Florida Trend articles from November 2005

Florida Trend archives from November 2005

Business and beyond.(business coverage)
November 1, 2005... The title of FLORIDA TREND'S 2006 Editorial Planning Calendar--"The Business, The Buzz, The Executives, The Lifestyle"--gives you a good indication of what our focus will be in the coming year. FLORIDA TREND has been "The Magazine of...

High tech.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Mr. Skene hits some key points in his September article on attracting high-tech businesses to Florida but misses a very key point ["The Growth We Want," September, FloridaTrend.com]. When I first moved to southeast Florida in the early...

Water woes.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Thank you for recognizing the plight of our coastal waters ["Summer 2005: The Big Bloom," October, FloridaTrend.com]. Until the business community recognizes the economic importance of clean water, those of us who are fighting the day-to-day...

Garbage.(readers)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... "Garbage In, Energy Out" correctly states the basis for so-called waste-to-energy (WTE) plants was declared illegal by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. However, it leaves uninformed readers assuming remaining plants are a net benefit because of...

Correction.(readers)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... State Road 528 between Orlando and Cocoa Beach has been renamed Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway after the former owner and publisher of the Orlando Sentinel. The name was misspelled in the September issue.

Holiday wish list.(executive lifestyles: The Art of the Gift)(executive gifts)
November 1, 2005... Don't know what to buy for the executive who has everything? Consider some ideas, from the absurdly unique to the indulgent to the tried-and-true with a twist. $185 Bowing lamp $17,000 "Arches" desk Steckley Contemporary Organics ...

Charitable giving.(executive lifestyles: The Art of the Gift)
November 1, 2005... Florida companies are digging deep to fund hurricane relief efforts. St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial has donated $200,000; Tampa's Walter Industries recently presented the American Red Cross with a check for $50,000 in employee...

Taking stock: exams will pinpoint everything that's wrong--for a price.(Executive Health )
November 1, 2005... Auto mechanics have long recommended taking your car in for a 60,000-mile checkup to avoid untimely surprises. Now, more executives are heeding the same advice when it comes to their bodies. Daylong head-to-toe diagnostic evaluations allow...

A real education.(LEE COUNTY VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU)
November 1, 2005... The Fort Myers tourism promotion group D.T. Minich leads has argued against a new Wal-Mart site and lobbied to stop the local water management district from sending huge releases of Lake Okeechobee water down the Caloosahatchee River where it...

Scoring big.(TAMPA BAY SPORTS COMMISSION)
November 1, 2005... As a 7-year-old sports nut, Tampa native Rob Higgins talked his way into volunteering in the University of South Florida's basketball program, handling every role from ball boy to videotape editor as he continued into high school. He earned a...

In for the long haul.
November 1, 2005... A1A Marathon, Fort Lauderdale: If all goes well at the inaugural Fort Lauderdale marathon scheduled for Nov. 12, look for a smiling Steven Tebon. The Boca Raton entrepreneur is betting $200,000 to $250,000 that Florida, home to at least 12...

Florida Chamber unites business community.(Sponsored Report)
November 1, 2005... As I began my term as Chairman of the Florida Chamber a year ago, we had a solid foundation from which to work from and high goals for what we looked to achieve. Several weeks after taking office, the Florida Chamber celebrated as 100 percent...

Balancing act: Coral Gables walks a fine line in creating a desirable place for businesses and residents.(Preserve America)(Interview)
November 1, 2005... Coral Gables is home to 43,000 people and the Latin American or regional headquarters of more than 175 multinational corporations. The city, celebrating its 80th anniversary, was recently named among the top 10 "Most Livable Cities" by the U.S....

Fourth-most conservative city.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... HIALEAH -- This Cuban-American stronghold of 226,000 is the fourth-most conservative city in the nation, according to a study by a San Francisco voter researcher firm. The city ranks just behind Provo, Utah, and Lubbock and Abilene, Texas. The...

South Florida Workforce.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... MIAMI -- South Florida Workforce, the job training and placement agency for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, has named Rick Beasley executive director. Beasley previously served as director of the Division of Workforce Development within the...

Residents living in poverty.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Despite skyrocketing real estate values and an unprecedented building boom, Miami jumped from fifth to third in the nation for the percentage of residents living in poverty. According to a U.S. Census report, more than 28% of city residents are...

