Tampa Bay real estate raked in billions this year. Check out the top sales

2022 was a lucrative year for commercial real estate in the Tampa Bay area. The Tampa Bay Times reviewed property records from Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties and found that the 20 highest grossing sales brought in a cumulative total of more than $2 billion.

“Transactions coming in over $100 million dollars, 10 years ago that’s not something we’d be talking about,” said Danny Rice, a market leader overseeing the Central Florida market for real estate firm Collier’s. “It really speaks volumes to where Tampa has matured to.”

Heavy in-migration, strong rent growth and a strong job market made the region a prime destination for investors looking to turn a profit. Apartments and multi-family properties were a hot commodity.

The first half of the year was busy. Zach Nolan, managing director of JLL Capital Markets in Tampa said 2021 was a record year for sales volume and 2022 was on pace to exceed that.

But by the third quarter, the market began to cool.

“With inflation concerns and interest rates going up, that really started a pull back from a lot of investors who were just uncertain of where the market was heading,” Nolan said.

That trend is likely to carry through to 2023. Still, investors remain bullish on Tampa Bay in the long term as property values continue to grow.

While there may be fewer deals overall, Rice said buyers are still willing to spend big bucks on Class A properties in dense downtown areas.

Here’s a look back on some of the biggest transactions of 2022.

1. Novel Midtown – $236.5 million

This 390-unit apartment complex is the crown jewel of Tampa’s $1 billion Midtown mixed-use development. CBRE Investment Management purchased the property in May, a year after its grand opening.

The complex was developed by Crescent Communities and features 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units. There’s also a saltwater pool, co-working spaces and a yoga studio.

“We could not be prouder of Novel Midtown and the impact this community has had on the greater Tampa market,” Tim Graff, a managing director for Crescent Communities, said in a statement announcing the deal.

Novel Midtown Tampa, a 390-unit apartment complex at the heart of Midtown Tampa, has been sold to CBRE Investment Management. [ Crescent Communities ]

2. Sirata Beach Resort – $207 million

Kentucky-based hospitality company, Columbia Sussex, purchased this 382-room, 13-acre resort in St. Pete Beach earlier this month.

The sale broke the record for the most expensive hotel sold in Pinellas County, surpassing the DonCesar, which went for $202.6 million in 2017.

For years, the resort was managed by the Nicklaus family of St. Petersburg. They bought a smaller hotel in the 1960s and overtime, expanded it into what is now the Sirata.

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The last owner, Texas-based Crescent Real Estate, bought the resort from the family in 2017 for $108.2 million.

The Sirata Beach Resort & Conference Center in St. Petersburg is in negotiations to be sold. [Company photo]

3. Nine15 – $184 million

Located at 915 Franklin Street, this luxury apartment tower offers sweeping views of downtown Tampa and the Hillsborough River.

A limited liability corporation owned by Goldman Sachs bought the building on May 6.

The last owner was South Carolina real estate investors Blaze Capital Partners. They bought the building in 2020 for $120 million.

The 23-story, 362-unit building opened in 2017 and features studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.

The Nine15 apartment tower on N Franklin Street in Tampa is set to open in fall 2017.

4. Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach – $141 million

When it opened in 2017, this project made waves as the largest development ever built on Clearwater Beach. It boasts 343 rooms, a spa, a swimming pool, a bar/lounge and 22,000 square feet of event space.

New York firm, JEMB Realty, bought the hotel from an LLC run by local philanthropist, Kiran Patel in March. A media release from the company said Patel would maintain a minority stake in the resort.

“The Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is a fitting addition to our growth strategy in Florida, acquiring a best-in-class asset in a thriving Tampa Bay submarket,” said chairman of JEMB Realty Corporation Morris Bailey in a statement.

The exterior of Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020 in Clearwater. K&P Clearwater Estate, the company that runs the hotel, received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan of between $2 million and $5 million while also laying off dozens of staffers in the spring. At least 10 hotel companies owned by or tied to prominent Tampa philanthropist Kiran Patel got loans worth up to $34 million, according to a Times analysis of federal data. [ JONAH HINEBAUGH | Times ]

5. The Delmar – $132.8 million

Texas-based real estate firm Lurin bought this 689-unit waterfront apartment complex in June. Commercial real estate firm Berkadia facilitated the deal.

