NAIOP awards 2020 "Best of the Best"

Leading commercial real estate trade group NAIOP’s Tampa Bay chapter late last month presented the group’s annual “Best of the Best” awards to industry professionals.

Robert J. Krueger, Florida managing principal of industrial developer Brennan Investment Group, was inducted into NAIOP’s Hall of Fame for his decades of involvement in the industry.

Most recently, Krueger and Brennan have developed CenterState Logistics Park East, a 1.01 million-square-foot bulk distribution project, in Lakeland. It marks one of the largest projects ever developed on a speculative basis in Central Florida.

That $90 million project followed the two-building CenterState Logistics Park West, also in Lakeland, which was built speculatively in 2017 and fully leased to PepsiCo division Quaker Oats before being sold.

Krueger’s induction comes a little over a year after NAIOP’s Tampa Bay chapter presented Brennan with “Developer of the Year” honors.

The group’s 2020 Developer of the Year was Bromley Cos., master developer of the $500 million, mixed-use Midtown Tampa project, the initial phase of which was completed earlier this year.

Cushman & Wakefield took home top honors for “Best Brokerage Firm” for 2020.

NAIOP’s 27th Annual Best of the Best Awards also recognized Highwoods Properties Inc.’s Fanatics’ lease at its Avion Park project, a deal brokered by Highwoods’ Laurie Alden and Cushman & Wakefield’s Jimmy Garvey and Scott Garlick.

Bridge Investment Group’s $56.5 million acquisition of the 13-story Tampa Commons won best office sale of the year, while City Furniture’s planned 1.2 million-square-foot showroom and distribution center slated for delivery next July, in Plant City, received best industrial deal. JLL’s John Dunphy and Peter Cecora were recognized for best land deal for a Hines Interests’ project.

Owner Ally Capital and Franklin Street’s Matt Alexander and Nick Sanfilippo were recognized for Westshore City Center as the 2020 best office project; Blue Steel Development and Aspyre Properties’ County Line Farms Distribution Park and CBRE Group brokers Gary Bauler, Kris Courier, Tom Quinlan and Rian Smith were selected for best industrial project; Strategic Property Partners’ $3.5 billion Water Street Tampa won best mixed-use project and WS Development’s Hyde Park Village took home the best retail project award.