CBRE advises next step for iconic Tampa center

TAMPA -- The new owners of the Westshore District's original office building hired CBRE to handle day-to-day property management at the Austin Center, as it plans the future for the 38-year-old structure.

Redstone Investments, which purchased the Austin Center in April for $28 million, has been looking for a development partner for the Tampa business district anchor. The 300,000-square-foot, five-building center sits on 10 acres of prime real estate, and was built by one of Westshore's key founders, Al Austin.

Redstone has not announced immediate plans for the complex, only that CBRE's team of Jay O'Meara, Dale Peterson, Dave Conn and Sean Williams will be tasked to “provide a smooth transition for the tenants in place” as both Redstone and CBRE “determine the most viable long-term strategies for the project,” according to a release.

The Austin Center was owned by the Austin family through the April sale. It was put on the market following the death of Al Austin in May 2014.

Redstone has offices in Tampa and Youngstown, Ohio, and owns more than 75 properties in 15 states totaling 4.5 million square feet. Most of its holdings are on the Gulf Coast, from Hernando County to Fort Myers.