Cirque du Soleil.(Cirque show)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil, together with Clear Channel Entertainment and The Related Group of Florida, is proposing a $150-million plan that would bring a permanent Cirque show to Miami Beach's Jackie Gleason Theater. The...

Abe Hirschfeld.(Obituary)(former Miami Beach City Commissioner)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
November 1, 2005... Real estate tycoon and former Miami Beach City Commissioner Abe Hirschfeld, one of Miami-Dade's most colorful and controversial figures, died at 85. Hirschfeld, who briefly owned the New York Post and once ran for the U.S. Senate, made...

Developer Jorge Perez of The Related Group of Florida and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez were named to Time magazine's list.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... MIAMI-DADE -- Developer Jorge Perez of The Related Group of Florida and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez were named to Time magazine's list of 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America.

A program between Florida International University and Miami Dade College to recruit and train nurses.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... A program between Florida International University and Miami Dade College to recruit and train nurses from the region's minority populations has received a $1.3-million grant from the Florida Department of Education.

Urban development boundary.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... A highly controversial plan to build up to 6,000 single-family homes and a complex of commercial projects in deep south Miami-Dade outside the urban development boundary has suffered a setback after the Army Corps of Engineers suspended a...

Commuter bus service.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... MONROE COUNTY -- After years of planning, commuter bus service has been inaugurated between Key West and Marathon, allowing riders to connect with scheduled service to Florida City in south Miami-Dade. One-way fare: $3.85. Hotel owners and...

Former Mayor Myra Taylor.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... OPA-LOCKA -- Former Mayor Myra Taylor has been sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a fraud investigation at a network of family-owned schools. Gov. Jeb Bush removed Taylor from office after her...

BankAtlantic Center.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... SUNRISE -- The home of the Florida Panthers hockey team has a new sponsor and new name: BankAtlantic Center. Terms of the 10-year contract were not disclosed. Office Depot, the center's previous namesake, was reportedly paying $1.4 million a...

A call for discovery: Gov. Jeb Bush encourages Scripps to keep moving right along.(biotechnology)
November 1, 2005... Gov. Jeb Bush came with scripted laugh lines, feigning ignorance of science, for the luncheon crowd at the Scripps Florida groundbreaking in September. He also had an unplanned one when he said, "This didn't happen overnight." The ensuing...

Florida Atlantic University.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... BOCA RATON -- Donations to Florida Atlantic University have rebounded as a 2003 incident fades involving $42,000 of foundation money used to buy a corvette for outgoing university President Anthony Catanese. Successor President Frank Brogan...

Boca Raton Resort and Club.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... The Boca Raton Resort and Club has pledged $250,000 for the construction of a park next to a new city library.

"Heart of Boynton" redevelopment project.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... BOYNTON BEACH -- The city's Community Redevelopment Agency has competition from a private developer pushing its own vision for the so-called "Heart of Boynton" redevelopment project. Intown Redevelopment Group, which has been wooing local...

Diversity committee.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... BROWARD COUNTY -- School board members are working to recast the responsibilities of a diversity committee after the committee rejected a tolerance video that some members said was promoting tolerance of homosexuality.

American Maritime Officers Union.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... DANIA BEACH -- Four officers of the American Maritime Officers Union are facing federal charges arising from allegations that they rigged a union election, embezzled union funds and misappropriated union housing for their personal use,...

Office Depot.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... DELRAY BEACH -- Office Depot (NYSE-ODP) plans to close 16 stores in North America and 11 stores overseas.

Osceola Farms Co.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... FORT LAUDERDALE -- A lawsuit seeking back wages on behalf of 1,048 former sugar cane cutters has been filed against Osceola Farms Co. The suit is one of five complaints against sugar growers brought on behalf of cane cutters since 1987. Three...

Citrus plague.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... FORT PIERCE -- Agriculture officials have discovered a citrus plague in south Florida even deadlier than canker. "Citrus greening" is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid insect. Scientists are working on plans to combat the plague, including...

Eyeglass World.(Florida Attorney General)(Eyeglass World)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... LAKE WORTH -- An investigation by the Florida Attorney General's office into business practices at Eyeglass World ended with an agreement by the chain to pay $1 million in costs and $1 million in charitable donations. The settlement is a...

Growth study.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... MARTIN COUNTY -- County commissioners voted 3 to 2 in favor of a $528,000 growth study. Orlando-based planning firm Glatting Jackson will conduct the study, which is to address such issues as how to manage growth in the county's agricultural...

