Feature Story
Development Associates and Commercial Realty Group Serve Clients in Bonita Springs and Beyond
By Elizabeth W. Pearce

Charlie Maurer may not be the first Southwest Florida builder/developer to offer clients a single source for all of their commercial real estate needs, but he’s one of the few. He’s also one of the first to be based in Bonita Springs, where he began breaking new ground when he founded Development Associates in 1981. Earlier this year, it became a full-service company when Maurer launched Commercial Realty Group specializing in leasing, land sales and commercial properties.

“The game plan was to have a single source that could cover all the bases for commercial clients, from permitting to sales and leasing,” said Maurer. “Having the two businesses under one umbrella saves our clients time and money because they can pick and choose from our in-house menu of services, including marketing.”

Convenience and quality are what led Fort Lauderdale-based Charter Schools U.S.A. to Maurer’s companies when they sought to establish Lee County’s first charter school in Bonita Springs. Commercial Realty assisted with site selection, while Development Associates developed and built the 60,000sf school. It opened in August in the Bernwood Business Park with an initial enrollment of 890 children in grades K-8.

“It’s a great environment for working and learning because it’s so cheery and welcoming,” said Pam Franco, principal of the Bonita Springs Charter School. During the year it took to build, Franco worked closely with Maurer on every aspect of construction, often on site.

“Not only did they listen to what I needed and found a way to make it happen, they did all kinds of extras that I don’t think would occur to most developers.”

The bright, primary-color tile flooring, for example, was just one of many design ideas that Maurer initiated. He also designed and built a playground, complete with bike racks and a water fountain, and installed an electronic security gate to ensure safety at the school. Franco said the school “has exceeded my expectations,” thanks to Maurer and his staff.

“Charlie’s been so wonderful and generous to work with,” said Franco. “In fact, his entire crew has always been there when I’ve needed them, during and after construction. That’s critical because we don’t have a large maintenance staff.”

This personal approach has helped Maurer’s business develop with the area. Initially known as Maurer Construction (which Maurer established in Massachusetts during the 1970s), the company focused on site development and vertical construction in Bonita. However, as opportunities to diversify presented themselves, the general contracting firm soon grew to include a variety of divisions. In 1991, the company was renamed Development Associates to reflect its expanded services.

In addition to its building division, Development Associates has a zoning and permitting division. Maurer said this eliminates the need for a client to hire an outside engineering firm and ensures a project’s economic feasibility.

“With our extensive building background, we can help clients make decisions and give them updated construction numbers throughout the process. Also, by helping owners negotiate with the various government agencies, there are no (monetary) surprises when it’s time to build.”

Development Associates also includes a property management division, as well as a marketing division that works closely with Commercial Realty Group. Together, the companies’ 75 employees can see a project through from site selection to lease-up.

Sometimes, their work is confined to zoning and infrastructure, as was the case at Bernwood Place, a 40-acre development on Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers. The residential component (consisting of rental apartments and condominiums) was sold recently to two Miami developers, leaving just four commercial outparcels for sale. Development Associates also is handling the permitting and zoning for the 22-acre Corkscrew Commerce Park, an interchange commercial project at I-75 and Corkscrew Road in Estero.

Maurer notes that Commercial Realty’s staff also can help with a project’s design. “With their marketing input and research, they can help (Development Associates) decide what site and product to develop. It’s easier for them to market when we can let them be the engine that drives the train.”

Beyond the benefits of utilizing the in-house construction, zoning and permitting, and asset management services of Development Associates, Maurer says that Commercial Realty Group has another major advantage over other real estate firms' inventory.

“Right now we have more than 500,000sf that was built and is managed by Development Associates, along with more than 100 commercial lots available in the business parks that we developed and manage,” said Maurer. They include: ¥ Bernwood Center, a 70,000sf multi-tenant retail/office facility at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Old 41 Road in Bonita Springs;

