Tampa Bay State of the Market

Brad Meltzer is a Partner and President of Two Roads Development. In this role, he oversees real estate development activities from design through construction and supports the team in identifying new opportunities. Meltzer has facilitated the growth of numerous regional business units scaling some from start up to more than 250 employees. Specializing in delivering high-end projects, Meltzer has led award-winning projects from inception to completion across various asset classes, including condominium, multifamily, hospitality, office, and retail. A sampling of such projects includes Biscayne Beach, The One Thousand Museum Tower, the 4 Tower Paraiso Complex, the Ritz Carlton Residences Miami Beach, The Marquis, Millicento, W Hotel South Beach, One Hotel and Homes, Icon Bay, Carillon Miami Beach (aka Canyon Ranch), Town Center One at Dadeland, Aventura Mall Expansion, Westshore Marina Pointe, Mandarin Oriental Miami. Meltzer led the construction of 15 buildings in excess of 35 stories and 2 in excess of 60 stories. He holds a Masters's in Architecture from Tulane University and has more than 30 years of construction experience, having headed a top national construction firm as its CEO. Meltzer also sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Miami MRED+U and Construction Management programs, Tulane University School of Architecture Advisory Board, Gulliver Prep Board of Trustees, and Voices for Children Board of Directors.

Mr. Bicho is the President and Founder of The Landings Real Estate Group. The Landings Real Estate Group is an owner and operator of commercial real estate executing development, construction, and property management functions in the residential multi-family, single-family, office, and retail sector. Landings Real Estate Group is headquartered in Newport, RI with over 100 employees and operates more than 1,900 multi-family residential units Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Florida with an asset value more than $350 million and owns and operates commercial retail and office properties located in Newport, Rhode Island. In addition to the multi-family portfolio, Landings Real Estate Group has developed a boutique luxury lodging portfolio with an estimated value of $50m in Newport Rhode Island comprised of 27 properties and 168 rooms and is developing a one-hundred-acre site in Portsmouth, Rhode Island with 91 single – family homes and a 48 unit Assisted care facility. LREG also executes approximately $10M of construction and is a registered General Contractor in the State of Florida and Rhode Island. Currently, LREG is developing 270 units in Jacksonville, Florida, 104 Units in Tampa, Florida and has two developments in the approval stage in St Petersburgh, Florida. Over the past 17 years, Landings Real Estate Group has delivered above market returns to of more than 20% to its investors. At its founding back in 2007, our capital base started with institutional investors and has migrated towards high-net-worth individuals as the company has purchased the interests from original institutional investors and has supplemented the capital stack with high-net-worth investors in some assets. The future of LREG is setup to leverage the democratization of real estate investing. In 2016, we launched the investor platform IMS that allows the accredited investor to take advantage of no fee and transparent real estate investments in the multi-family sector without the middleman advisors taking a portion of the investors returns. Prior to founding the Landings Real Estate Group in January 2006, Mr. Bicho was a real estate development and financial professional and served as Chief Financial Officer for Picerne Military Housing a/k/a Corvias from 1992 to 2005. In 1993, he initiated a new multi-family housing business in the Northeast region for Picerne targeting the development of affordable housing utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits and 1997, he founded a new division to acquire, develop, construct, and manage family housing for the US Army under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative. As one of the founders of the military housing division, he developed and executed a business plan that achieved the initial goal to acquire 20,000 homes two years ahead of schedule and created an organization that expanded from four employees to 500 employees located across the country. Mr. Bicho lives Portsmouth, RI with his family and holds an M.B.A. in Corporate Finance from Boston College (1992) and B.S. in Business Administration from University of Rhode Island (1989).

Rachael Kratz is an associate in Gunster’s Real Estate practice. She represents clients throughout the United States in property acquisitions and dispositions. Rachael also has litigation experience defending various corporations in civil disputes. Rachael graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was the recipient of a Dean’s Merit Scholarship and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. She was a member of the Inter-American Law Review, serving as an Articles and Comments Editor and was chosen to be a published author. She also received the Dean's Certificate of Achievement Award and Innovative Service in the Public Interest Award related to her work in the University of Miami Health Rights Clinic. Rachael participated in the Health Rights Clinic for two years as a student and as a fellow. She drafted two Social Security appellate briefs and a motion for summary judgment in a Social Security Appeal in the Southern District of Florida. Rachael served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Federal Bar Association and was a member of the Cardozo Legal Society. Rachael obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston University, graduating cum laude. She was a summer intern at the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts and participated in various fundraising events in support of the Ronald McDonald House.

Jason Hart, Executive Vice President, leads the Eastern Region for PREMIER Design + Build Group. He plays a key role in expanding and successfully operating PREMIER’s presence from Maine to Florida, and works closely with clients, staff, trade partners, and design firms from project conception to completion. With more than 20 years within the AEC industry, along with a JD and MBA, Jason brings his unique skillsets and leadership style to delivery of service. His contributions to the industry have earned national recognition, including honors from Engineering News-Record and Building Design+Construction.