Wayne Burns, a former senior account manager with a St. Louis-based telecommunications company, has been hired to head the city's economic development team.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... PLANTATION -- Wayne Burns, a former senior account manager with a St. Louis-based telecommunications company, has been hired to head the city's economic development team. Burns replaces Rachel Bach, who left to take the post of redevelopment...

Aging commercial strip.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... POMPANO BEACH -- Plans to revitalize an aging commercial strip have hit a snag over competing views for the area among residents and business owners. The city commission has repeatedly rejected proposals for the project on grounds they lack...

Consulier Engineering.(Delaware hospital company)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... RIVIERA BEACH -- Shares of Consulier Engineering (Nasdaq-CSLR), a Riviera Beach-based maker of medical technology devices, rose to $8.57 from $3.25 after news of a contract for the sale of a device for keeping track of hospital patients. The...

Witham Field airport's main runway.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... STUART -- City commissioners have approved a resolution asking the county to remove a 460-foot extension of the Witham Field airport's main runway. The extension puts a residential area within a zone that the Federal Aviation Administration...

Registry of domestic partnerships.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... WEST PALM BEACH -- County commissioners are exploring the idea of creating a registry of domestic partnerships to extend economic and social rights to unmarried couples throughout the county. The city of West Palm Beach created such a registry...

Westin hotel.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... A 20-story, 400-room Westin hotel will be built next to the county's recently opened $83-million convention center, developer Ocean Properties Ltd. of Delray Beach has announced.

Selling patients: brokering schemes: 'Tampa Bay's dirty little medical secret.'.(insurance in line)
November 1, 2005... For years, Ira Warder, a law enforcement lieutenant with the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Insurance Fraud, heard stories of so-called "patient brokering" schemes in the Tampa Bay area--a crime in which automobile...

Elias Brother Communities.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... BONITA SPRINGS -- Developer Elias Brother Communities will build its new headquarters between Albertsons and Home Depot on Bonita Beach Road. The complex will include three office buildings with 134,000 square feet of office and retail space.

Investment Exchange Group.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... CAPE CORAL -- The Investment Exchange Group, which provides a range of services for Section 1031 tax-deferred investment exchanges, purchased 16 lots along Del Prado Boulevard from HKW Associates. The Investment Exchange Group is an...

Babcock Ranch.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... CHARLOTEE/LEE COUNTIES -- West Palm Beach developer Syd Kitson has announced plans to purchase the 91,000-acre Babcock Ranch, which straddles Lee and Charlotte counties, for an undisclosed sum. Kitson wants to sell 74,000 acres back to the...

Triangle Development finalized the purchase of 2.4 acres along north Fort Harrison Avenue from the Salvation Army.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... CLEARWATER -- Triangle Development finalized the purchase of 2.4 acres along north Fort Harrison Avenue from the Salvation Army. The parcel is the last piece the company needs to proceed with a 6.5-acre luxury condominium development to be...

Market Street Mortgage.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Joyce Frustaci was named vice president of marketing for Market Street Mortgage, a residential mortgage loan company that closed $2.5 billion in mortgage loans in 2004 and $1.5 billion during the first half of 2005.

Lee Memorial Health Systems.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... FORT MYERS -- Lee Memorial Health Systems purchased the Colonial Center lots at exit 136 off I-75 for $7.8 million. The company plans to build a medical clinic and lease additional office space.

TJD Holdings.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... TJD Holdings purchased six acres between the San Carlos/Beachwalk Boulevard intersection and the San Carlos/Kelly Road intersection from Strategic Properties of Southwest Florida for $2.26 million.

Southwest Florida International Airport.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... The new $438-million terminal at Southwest Florida International Airport is now open. The two-story terminal, one of the first built since Sept. 11, includes a taxiway and related roadways, a parking garage and rental car facilities on the...

Median sales price of a single-family existing home.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... NAPLES -- The median sales price of a single-family existing home in Naples was a record $500,800 in August--a 26% increase over the same period one year earlier. The number of sales was also up from 390 in August 2004 to 472 this year.

Florida Bankers Association.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Jerry J. Williams, chairman, president and CEO of Orion Bancorp, has been elected chairman of the Florida Bankers Association and will serve as the association's primary advocate for the financial services industry. Williams is the first FBA...

