- May 9, 2025
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Discount grocer Aldi has bought a vacant 2.86-acre parcel of land in Cape Coral. The property, which the company paid $1.1 million for, is at 3510 Del Prado Blvd. The previous owner was an LLC named Casto Cape Coral. State corporation records shows it shares an address with the Sarasota real estate firm Casto and Brett Hutchens, the partner at the firm in charge of its retail development in southeast, is listed as the LLC’s manager. Aldi did not respond to questions about its plans for the property which is along a commercial strip in northeast Cape Coral. The grocer, known for its no frills shopping experience, said earlier this year that it plans to open 250 new stores across the country this year. A list of locations slated to open soon, though, does not have this address on it — for now. Aldi currently operates 243 stores in the state, about 60 of those are along the Gulf Coast. John Mounce and Jessica McEvoy of LQ Commercial represented Aldi in the land buy.
DeAngelis Diamond, a Naples construction company is getting ready to begin work this summer on two affordable housing developments — one in Naples and another in Fort Myers. The two developments, which combined will bring more than 300 affordable housing units to the area, are being developed by McDowell Housing out of Miami. DeAngelis Diamond estimates the combined construction value of the project is $75 million. The properties:
The word oikos in Greek is transliterated as “ekos” and means home. Both projects are being developed using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, the firm says. Ekos on Evans is also getting support through Lee County’s Community Development Block Grant/Disaster Recovery funding for areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.
A Bank of America branch building in Pinellas County’s Largo is up for sale. The 17,404-square-foot property is at 2600 E. Bay Dr. about a block of east of the Starkey/Keene Road intersection, one of the most heavily traveled and commercially populated corridors in the county. It is listed for $1.85 million. The two-story building, which was built in 1975, sits on 2.76-acres. Bank of America occupies the first floor and there are, according to the listing from SVN Commercial Advisory Group, a “variety of smaller tenants” upstairs. Terms of the leases were not disclosed in the listing. County property records show it is currently owned by a New Jersey investor through an LLC named Dadlani NC Realty. It paid $1.25 million in 2014. SVN’s John Milsaps is the listing agent for the property.
Aquasonic Car Wash, a new chain backed by the global investment firm Henley Investment Management, will open its first ever location in Pasco County in June. The car wash will be at 6818 U.S. Highway 19 North in New Port Richey. The company plans to open 15 more in the state soon after, including car washes in Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota and St. Petersburg. Aquasonic bills itself as "America’s Smartest Car Wash" citing a technology-driven approach to cleaning vehicles using sonar scanning for “precision chemistry application” and a 120-degree heated wash and cleaning solutions for dirt removal. Henley, which has offices in London and West Palm Beach, is an investment and fund management firm focusing on private equity real estate and managing both institutional and private investor capital. According to a statement, it has invested more than $3 billion in capital and carried out over 100 “discrete” investments. A website pitching investing in Aquasonic says projections call for annual store revenue of $3 million. The website is copyrighted by Henley Car Wash
The St. Petersburg Kennel Club, which operates the historic Derby Lane, has merged with a private equity firm named Rally Acquisition and taken a $58.25 million mortgage on the Gandy Boulevard track. Details of the deal were not disclosed, but records from the state’s Division of Corporations and Pinellas County show the two transactions. Derby Lane, known today as Win! Derby, is a historic 130-acre former greyhound track in St. Petersburg just off the Gandy Bridge. The track was built in the early 1920s after a lumber entrepreneur named T.L. Weaver sold land to a group of local businessmen. According to a history of the track on Win! Derby’s website, when the businessmen couldn’t pay their debt, they handed the property back to Weaver. The first race ran Jan. 3, 1925. Today, Win! Derby features table games, simulcast wagering and food. As for what happens next at the track, that is unclear for now. Pinellas records show a demolition permit was applied for in February, but it is “awaiting applicant action.”
One of the first steps in a long process has been completed at One Park Sarasota. Atlanta-based Juneau Construction finished its foundation pour. The work started at 5:45 a.m. April 8 and finished at noon that day. In that time, 98 concrete trucks poured 970 cubic yards of concrete. One Park Sarasota is an 18-story luxury condominium building going up (or in this case down?) at the corner of Boulevard of the Arts and Quay Commons. The project is being developed by Property Markets Group and MoneyShow which secured $208 million construction loan for the project in March. When complete, the tower will have 86 units costing between $2.7 million and $6.6 million. Townhouse units from $3.9 to $4.3 million will be available on the first two floors. And the top floor will feature penthouses starting at $12.5 million. With the foundation now poured, construction is on track to be finished in the first quarter of 2027.
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