all.Firm looks for strong premier: Premier Properties, the luxury real estate arm for Naples-based Lutgert Cos., confirmed April 12 what Coffee Talk reported on April 7: The company has hired away a top executive from Michael Saunders & Co. to lead its first expansion north to Sarasota.Company denies getting VC, yet: Coffee Talk thought we'd heard good news about Gemesis Corp., a Sarasota maker of synthetic diamonds, in the aftermath of a boffo presentatio

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • April 28, 2006
Real Estate Briefs

TC Group buys land for Venice galleriaFirst Florida Bank expands into VeniceDeveloper plansPalmetto industrial parkFlorida Gulf Coast University buys land for expansionMiami home builderbuys in Fort MyersElias Brothers buys land for RaffiaFinergy buys in Channelside, plans condo/hotelRetail center owner buys Universal PlazaMarker 1 Marina sold to Dunedin buyersColliers Arnold report: robust growth continues

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • November 26, 2005
From Great to Good

2005 was called the Super Bowl of commercial real estate years. For 2006, brokers and developers are forecasting a more moderate pace but still robust by historical standards.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • June 17, 2005
Real Estate Briefs (Sara/Mana)

Sarasota investors buy Bay West Business CenterInvestors buy retail space in Albertson's shopping centerWaterford Cos. exchanges land with Cemex, RMC South FloridaU.S. Tank & Cryogenic moves to Bradenton buildingSarasota County buys additional conservation land

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • July 10, 2008
Coffee Talk

+ Wine entrepreneur seeksconnoisseurs with cashGrant Cats built a multimillion dollar, 30-plus franchise wine business in Canada over 10 years - no easy feat in a country with alcohol taxes so high that customers sometimes pay as much as $5 in taxes on a $12 bottle of wine.+ Southwest Floridaregionalism gets a new lookThere's nothing like an economic downturn to revive the talk of regional cooperation.+ Red hot Sirionon a roll of good newsSirion Therapeutics, Inc., a five-year-old Tampa biopharmaceutical company, is on a serious roll.+ Sarasota real estate firmtakes auction process nationalWith the residential real estate market puttering along, auctions have become a Realtor's salvation on the Gulf Coast. Several of the recent top-dollar sales in the Greater Sarasota market, for instance, have been conducted through auctions.+ Real estate vetsbranch out to investThe heads of CLW Real Estate Services Group in Tampa have formed another company, LVR Real Estate Partners, to focus on real estate investment opportunities.+ The millionaire next door:Neighborhoods are crowdedThe Gulf Coast economy might be slogging its way through, but the number of millionaires, at least in the Tampa area, is growing. + Sher takes on rolewith LightningCraig Sher, executive chairman of the Sembler Co., the St. Petersburg-based retail development and management firm that did BayWalk and many other projects, is now part

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • December 19, 2008
Expanding bond fraud

A federal grand jury probes the $1.5 million New Mexicofinancing fee of CDR Financial Products Inc., which also donated $100,000 to Gov. Bill Richardson's political action committees.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • September 10, 2004
From Farmer to Developer

Manatee Fruit Co., one of the area's larger landowners, changes with the times.

  • Entrepreneurs
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Business Observer Staff |
  • August 15, 2008
Coffee Talk

+ Kleiner Perkinsinvests in companyKleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, one of the best-known venture capital firms in the world, recently disclosed it is an investor in Lehigh Technologies, a Naples-based company that was the winner of the Gulf Coast Business Review's technology innovation award for the Lee-Collier area in 2006.+ Newsflash: Checkthe copyright booksThe irony of this story is especially sweet: Seems that a group of supposedly well-intentioned attorneys across Florida goofed on a basic legal principle when forming a group to provide free legal services to homeowners facing foreclosure.+ Walter Industriesstock rises and fallsWalter Industries saw its stock jump to more than $104 a share this month on the New York Stock Exchange on the heels of a good quarterly report.+ Commercial propertyowners find tax helpNot every real estate-related business is in the doldrums.+ Developer doesn't give up,despite a massive loan issueA $40 million loan default isn't exactly what Brent Virkus had in mind when he made his initial foray into the Gulf Coast development pool two years ago.+ PODS marksmillionth milestoneClearwater-based PODS Enterprises Inc., the portable storage company, delivered its one millionth PODS container recently to Paul Johnson, a customer doing a home remodeling job in Fullerton, Calif. + Manatee business climatecontinues to sufferIn many cases, the issues facing senior exec

  • News
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • February 26, 2021
Senior living communities look for their moment

With communities that look more like lush gardens on the outside and are run like a cruise ship on the inside, a few senior living developers set a high bar.

  • Commercial Real Estate
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Amanda Postma, Louis Llovio and Mark Gordon |
  • May 6, 2021
Help wanted crisis has restaurants scrambling

The timing is like burnt toast: just as the economy opens up, restaurants are facing a critical shortage of employees. But solutions are percolating.

  • Travel-Tourism
  • By Elizabeth King |
  • January 30, 2026
Sarasota jeweler goes viral with videos — including baby squirrel

Jeweler Todd Alan's patient path to success in a competitive market is led by a core principle: building trust with clients.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Brian Hartz |
  • December 2, 2022
St. Petersburg receives four bids to redevelop Tropicana Field site

The Tampa Bay Rays have signaled renewed interest in the property by submitting their own proposal, in partnership with Hines, a Houston, Texas-based developer.

  • Construction-Development
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Mark Gordon |
  • December 9, 2022
Restaurant company, behind 5-star fun motto, nearly doubles locations in less than a year

Fun-loving restaurant owner John Horne takes a "why not now" approach to growth.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • September 2, 2005
Real Estate Briefs (Sara/Mana)

Developers Buy Land for Foundation ParkSafety Harbor developer buys Kirk Pinkerton buildingCambridge, Schostak Brothers buys The LandingsGold Coast Eagle relocatingto Lakewood RanchPrestige Builders Group buys Summer CoveFifth Third Bank buys in Sumter Crossing

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Dan Ping |
  • April 15, 2011
Outside the Box

BungoBox has developed an earth-friendly alternative to using cardboard boxes for moving. But instead of promoting its 'green' credentials, the company plans to build a nationwide business by emphasizing cost and convenience.

  • Strategies
  • For Subscribers Only
  • By Jean Gruss |
  • November 30, 2012
The Forecloser

Naples attorney Todd Allen created an avalanche of positive press when he foreclosed on a Bank of America branch. It's a case study in media relations that could be lucrative.

  • Entrepreneurs
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