Bayfront Health System.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... ST. PETERSBURG -- For the ninth time, Bayfront Health System landed a spot on Working Mother magazine's list of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers."

CanJet.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Discount airline Can Jet is increasing its flights from Canada to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport this winter. The airline launched non-stop flights on a staggered basis beginning in November and will add services through...

Synovus Bank of Tampa Bay.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Synovus Bank of Tampa Bay is moving its headquarters to a new building near the Carillon office park in north St. Petersburg. It also recently signed a lease to open its first Hillsborough County branch, one of several planned in the county....

Hospice of the Florida Suncoast.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, which has locations in Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor and Pinellas Park, will open a 35,000-sq.-ft. facility early next year in Midtown.

Tampa Port Authority.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... TAMPA -- The Tampa Port Authority received a $1.7-million grant from the Department of Homeland Security in September to pay for communications equipment and floating protective barriers to keep boats out of certain areas during high alerts....

Media General.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Media General named John Schueler president of its Florida Communications Group. Schueler, former publisher of the Daily News of Los Angeles and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, replaces Ron Redfem and will oversee the company's operations of the...

Prime target: Winter Garden, a bedroom community of Orlando, sets its sights on business growth.(RETAIL)
November 1, 2005... A $120-million open-air shopping complex slated for construction next year in Winter Garden signals a change in the landscape of the west Orange County city, just as West Oaks Mall forever altered neighboring Ocoee when it opened in 1996. ...

Naval Ordnance Test Unit.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... BREVARD COUNTY -- The Naval Ordnance Test Unit, once on the list of upcoming U.S. military base closures, will remain in operation after a push by the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast.

Volusia Properties has filed site plans to build its fifth and sixth luxury high-rise condominium projects in Volusia County.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- Volusia Properties has filed site plans to build its fifth and sixth luxury high-rise condominium projects in Volusia County. Construction is set to start early next year on the 11-story properties Islamorada and Key...

Municipal complex.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... DELAND -- Construction has started on the $9.5-million municipal complex scheduled to open by the end of 2006 on west New York Avenue. The three-story structure will centralize several city departments.

Harris Corp. (NYSE-HRS) has donated $3 million to the University of Central Florida College of Engineering & Computer Science.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... MELBOURNE -- Harris Corp. (NYSE-HRS) has donated $3 million to the University of Central Florida College of Engineering & Computer Science. The gift will be matched by the state.

Shoppes of Ocoee.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... OCOEE -- Baker Barrios Architects has unveiled plans for the Shoppes of Ocoee, an $8.5-million, 34,000-sq.-ft. upscale retail outlet scheduled to open next March at State Road 50 and Blackwood Avenue that will include shops, restaurants and a...

Tourist tax revenue.(arts center and improvements )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty has agreed to earmark part of the county's tourist tax revenue for three Orlando community projects: A new downtown performing arts center and improvements to the Florida Citrus Bowl and the TD...

Ron Jon Surfpark.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... Ron Jon Surfpark, the world's first wave pool facility for surfing and bodyboarding, is under construction at Festival Bay Mall on International Drive. The $9-million project is expected to open in mid-2006.

In a $25-million renovation, Orlando CityPlace LLC is turning the old Holiday Inn on Colonial Drive adjacent to Interstate 4 and the TD Waterhouse Centre into The Lexington, a four-star condominium hotel that also will contain restaurants and retail space.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... In a $25-million renovation, Orlando CityPlace LLC is turning the old Holiday Inn on Colonial Drive adjacent to Interstate 4 and the TD Waterhouse Centre into The Lexington, a four-star condominium hotel that also will contain restaurants and...

Avalon Associates, a private development company headed by Beat Kahli, has broken ground on the $28-million Avalon Park Middle School in east Orange County under an unusual public-private agreement that speeds up the construction schedule.(Beat Kahli of Avalon Park will pay for middle school)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Avalon Associates, a private development company headed by Beat Kahli, has broken ground on the $28-million Avalon Park Middle School in east Orange County under an unusual public-private agreement that speeds up the construction schedule....

Cornerstone.(JC Penney department store )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Cornerstone, one of three office condominium projects under way in downtown Orlando, has given a building at Orange Avenue and Jefferson Street a new look with balconies and other architectural accents. The former JC Penney department store...

