Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Corecon Technologies Introduces Corecon Mobile for Use With Newly released Corecon V7 Online Construction Software

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA,  Sept. 1, 2010 – Corecon Technologies, Inc., pioneers in web-based construction software, today announces its new product Corecon Mobile. Specifically tailored for use on smartphones and tablets with smaller screens, Corecon Mobile is compatible with Apple iPhone and iPad, Google Android, HP Palm, Microsoft Windows Mobile, and RIM Blackberry.

Corecon Mobile was developed for use with Corecon V7, an online estimating, project management, and job cost suite of construction software that was released in May 2010. A predecessor of Corecon Handheld for Corecon V6, Corecon Mobile was completely re-built from the ground up.

This latest release adds access to more types of construction project records, includes a new navigation system, and takes advantage of the latest mobile application technologies to improve overall performance. Furthermore, real-time updates to project information appear immediately in Corecon V7 without requiring synchronization.

“The launch of Corecon V7 and its platform back in May provided significant advantages to Corecon users. The Corecon Mobile solution extends this platform even further,” says Norman J. Wendl, president of Corecon Technologies, Inc.

“Corecon V7 is accessible anytime, anywhere from a netbook or laptop computer, but it’s not always convenient to carry these devices on a jobsite or to a meeting,” explains Wendl.

“Since nearly every construction superintendent has a smartphone in his safety vest pocket and executives are constantly on the go, Corecon Mobile puts the power to make quick and informed decisions right in their fingertips.”

The AEC industry is just starting to capitalize on the usefulness of smartphone mobile technology for the built environment.

According to the Gartner Group, by the end of 2010, 1.2 billion people worldwide will have smartphones with mobile applications being ranked as one of the Top 10 technologies this year.

“Smartphones and devices like the Apple iPad are reinventing the way AEC professionals do their jobs today and in the future and Corecon Mobile is at the forefront of this trend,” says Wendl.

Corecon Technologies is a leading software developer for the architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and real estate industries.

Utilizing the latest Web technologies, Corecon’s suite of construction software provides constant connectivity anywhere, anytime whether using a laptop, netbook or mobile phone.

The firm is the only company with a web-based suite of construction software on the market that provides business development, estimating, document control, contract administration, job cost control, scheduling and collaboration with integration options to popular accounting systems such as Intuit Quickbooks or SAP Business One®.

Based in Huntington Beach, Calif., the company was founded more than a decade ago by construction industry experts who seek to design software that provides cost-effective, user-friendly tools to ensure successful project delivery.

For more information about Corecon Technologies and Corecon V7, visit the company’s website at http://www.corecon.com/ or call toll free at 1-866-258-6698.

Contacts:

Laura Mickelson, LM Communications, 949-453-0851, lauramickelson@cox.net
Jennifer Heinly, J&J Consulting, 949-716-9829, jennifer@jandjconsulting.net

W Retreat Koh Samui Unveils Details on aWay® Spa, The First W Retreat in Southeast Asia’s Signature Spa

KOH SAMUI, Thailand, Sept. 1, 2010 – W Retreat Koh Samui has unveiled details on aWay® Spa, the signature spa at the first W Retreat (top left photo) in Southeast Asia.

 Slated to open in late 2010, aWay® Spa will whisk away W Retreat Koh Samui guests, in-the-know locals, and island visitors alike to a playground of surprising sensations and signature treatments that detoxify, decompress and refuel in an aura of peace, silent beauty and simple elegance.

The first of its kind in Asia, the Thaimazcal® herbal sauna/steam experience is a unique ritual to purify body and soul, based on inspiration drawn from the traditional Mexican-style Temazcal and now brought to Asia with a twist.

One of the most ancient rituals of Mexican culture, it addresses the need for physical and mental purification, and offers an energetic communion with nature’s elements in order to feel reborn. aWay® Spa’s “Thaimazcal” treatment will incorporate delicious mocktails with Thai herbs, enlivening the treatment with W’s signature twist.

W Retreat Koh Samui will be the third retreat in the expanding W Hotels Worldwide collection.

 For reservations and more information, please visit www.whotels.com/kohsamui.

 Other W retreats in Asia include W Retreat & Spa, Maldives and the soon to be unveiled W Retreat & Spa, Bali, Seminyak (late 2010).

