Business Briefs 02.12.15

+ Floor Coverings opens in Winter Garden

Floor Coverings International recently opened its Winter Garden location at 1170 Elboc Way.

Franchise owner Kent Keoppel brings 25 years of experience in corporate America to the business.

“I wanted to get reinvigorated after spending so many years in a depressed economy where big businesses were laying people off in order to satisfy the shareholders,” Keoppel said of his decision to leave his former career. “I had no shortage of choices for franchising, but Floor Coverings International stood out among them all for the franchise’s tremendous reputation of support for its franchisees. I was confident that I wouldn’t be going it alone as I started my business, which was crucial.”

The new location serves both Orange and Lake counties and offers customers the convenience of a mobile storeroom.

“I’ve been fascinated with the home improvement and design industries for as long as I can remember, and I’d previously done several redesign projects in my own home,” Keoppel said. “I love being able to look at a job at the end of the day and see the results of your labor.”  

Floor Coverings International has more than 100 locations throughout the United States and Canada and expects to add 50 additional units by the end of 2015. 

For more information, visit floorcoveringsinternational.com.

+ Lennar hosts Summerlake opening

Lennar Homes welcomed prospective homebuyers to its new Summerlake model with a grand-opening event Feb. 7.

Guests enjoyed food, a giant slide for kids, a deejay and more. 

The new model, The Peabody, is located at 8001 Pond Apple Drive, Winter Garden, “Lennar Homes is excited to offer traditional home designs with large lanais that contribute to the resort lifestyle that Summerlake is known for,” said Ericka Pace, Lennar VP of sales. “We know homebuyers will enjoy choosing from a wide variety of plans on beautiful home sites with our exclusive Everything’s Included promise, which includes all the luxury features that help make their new house a dream home.”

 Lennar Homes has nearly 300 Summerlake home sites available with three different options for homebuyers:

• Manor homes on 40-foot home sites with six floor plans from which to choose. Homes range in size from 1,900 to 2,600 square feet and start at $276,990.

• Estate homes on 50-foot home sites with seven floor plans from which to choose. Estate homes range in size from 1,700 to 3,000 square feet and start at $287,490.

• Executive homes on 65-foot home sites with five floor plans from which to choose. Executive homes range in size from 2,200 to 3,900 square feet and start at $325,990. 

Summerlake features on-site amenities, including a resort-style swimming pool, a clubhouse and recreation center, athletic fields and courts.

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is headquartered in Miami. It has built more than 800,000 homes in more than 50 cities nationwide. For more, visit LennarOrlando.com.

+ Blackton earns $2.3M contract from KB Home

Blackton Inc., a major provider of roofing and flooring materials for the homebuilding industry, recently earned a contract from KB Home that eventually will be worth an estimated $2.325 million.

Micky Blackton, chief executive officer of Blackton Inc., said the family-owned firm will provide roofing and flooring materials to KB Home for the construction of 75 new homes in the first phase at Orchard Park, located in Winter Garden.

“Our contract covers the first phase of 75 new homes at Orchard Park,” Blackton said.

Blackton said altogether, KB Home plans to build 155 new homes at Orchard Park.

+ Sales close on $2.13M in property

The NAI Realvest retail team — Matt Cichocki, Kevin O’Connor and Mitch Heidrich — recently negotiated the sales of two retail properties in Winter Garden and Clermont totaling $2.13 million.

Both transactions involved excess property owned by seller, Branch Banking & Trust Company of Winston-Salem, N.C., represented by the NAI Realvest team.

Dr. Jason J. Sotto, D.M.D. Pediatric Dentistry was the buyer of the 3,659-square-foot former bank building located at 3650 Winter Garden-Vineland Road. The dentist paid $1.3 million for the property and intends to renovate the facility to move his existing practice there.

Michael and Mary Ann Ladisa were the local buyers of a 1.29-acre vacant parcel located at the corner of U.S. 27 and Johns Lake Road in Clermont. They intend to develop the site as a Culver’s restaurant. The purchase price was $830,000, and the buyers were represented by Bobby Palta, of CBRE. 

+ Ashton Woods opens Latham Park

Ashton Woods Homes recently opened Latham Park, a new single-family home community located on Siedel Road off Lake Hancock Road in Winter Garden.

John Reny, president of Ashton Woods Homes in the Orlando region, said the homebuilder plans to build 195 homes in Phase I of Latham Park. 

Eight lakefront lots are available, 54 lots are bordering conservation areas and several are next to some of the scenic parks throughout the community.

Reny said Ashton Woods currently is offering four distinct product lines at Latham Park. New three-, four- and five-bedroom homes by Ashton Woods at Latham Park range from about 1,967 square feet of living area to more than 4,000 square feet and are priced starting from $272,990.

The community boasts a scenic entry bordered by two large ponds and stately oaks along with an amenity center that features a swimming pool and cabana.

For more information, visit ashtonwoods.com.

+ Meritage Homes opens The Enclave in Windermere

Meritage Homes recently opened its newest community — The Enclave at Windermere Landing — with luxury homes priced from $383,990.

Brian Kittle, vice president of operations at Meritage Homes in Orlando, said the homebuilder eventually plans a total of 100 new homes at The Enclave at Windermere Landing, located off Chase Road in Windermere.

New homes range in size from 2,180 square feet of living space to 5,031 square feet with four, five and six bedrooms, Kittle said.

Ten distinctive one- and two-story floor plans are available with barrel-tile roofing, stone fronts and front and side-loading two- and three-car garages, Kittle said.   

Four new move-in ready homes were recently completed.

Move-in ready homes at The Enclave at Windermere range from the ranch-style McCray model with four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths priced from $384,990 to the six-bedroom Coronado a two-story, 4,994-square-foot home with four full bathrooms and a three-car tandem garage base priced at $554,990.