ASIS International, an organization for security professionals that held its 51st annual convention in Orange County this fall, donated $17,000 to Rock Lake Elementary School to beef up its security with fencing and closed-circuit TV cameras.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... ASIS International, an organization for security professionals that held its 51st annual convention in Orange County this fall, donated $17,000 to Rock Lake Elementary School to beef up its security with fencing and closed-circuit TV cameras....

Rhodes + Brito.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... PALM COAST -- Town Center Development has enlisted an Orlando architectural firm to design 130 upscale townhomes off Interstate 95 and Palm Coast Parkway. Rhodes + Brito is also the lead architectural firm on the Florida A&M University College...

Orlando Sanford International Airport.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... SANFORD -- A new vehicle inspection station now open at the Orlando Sanford International Airport will be used as a substation for airport police and a disaster storm shelter. In addition, the Sanford Airport Authority has created a five-member...

County Manager Cindy Coto.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... VOLUSIA COUNTY -- The County Council is conducting a national search to replace County Manager Cindy Coto, who will resign effective Dec. 31.

Sanidoor.(Sanidoor)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Daytona Beach company Sanidoor has installed its touch-free sanitary technology in restrooms at several area restaurants: Mario's and Houligans in Ormond Beach and the Stonewood Grill & Tavern in Port Orange. The devices allow patrons to exit...

Barnie's Coffee & Tea Co.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... WINTER PARK -- Barnie's Coffee & Tea Co. has named Don Karas vice chairman. Karas was founding publisher of Restaurant Business Magazine and the Karas Report. He was also chairman of Klondike Ice Cream Co. Barnie's, celebrating its 25th...

Village of Imagine.(DEVELOPMENT)
November 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Vancouver-based Intrawest Corp. is building a 1,000-unit resort community on Universal Boulevard across from the Orange County Convention Center, where a lack of hotel rooms has been a concern since the center expanded two years ago....

Preventing small business fraud.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Fraud threatens every business in every industry these days--from the CEO and the controller, on down to a subcontractor or supplier. Small businesses are often the most vulnerable, especially when they fail to maintain adequate financial and...

River trouble: growing problems on the St. Johns River set the stage for an environmental showdown.(St. Johns River Water Management)
November 1, 2005... Back in July, 45-year-old Candace Scott decided to join friends for an afternoon Jet Ski across the St. Johns River. Four days later, she was dead --her life ended by flesh-eating bacteria that entered her body through a small cut on her left...

A University of Florida professor has developed a vaccine against a deadly form of skin cancer known as melanoma that provides almost complete protection in mice.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... GAINESVILLE -- A University of Florida professor has developed a vaccine against a deadly form of skin cancer known as melanoma that provides almost complete protection in mice. Howard Johnson, a professor of immunology at UF's Institute of...

Harn Museum of Art.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... The Harn Museum of Art has opened a new 18,000-sq.-ft. wing. The Mary Ann Ham Coffin Pavilion, built with a $3.2-million donation from Ham Coffin and her husband, David, features 6,500 square feet of exhibition space, a cafe and meeting rooms.

Alachua County Land Conservation Board.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... The Alachua County Land Conservation Board recommended the commissioners purchase the two-acre parcel in northwest Gainesville where Wal-Mart once wanted to build a supercenter. The land is near the headwaters of Hogtown Creek.

United Faculty of Florida.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... The state Public Employees Relations Commission ruled that UF's board of trustees must recognize the United Faculty of Florida, which represents more than 1,800 professors and researchers. UF was the only state university that refused to...

When Hamilton Jai Alai and Poker opened earlier this fall, it marked the first time in 27 years that a jai alai fronton had opened in the state.(Hamilton Jai Alai and Poker)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... HAMILTON COUNTY -- When Hamilton Jai Alai and Poker opened earlier this fall, it marked the first time in 27 years that a jai alai fronton had opened in the state. The facility, built on 35 acres near Interstate 75, will add a 3,000-seat horse...

JEA's St. Johns River Power Park and Northside Generating Station emit more mercury into the atmosphere than any power plants in the state, according to a report by the Florida Public Interest Research Group.(IN THE NEWS)
November 1, 2005... JACKSONVILLE -- JEA's St. Johns River Power Park and Northside Generating Station emit more mercury into the atmosphere than any power plants in the state, according to a report by the Florida Public Interest Research Group. The organization,...