Avison Young Principal Keith O’Donnell completed three transactions totaling $33 million on behalf of Investors Warranty of America to sell a 42.7-acre property in Delray Beach. The site is the former Office Depot headquarters at S. Congress Avenue and Old Germantown Road.
“Immediately after being awarded the listing, we evaluated multiple and varied uses including colleges, office, and entertainment, and investors looking to renovate existing assets,” said O’Donnell. “Ultimately, we secured a dream team of well-known developers to purchase the property and embark on a transformative redevelopment project.”
The property was divided into three parcels and sold to three South Florida development groups which joined together to create a new mixed-use project. Centerpointe Delray Holdings, a partnership between Miami-based firms 13th Floor Investments and Key International and Boca Raton-based CDS International Holdings, plans to build more than 600 multifamily units. Separately, CDS, which also owns The Arbors office building on the northeast corner of the site, plans to develop retail and office components. The project will be anchored by a 1.8-acre park with jogging and bike trails to connect to the 25-acre Delray Natural Oaks Preserve.
“We are excited to bring residential units for families and young professionals to Delray Beach as part of a landmark commercial site,” said Arnaud Karsenti, Managing Principal of 13th Floor Investments. “The result will be a world-class live-work-play community in line with the city’s vision for a vibrant destination along Congress Avenue.”
Inigo Ardid, Co-President of Key International, added: “We’re looking forward to delivering a new wave of residential product to the Delray Beach market, which poses significant growth opportunities. This site will work in tandem with the exciting additions joining the area to create a central lifestyle locale.”
The Delray Beach City Commission unanimously approved the master plan and will collaborate with the developers on the project. Four- and five-story apartment buildings and two- and three-story townhouse buildings are planned. The retail and restaurant space will be near the S. Congress Avenue and Old Germantown Road intersection.
“Early in the seller’s quest for buyers, Keith brought the property to my attention and challenged our team to think about how this last great South Palm Beach County parcel could be integrated into the success of Delray Beach’s downtown transformation,” said Jeff Perlman, Vice President of CDS and former Delray Beach Mayor. “I was the mayor who got the call about Office Depot leaving the site for Boca Raton 12 years ago, a decision that prompted us to rethink the future of Congress Avenue. We believed back then – and still do – that this property will be the catalyst to create Delray Beach’s next great street, and it’s an honor to be involved.”
O’Donnell’s history with the property, which dates back to its days of IBM’s occupancy through Office Depot’s growth to a global enterprise, played a significant role in Investors Warranty’s selection of Avison Young to lead the sale.
“We remained committed to ensuring the delivery to Delray Beach the type of project it deserved while maximizing upside for our shareholders, and Keith’s experience with the property and other complex projects nearby such as Mizner Park in Boca Raton proved invaluable in achieving our goals,” said David Feltman, former executive of Investors Warranty.
