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).

John M. Farina, president of U.S. Development, is a real estate developer with almost two decades of experience in real estate speculation, development and construction. Farina’s career includes a diverse portfolio of residential projects, ranging from urban infill luxury townhome developments to expansive, oceanfront mansions. Located in communities ranging from downtown Philadelphia to Brooklyn to oceanfront property in Palm Beach County, Florida, Farina’s projects always have the U.S. Development signature traits—quality and innovation. Over the past 10 years, Farina has built an impressive reputation around the country. In the Philadelphia real estate community, he has drastically improved the city’s landscape by redeveloping vacant and distressed parcels with his signature projects of high-end, luxury-designed homes and mid-rise builds. From 2007 through 2017, he led one of the largest redevelopment efforts Philadelphia has ever seen. In the course of his career, he has built more than 800 luxury homes and condominiums in 50 different complexes, heading one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. An expert in land acquisition, zoning, design-build, and construction implementation, John has brought his posh luxury styling to the forefront of the real estate market. Leading U.S. Development's team of more than 60 employees, Farina helped create its award-winning “Adagio” complex, which was featured in Philadelphia magazine’s “2016 Design Home” issue, with more than 30 pages of accolades and content. Adagio is one of the company’s most exciting achievements, and a stunning addition to the Philadelphia landscape. Delray Beach, Florida, is another area that Farina has focused on. His love for this scenic coastal town is the reason he decided to acquire several prime oceanfront-building sites there. One of these sites is the future home of Ocean Delray, the epitome of luxury oceanfront living, which will offer the high-end style and incredible amenities that U.S. Development is known for. Farina is a graduate of Rutgers University with degrees in environmental business economics and communications.

Kristine Retetagos is the Senior Vice President and Division Manager for KAST Construction’s Florida West Coast Division, where she oversees all construction and preconstruction operations across the region. In this role, she drives strategic growth, guides project delivery, and supports KAST’s position as one of Florida’s leading builders and largest construction firms in Tampa Bay. Kristine is also a partner in the firm. Before assuming division leadership, Kristine led KAST’s preconstruction department, directing services such as conceptual budgeting, constructability analysis, value engineering, scheduling, subcontractor procurement, and construction pricing. A construction industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, Kristine previously held project management and preconstruction roles with one of the nation’s largest general contractors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her portfolio spans a diverse mix of market sectors, including commercial, government, residential, senior living, healthcare, K–12, higher education, and hospitality. Kristine holds a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C) and has delivered multiple LEED-certified projects, as well as a Living Building Challenge–certified project. Deeply committed to the Tampa Bay Region, Kristine is passionate about responsible development and building for the community she calls home. Her leadership is grounded in integrity, accountability, and a commitment to making clients and project partners successful. She is equally dedicated to supporting local organizations, including Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay, St. Pete Free Clinic, LiFT Academy, Children’s Cancer Center, and Pet Pal Animal Shelter, to name a few.

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.

Alex is a Principal at Mancini, where he leads firm-wide strategy and business development for the nationally recognized design practice. With more than a century of legacy and a forward-looking, technology-driven approach, Mancini specializes in architecture, interior design, and master planning. In his role, Alex shapes and advances strategic initiatives across each of the firm’s practice sectors, developing continuously evolving growth frameworks that integrate research, market intelligence, and relationship development. His work ensures that design innovation and emerging technologies are embedded throughout the firm’s process and long-term vision. With over 18 years of experience, Alex is recognized for leveraging technology not simply as a tool, but as a strategic driver of growth and competitive advantage. As a key leader within Mancini’s Design Lab and AI initiatives, he champions the integration of advanced visualization, immersive environments, data-driven processes, and interactive platforms that elevate both creative output and operational performance. His work continually reimagines workflows, unlocking new efficiencies while expanding the firm’s capabilities in an increasingly digital and interconnected design landscape. Alex began his career in architecture and visualization before transitioning into strategic and operational leadership. His foundation in architectural design spans a diverse range of sectors, including multifamily and single-family residential, education, and mixed-use environments. This cross-sector perspective enables him to analyze market nuances with precision, refining growth strategies at a granular level while aligning business objectives with design excellence. Alex earned his Master of Architecture from the University of South Florida’s School of Architecture & Community Design. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and an active member of the American Institute of Architects, Tampa Bay. Based in Florida, Alex brings the same curiosity and craftsmanship to his personal pursuits as he does to his professional work, with interests ranging from woodworking and music to photography and automotive design—creative outlets that continue to inform his multidisciplinary approach to innovation.