Contact: Hwee Peng Yeo, Director of Asian Markets, Glodow Nead Communications – Asia, Level 21, Centennial Tower, 3 Temasek Avenue, Singapore 039190, Tel : 65 9768.6087
Glodow Nead Communications, 1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 203, San Francisco, CA 94111, T: 1 415.394.6500, C : 1 650.892.4769, F:415.403.9060
hweepeng@glodownead.com, Follow us on Facebook

Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. Announces Dallas Acquisition La Valencia at Starwood

MEMPHIS, TN /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE:MAA) has completed the acquisition of La Valencia at Starwood (top left photo), a newly developed upscale 270-unit apartment community located in the Dallas/Ft. Worth MSA.

La Valencia at Starwood is a gated community completed in 2009 located in the master planned development of Starwood, in the north Dallas sub-market of Frisco.

The upscale community offers high-end amenities including a resort-style pool, state-of-the-art fitness center and direct-access garages. The large apartment homes, averaging 992 square feet, feature nine-foot ceilings, wood flooring and custom pre-wiring for flat panel TVs and surround sound systems.

The community is the first fully certified ENERGY STAR community in North Texas.

Commenting on the announcement, Al Campbell, EVP and CFO said, "We are excited to be adding a community in the highly desirable Frisco sub-market to our Dallas portfolio.

For further details, please refer to our website at http://www.maac.net/
 or contact Investor Relations at investor.relations@maac.net
 or by mail at 6584 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38138.

Contact:  Investor Relations of Mid-America Apartment Communities, +1-901-682-6600, or investor.relations@maac.net
Web Site: http://www.maac.net/

Berger Commercial Realty Corp. Announces Recent Lease For New Home of Audi Lighthouse Point in Florida

 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL– Berger Commercial Realty Corp., a full service commercial real estate firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and serving clients around the state, announced a new lease between Lighthouse Point Auto Investors I, LLC, and Broward Automotive, Inc, doing business as Audi Coral Springs, represented by broker Steve Hyatt, (top right photo) at 4250 North Federal Highway in Lighthouse Point, Fla.

"After renovations, the property will be the new home of Audi Lighthouse Point, a new sales and service facility for the Audi franchise," said Hyatt. "Audi Coral Springs and Audi Lighthouse Point are owned by the Qvale Automotive Group, a large dealership group with operations in Florida and California."

The multi-year agreement is for a 31,781 square-foot property is located on 2.9 acres of land.

"Audi Lighthouse Point will open September 1 and will serve as an additional eastern satellite operation for customers in the Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Boca Raton areas ," said Hyatt.

Hyatt joined Berger Commercial Realty Corp. as Senior Vice President and Director of Business Development after a successful 12-year career as Vice President of Corporate Development at AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN), an $18 billion, Fortune 100 automotive retailer based in Fort Lauderdale.

While at AutoNation, he was responsible for the acquisition and disposition of over 175 automobile dealerships in 17 states.

Contact: Marielle Sologuren, Pierson Grant Public Relations, 6301 Northwest 5th Way, Suite 2600, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309, Phone: (954) 776-1999, ext. 226, Fax: (954) 776-0290, msologuren@piersongrant.com
http://www.piersongrant.com/
http://www.highimpactdigital.com/

Newmark Merrill Mountain States Wins Management of Panattoni Development Company's One Million SF Colorado Retail Portfolio


LONGMONT, CO-- NewMark Merrill Mountain States, a division of NewMark Merrill Companies, has been appointed the new management firm for four of Panattoni Development Company’s Colorado Centers totaling over 1,000,000 SF. The centers include:

Twin Peaks Mall (top left rendering)  is located in Longmont, about 35 miles north of Denver. The 550,000 square foot mall is home to over 40 retailers.
Harvest Junction North & South (middle right photo) are located just east of US Hwy 287 at Ken Pratt Blvd. in Longmont. These two centers, located directly across the street from each other, total 322,816 square feet.  The center is currently 94 % leased.

The final center in the Colorado portfolio assigned to NewMark Merrill Mountain States is Northglenn Marketplace, (lower left photo)  located off the I-25 at104th Ave, Northglen, Colorado. The portion owned by Panattoni is a former 76,157 square foot Mervyn’s.
The management assignment was procured by Allen Ginsborg, NewMark Merrill Mountain State’s Managing Director and Principal. Ginsborg will direct the marketing and management of all the centers with local asset manager Luke McFetridge. Ginsborg will lead the redevelopment efforts for Twin Peaks Mall with current mall manager Sandra O’Clock.

