Real Estate Reports

+ Benedict guest house demolished for Aria project
Contractors demolished a guest house on the former Villa Am Meer property last week in preparation for the planned 16-unit Aria condominium at 2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Developer Jay Tallman’s Ascentia Group LLC is currently renovating the 5,000-square-foot main home on the property, also known as the Benedict Estate, and will use it first as a sales office and later as a community clubhouse.

The site’s old rusty iron gates, complete with the image of a lion on them, will be preserved and attached to a future privacy wall that will sit off of Gulf of Mexico Drive.

+ MSC Foundation awards 2013 grants at LWR office
The MSC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Michael Saunders & Co., awarded its 2013 year-end charitable grants Jan. 17 at its Lakewood Ranch office.

Charitable grants are made possible by participating agents, who voluntarily donate a portion of their commissions on real estate transactions, and the company’s staff and leadership team, who opt to contribute through payroll deductions throughout the year.

The latest cycle’s recipients are: ALSO Youth, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Charlotte County Homeless Coalition, Charlotte Local Education Foundation, Children’s Guardian Fund Inc., Community Coalition on Homelessness/Manatee County, Community Youth Development of Sarasota County, Englewood Helping Hand Inc., Family Partnership Center, Feeding Empty Little Tummies (FELT), Foundation for Dreams Inc., Gator Wilderness Camp, Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, HOPE Family Services, ITN Sarasota, Jewish Family & Children’s Services, Just for Girls Academy, Manatee County Habitat for Humanity, Manatee Education Foundation, Miracle League Manasota, The Players Inc., Safe Place & Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC), Selah Freedom Inc., Venice-Nokomis Rotary Club and Yummy Stuff Club Inc./Children’s Healthy Pantry.

+ Rogers Moore joins Coldwell Banker’s Longboat Key office
Rogers Moore has joined Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate’s Longboat Key office. Moore has more than 30 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate in the Sarasota area. He is the former owner of Flory Real Estate and has been involved in more than $100 million in sales during his career.