Miami investor pays nearly $20 million for Charlotte County center

A Miami real investment firm has bought a Port Charlotte shopping center for $18.9 million

The 139,478-square-foot Murdock Carrousel shopping center is on U.S. 41 near Murdock Circle and Murdock Town Center. This is a section of Port Charlotte crowded with retailers and eateries including a Walmart Supercenter, Target, Metro Diner and Chick-fil-A all within about a mile of one another.

The center, at the time of the sales, was 83.4% occupied, according to Plaza Advisors, which represented the seller.

Among Murdock Carrousel’s current tenants are Havertys Furniture, Office Depot. Edward Jones, Aaron’s and Eye Centers of Florida. Lowe’s Home improvement is a shadow tenant.

The buyer was an LLC called Murdock Owner. The company shares a Coral Gables address with Fondo Atlas, which, according to Florida’s Division of Corporations’ website, is the registered agent for the LLC.

The investment firm’s portfolio on its website shows that it owns about eight properties, mostly in South Florida. But, according to its LinkedIn profile, Fondo Atlas owns and operates real estate in Florida and South America and is “focused on direct asset level investments in retail and residential properties.”