“The Panattoni assignment is part of our growing presence in Colorado. We have a strong synergy with the existing Panattoni retail team and are confident our operational and marketing expertise will add value to the portfolio immediately,” said Ginsborg.

“Repositioning Twin Peaks Mall will require us to apply all of the skills we have learned over decades of successful shopping center redevelopment projects. Mall transformations are a sign of the times and opportunity to lead our industry into the future,” says Ginsborg. “I’m eager to lead this effort.”

Contact: David Ebeling, Ebeling Communications, 949.278.7851, david@ebelingcomm.com

Marcus & Millichap Lists $23M Single-Tenant Office Portfolio in Nashville, TN

 
FRANKLIN, TN – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has retained the exclusive listing for a 133,200-square foot, two-building office property portfolio occupied by UnitedHealth Group Inc (top left photo).

 The listing price of $23 million represents $173 per square foot.

Joseph Massa, (top right photo)  a net-leased property investment specialist in Marcus & Millichap’s Nashville office, is representing the seller, a local real estate partnership.

“UnitedHealth Group Inc. is one of the nation’s leading health care companies,” says Massa. “The leases are absolute triple-net with 3 percent annual increases and the location is within one of the best suburban office markets in the Southeast.”

The buildings are located at 1009 and 1021 Windcross Court in the Cool Springs office submarket with excellent access to Interstate 65. Franklin is approximately 10 miles south of Nashville in Williamson County, the nation’s 16th wealthiest county, per capita.

Built in 1999 and 2004 on 11.4 acres, the buildings are 100 percent occupied by UnitedHealth Group Inc. In 2009, UnitedHealth Group reported $87.1 billion in annual revenue. The company has a Standard & Poor’s A- credit rating and is ranked No. 21 in the Fortune 500.

Marcus & Millichap Names Ron Hebert to Vice President Investments in Dallas Office

DALLAS, TX – The board of directors of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has named Ron Hebert (lower left photo)  to the position of vice president investments.

The achievement of vice president investment status is one of the highest levels of recognition the firm awards its sales agents.

 It represents excellence in client relationships, investment real estate expertise and sales volume, according to John. J. Kerin (lower right photo), president and chief executive officer.

Most recently, Hebert held the position of associate vice president investments.

Hebert began his career with Marcus & Millichap in 2004, specializing in office and industrial property investment sales. He has consistently ranked as one of the top 10 agents in the Dallas office.

Contact: Stacey Corso, Public Relations Manager, (925) 953-1716

CFCAR to host Forum on Jobs and Impact on Commercial Real Estate Sept. 9 at Orlando Fashion Square


ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors (CFCAR) will host a community forum on Sept. 9 at Orlando Fashion Square titled, “Job Growth - How it Will Affect Our Industry.”

John Crossman, president of Crossman & Company, the Orlando commercial real estate firm that serves as exclusive leasing agents at Orlando Fashion Square, said the event is scheduled from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and the cost of admission is $25.

Speakers include Jerry Ross (middle left photo), executive director of the Disney Entrepreneur Center, which is relocating to Orlando Fashion Square; Thomas Chatmon (top right photo) , executive director of the City of Orlando’s Downtown Development Board and Rick Fraser (lower left photo), president of the Workforce Development Board of Flagler/Volusia-Center for Business Excellence.

“Employment and job growth is the single most important issue facing the commercial real estate industry,” Crossman said. “The CFCAR forum will discuss several major efforts under way to stimulate job growth and what we can do to support and enhance those efforts,” he said.

To find out more or to register for the forum, contact CFCAR Executive Shirley Knapp at 407-816-7368 or visit http://www.cfcar.net/.

For more information,  contact:
Molly Delahunty, Crossman & Company, 407-581-6220 mdelahunty@crossmanco.com;
John Crossman, CCIM, President, Crossman & Company, 407-581-6218, jcrossman@crossmanco.com;
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142, lvershelco@aol.com

Disney Entrepreneur Center Gets Green Light on Relocation


ORLANDO, FL– The Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a five-year lease at the Orlando Fashion Square (top left photo) for the relocation of the Disney Entrepreneur Center.