“The new owner has plans to renovate units and enhance the property’s amenity package,” Jason Stanton, senior managing director for Berkadia, said in a statement at closing.

The property is located at 4003 S West Shore Blvd. and features studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units. There’s also three swimming pools, a boat launch and a tennis court.

According to its website, Lurin also owns three multifamily in St. Petersburg: Elements on Third, Milo Bayside and The Morgan.

The Delmar apartments in Tampa sold for $132.8 million this year. [ Lurin ]

6. Skye Reserve – $125.5 million

Sky Reserve is a 982-unit apartment complex in Brandon that first opened in 1991.

Real estate investment firm ZMR Capital bought the property in March, according to Hillsborough County property records. The company owns at least three other multifamily properties in the Tampa area, according to its website.

In a statement posted to its website, the company wrote “ZMR Plans to bring the property to market along with implementing a value-add program to bring all units to an elevated finish level.”

7. AVE Tampa Riverwalk – $124.7 million

Korman Communities, a Pennsylvania-based developer, bought this downtown Tampa apartment in April, according to Hillsborough County property records.

The building offers traditional 1-and 2-bedroom apartments as well as furnished units for short term stays. Located at 160 West Tyler St., it’s walking distance from The Straz Center for the Performing Arts and Curtis Hixon park.

The AVE Tampa Riverwalk apartments sold for $124.7 million this year. [ AVE ]

8. Wells Fargo Center – $120 million

New York real estate investment firm the Feil Organization closed on this 22-story, 393,649-square-foot in July.

The building was previously owned by a group of investors headed by Feldman Equities — which is headquartered in the building — and Orlando’s Tower Realty Partners. They paid $44.8 million for it in 2011 and spent $8.4 million on various improvements.

“We are excited to acquire a class A iconic property in downtown Tampa, which expands on our portfolio in the Tampa/St. Petersburg region,” Brian Feil, executive vice president at the Feil Organization, said in a statement announcing the deal. “We will continue to run the property at the high standards set prior the prior owner.”

The Wells Fargo building is seen Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 in Tampa. The building sold in 2022 for $120 million. CHRIS URSO/STAFF [ CHRIS URSO | Tampa Bay Times ]

9. Cortland Santos Flats – $119.9 million

This apartment complex near Brandon was purchased by Georgia real estate firm Cortland in March.

“Cortland Santos Flats offered a great opportunity to bring our resident-centric hospitality to a community that already had top-of-the-market finishes and amenities,” Clayton Doolittle, director of investments for Cortland said in a statement. “

The property has 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units. Other features include a resort-style pool and a dog park.

The Cortland Santos Flats are located at 8733 Rooks Park Circle in Tampa. [ Cortland ]

10. Bleecker Hyde Park – $115 million

Bleecker Hyde Park is a 259-unit apartment complex located at 1702 W Cleveland St. in Tampa.

According to Hillsborough County property records, the property was purchased by a Dallas LLC with ties to the real estate investment firm Conti Capital. The sale was recorded in May.

The seller was New Jersey-based Raia Capital Management. That company bought the apartments in 2017 for $64.5 million.

The Bleecker Hyde Park apartments in Tampa sold for $115 million in 2022. [ Rebecca Liebson ]

11. The Enclave at Tranquility Lakes – $98 million

Located off Interstate 75 in Riverview, these apartments sold to Philadelphia real estate investment firm IRT Living in September.

The company owns several apartment properties in Tampa Bay, including Lucerne in Brandon, the Lakes of Northdale in Carrollwood and Rocky Creek and Vantage on Hillsborough in Tampa’s Rocky Point area.

The Enclave at Tranquility lakes has 348 units ranging from one to three bedrooms. The property has two lakes, a volley ball court and an outdoor kitchen.

The Enclave at Tranquility Lakes in Riverview sold for $98 million in 2022. [ IRT Living ]

12. Avidity Living – $97.5 million

These apartments in Land O’ Lakes sold in October. The buyer, according to Pasco County property records, is a New York based company called ACIF I AVIDITY LLC.

The property has one and two bedroom apartments as well as a saltwater pool, a fitness center and a bocce court, according to its website.

13. StrawBerry Ridge – $90.8 million

StrawBerry Ridge is a 55-plus manufactured home community in Dover. The property spans more than 130 acres, according to Hillsborough County property records.

An LLC run by Arizona developer,…