- Bernwood Design Center, encompassing 25,000sf of retail and restaurants fronting U.S. 41, adjacent to Bernwood Center;
- Bernwood Place, a boutique plaza with approximately 12,800sf of retail, office and restaurants on U.S. 41 at the entrance to Pelican Landing;
- Bernwood Courtyard, a 42,000sf office development in Pelican Landing, reportedly the first of its kind in Bonita; and
- Bernwood Business Park, a 110-acre development just south of the intersection of U.S. 41 and Old 41 Road, zoned for approximately 1.8 million sf of commercial and industrial space. Three of the six planned phases in the deed-restricted park are now under construction and are 80% completed. There are also commercial lots for sale, completed buildings with space for lease or a build-to-suit option for credit-worthy tenants.
Among Maurer’s newer, high-profile projects:
- Bernwood Business Centre, a 27,000sf mixed-use business center for lease within Bernwood Business Park. The company is also developing the freestanding Brookwood Buildings on individual lots available for sale or lease. Some of the 5,000sf buildings have enclosed outside storage yards of 8,000sf.
- Bernwood Park of Commerce, an interchange park on Bonita Beach Road just east of I-75 at Hunter’s Ridge. Maurer says the 80-acre park was the first Mixed Planned Development ever zoned in Lee County. When completed, the project will contain 1.1 million sf of retail, commercial and industrial space, plus 10 acres of residential product. Multi-family units overlooking a 12-acre lake are planned for the park’s southeast corner. The first phase of approximately 14 acres is developed and consists of the largest Publix in Florida, with two stories and 60,000sf. Outparcels and adjacent lots also have been sold to Colonial Bank, Chevron, AmSouth Bank, SouthTrust Bank, Wachovia, Exxon-Mobil and a Naples-based radio station. Currently, a 55,000sf flex building for lease with an option to purchase and a 30,000sf retail facility for lease are both in the permitting phase, and various parcels are available for sale to end users. The remaining acreage will either be developed by the company or sold to an outside developer.
- Bernwood Shoppes, an upscale retail/restaurant complex of five buildings on U.S. 41 and Strike Lane. Anchor tenants WCI Prudential Realty and Tokyo Bay Steakhouse are expected to move in before year’s end.

Despite the availability of product at the various Bernwood developments, Maurer says that Commercial Realty is proactive about marketing. Rather than relying strictly on signs, the company networks extensively with national and regional brokerage firms, and has retained a local advertising firm to develop an upcoming direct-mail campaign. Further, it has a sophisticated Web site, a state-of-the-art, fully networked computer system, and an in-house database of every business in Lee and Collier counties.

“We contact them to see if they have any real estate needs,” said Maurer. “Are they looking to lease? Build a building? Expand or downsize? We’re constantly reaching out to let them know what kinds of products we have available now and what’s on the horizon.”

That’s how Prudential Florida WCI President Roger Herman discovered Bernwood Shoppes, where Development Associates recently completed a new 7,000sf, two-story headquarters for the growing residential sales and property management firm. According to Bruce Peterson, a WCI broker and branch manager, Commercial Realty’s Bill Wolf heard that WCI was looking to expand and contacted him. After meeting with Wolf to discuss his company’s needs, Peterson met with Maurer to explore WCI’s options.

“We just clicked right away,” said Peterson, adding that he was “very impressed” by the quality of the different Bernwood developments. “Charlie has excellent, experienced subcontractors on all his jobs, plus he has a good working relationship with (zoning and permitting) officials, so things went very smoothly.”

Peterson said that WCI is eager to move into its new headquarters, which meets all their criteria including a modern design, abundant parking, advanced wiring for high-speed Internet access, good signage and lighting, and attractive landscaping. “They accommodated all of our needs,” said Peterson.

Maurer hopes to do the same for buyers at Bernwood Colony, a 7.5-acre development in Gateway. Now in the permitting stages, the project is designed to provide an unconventional alternative to people who like working close to home. Each of the 17 home sites will include a primary home overlooking the golf course, as well as a small commercial building with a second-floor residential apartment fronting Gateway Boulevard. The two structures will be connected by a breezeway.

Maurer says the concept is ideal for dentists, accountants and other small business owners who want a professional office without the extra expense. Furthermore, the apartment could either be utilized by family members or used as a rental. Pending zoning approval, Development Associates is expected to start construction in early 2004. Another project, the Village of Bernwood on Koreshan Boulevard in Estero, is on hold for now. Zoned in 1999 as Lee County’s first-ever Traditional Neighborhood Development, the 160-acre tract is designed for 600 single-family, lakefront homes and approximately 150,000sf of commercial/retail space topped by residential units.

For the time being, the parcel will remain an agricultural property inhabited by cattle. Also for now, Maurer expects his focus will remain primarily on Bonita Springs.

“I’ve always believed in this area and felt that one day it would be ‘the’ location in Southwest Florida,” said Maurer. “It’s gratifying to see that things are finally taking off in a meaningful way.”
 

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