 Representatives of the Disney Entrepreneur Center (DEC), Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) and Orlando Fashion Square had finalized a proposed lease agreement, and with the approval of the Orange County Commission, the center will relocate to Orlando Fashion Square next spring.

Since 2003, The Disney Entrepreneur Center has provided local entrepreneurs easy access to a variety of business coaching, education and resources in a single shared facility overlooking Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.

The DEC proved to be both efficient for the resident organizations who share resources and for local entrepreneurs who can visit several organizations in a single visit.

 Based on the unanimous decision of its Board of Directors in early August, the DEC representatives had been in negotiations to occupy 21,000 square-feet on the north side of Orlando Fashion Square, near Barnie’s® Coffee and Tea.

“On behalf of the Disney Entrepreneur Center, our sponsors, and our service provider organizations, I am pleased to announce we are embarking on the next innovative chapter for our center.” said Jerry Ross (top right photo), Executive Director of the Disney Entrepreneur Center. “This allows us to continue our growth, explore new partnerships, and expand opportunities for our small business community!”

“This seemed to be a natural fit for PREIT and Orlando Fashion Square” added Joseph F. Coradino (middle left photo), President, PREIT Services, LLC and PREIT-Rubin, Inc.

“Their mission complements our own, as being innovative in our approach to business development, , and pro-active in our outreach to our community.”

He said PREIT pursued the relocation of the Disney Entrepreneur Center because of the many positive opportunities it presented for Fashion Square, the community, the DEC, and the small businesses of Central Florida.

“I believe the awareness of Disney Entrepreneur Center will increase because of the additional exposure at Orlando Fashion Square, and the new opportunities that this space presents” Said Ross.

“Since inception in 2003, our service provider organizations have assisted thousands of existing businesses, and helped to start hundreds more, however, there are still many folks who don’t know we’re here, or what we can offer them!”

The Disney Entrepreneur Center plans to have its own entrance on the north side of the mall where there is plenty of free parking in the adjacent garage.

Renovations to the space, using plans designed by the Evans Group of Orlando, are scheduled to be complete in April 2011.

(Downtown Orlando skyline middle right photo)

In total, PREIT Services will facilitate the construction to accommodate the Disney Entrepreneur Center which is estimated at $1.5 million, while each resident organization of the center is expected to see a reduction in rental expenses upon relocation in April of 2011. The initial term for the new lease is five years.

“The DEC was established through a collaborative partnership of sponsors and service provider organizations, so it is no surprise that bringing the DEC to Orlando Fashion Square required the collaboration of many organizations. Relocating the DEC to Orlando Fashion Square is a very creative and innovative idea that can now move toward reality,” Coradino said.

Local leasing agent Whitaker Leonhardt (middle left photo)  of Crossman & Company negotiated the lease, and represents Orlando Fashion Square which is located at the corner of Maguire Road and Colonial Drive, and has been in operation since 1973.

The Disney Entrepreneur Center is a public/private partnership established in 2003 to support and assist small business development in Central Florida.

The center houses a variety of non-profit business support organizations and is funded by Orange County, Walt Disney World Resort, The University of Central Florida, The City of Orlando, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Regions Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Banco Popular, The Orlando Magic, Bank First, Orlando Utilities Commission, and Bright House Business Solutions.

Organizations affiliated with the Disney Entrepreneur Center are: The African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, The UCF Small Business Development Center, The Central Florida Disability Chamber, The National Assn. of Women business Owners, The UCF Business Incubation Program, The British American Chamber of Commerce, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund, SCORE, The Urban League of Central Florida, The Black MBA Assn, and the US Dept. of Commerce.

Orlando Fashion Square is owned and operated by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust. Founded in 1960 and one of the first equity REITs in the U.S., PREIT has a primary investment focus on retail shopping malls and power centers.

Currently, the company’s retail portfolio is approximately 34 million square feet and consists of 56 properties, including 38 shopping malls, 14 strip and power centers, and four properties under development.

The company’s properties are located in 13 states in the eastern half of the United States, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. PREIT is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa.

The company’s Web site can be found at http://www.preit.com/.  PREIT is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol PEI.

Contact:
Jerry Ross, 407-420-4848
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, lvershelco.@aol.com