A new mobile app, called NewsByMe, is now available at the Apple App Store. NewsByMe is the world’s first dedicated mobile news app and a novel source for community-based news as it happens. With the app, users may view and report first-hand, real-time accounts of breaking news, weather, crime,... Read more

Paul Furtaw has joined GATES Construction as senior estimator. In this role, he is responsible for comprehensive estimating for material takeoffs and labor estimates, as well as developing subcontractor scopes and bidding criteria. Furtaw has 36 years of estimating, project management and on-site project supervision for marina, aviation, healthcare,... Read more

Jeffrey C. Clapper and Tod B. Whipple, CCIM, have joined Equity’s Southwest Florida office as Senior Brokerage Associates. Clapper specializes in leasing and selling various types of commercial properties including retail, medical and office. He also has experience in commercial property management. Clapper started his real estate career with... Read more

CRE Consultants, based in Fort Myers, has hired Nicole Ernst as its Director of Market Intelligence. In this role, she heads up the firm’s client-driven research, strategic asset positioning and brand identification. Ernst has more than 15 years of strategic market research experience across all facets of commercial and... Read more

Barron Collier Companies and Massachusetts-based FoxRock Properties recently purchased Newgate Center, one of Naples’ premier corporate commercial centers. Built in 1995, Newgate Center features three buildings with more than 80,000sf of Class-A office space. In addition to a central seven-story tower of 54,000sf, there are two front buildings with... Read more

Agents with LandQwest Commercial report the following closed sales and leases in Southwest Florida. Unless indicated, all are in Fort Myers. Sales • DFG-Bradenton, FL, LLC: 12 Oaks Shopping Center totaling 80,499sf at 7290 55th Ave. in Bradenton for $10.8 million. (Tom Strauss/ Matt Yaniglos) • CCC Investments I,... Read more

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) recently received a sixth gift from B & I Contractors, Inc., in support of its Physical Plant Endowed Scholarship Fund. The company’s latest contribution of $5,000 brings the total it has given towards the endowment to $30,000. For more than a decade, B &... Read more

Agents with CRE Consultants recently negotiated a number of significant sales and leases in Southwest Florida. • Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc.: 10,240sf office space at 3174 Tamiami Trail East in Naples, from Janice S. Hudson and Judith A. Bice for $1.2 million ($117.19/psf). (Fred Kermani, CCIM, AIA... Read more

The Ted Todd Insurance Agency has again been recognized as an Allstate Premier Agency for having met the highest standards of balancing business performance with excellent customer experience. Since Todd established the agency 29 years ago, it has become one of the largest Allstate agencies in the country, with... Read more

Naples-based KOVA Commercial and KOVA Property Management recently reported the following transactions in Lee and Collier counties. Leases • Domino’s Pizza: 1,362sf in the Orion Center on Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers, from NBF Holdings, Inc. (Bryan Myers represented the tenant and Chip Olson represented the landlord.) • Franklin Seckinger... Read more