Seminole investor buys former Gay Products headquarters

BUYER: 520HC LLC (George Ware Jr.), Clearwater

SELLER: Workman Enterprises Inc. and Gay Products Inc.

PROPERTY: 520 Howard Court, Clearwater

PRICE: $1.04 million

LAW FIRM ON DEED: Leslie M. Conklin Esq., Clearwater

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: A company led by George Ware Jr. of Seminole purchased the 15,489-square-foot former Gay Products office building for $1.04 million.

The price equated to $67 per square foot.

The building features a loading dock, several conference areas and private offices.

Jim Parker and Carol Warren of Colliers International Tampa Bay represented the seller, and Tracey Stevens and Cheryl Franzese of Coldwell Banker's Belleair Bluffs office represented the buyer.

“It was a class B property that at one time was the corporate headquarters for a family-run company that's no longer there,” Parker says. “[Gay Products] was sold a couple years ago, and the excess property was owned by the family. It eventually wound up as excess property.”

Gay Products Inc. manufactures patio and lawn furniture.

The buyer is expected to use Howard Court Center office building to house a company. The Business Review was unable to contact Ware for comment.

The purchase entity 520HC LLC mortgaged the property to Branch Banking and Trust for $1.32 million.