Community Bulletin and Business Briefs

Winter Park firm RLF participated in the 18th annual Canstruction – Orlando competition. This year, top local architects, engineers, contractors and designers were joined by talented high school students supported by Rotary Orlando for the first time in the competition’s history. They worked together to design and build spectacular, giant-sized “Wonders of the World” — this year’s theme — made entirely from canned and nonperishable foods. Each “canstruction” measured about 512 cubic feet.

Hall of famers

Winter Park High School Sports Hall of Fame banquet was held Nov. 12 at the new Winter Park Community Center. Pictured are this year’s inductees.

Win a mobile website

As technology evolves, Costa DeVault thought it only fitting that their giving should do the same. That’s why, this year, the company is going to donate a free mobile website to one Central Florida nonprofit — and you get to help them choose. It’s easy to qualify. Just guess how many total column inches of publicity (print and online) Costa DeVault garnered for clients in 2011 (pictured in binders). Guesses must be posted on Costa DeVault’s Facebook page wall at http://www.facebook.com/CostaDeVault

Santa at Peterbrooke

Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park’s annual holiday photo shoot with Santa was Saturday, Dec. 3, and Sunday, Dec. 4.

Board openings

The city of Maitland currently has opening on the following boards:

• Board of Adjustments and Appeals

• Personnel Board

• Transportation Board

For information, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 407-539-6219

Donated closing

Did the holiday season leave your wallet a bit lighter? You can get a little money back from Uncle Sam by donating gently used clothing and other unwanted items to Goodwill Industries for an end-of-year tax deduction. Residents may also contribute cash donations (beginning at $1) through Goodwill’s Holiday Truck promotion at all Central Florida Goodwill retail centers and online at www.goodwillcfl.org

Food donations

RBC Bank has delivered 843 pounds of food so far this holiday season to those less fortunate in the central Florida community, thanks to the generosity of local residents, employees and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Best paraders

On Saturday, Dec. 3, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce hosted the 59th annual Winter Park “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade. Winter Park High School, Tuskawilla Middle School and St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School were honored with the title of Best Bands. Best Marching Units were presented to Walk-N-Roll, St. Margaret Mary Men’s Group and Page Private School. Best Floats was awarded to Alpha Christian Academy, Cub Scout Pack 31 and Center Stage Academy. Rollins Dance Team, Winter Park Day Nursery and American Spirit Elite Cheer received the Best Christmas Spirit title. Finally, Judges’ Choice was bestowed upon Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly, Winter Park Lost Pets.com and Centurion Battalion, U.S. Naval Sea Cadets.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

K. Hovnanian Homes, a nationally recognized homebuilder since 1959, recently completed a Facebook campaign for Central Florida residents. The winner, Tara Garkowski, a Central Florida real estate agent, was awarded with a $500 gift certificate to the Mall at Millenia.

NAI Realvest recently negotiated a sublease renewal and expansion for a total of 34,555 square feet of Class A office space at Flagler’s SouthPark Center located at 9102 SouthPark Center Loop in south Orlando.

Rhodes+Brito Architects in Orlando was recently awarded a three-year continuing contract from Seminole County Public Schools.

Moore Stephens Lovelace welcomes Carter Lane to the firm’s accounting and auditing practice group as manager.

Tri-City Electrical Contractors Inc. is under way on Orange County Public Schools’ new 334,000-square-foot Oak Ridge High School Replacement Project, under a contract with Wharton-Smith Inc. of Sanford.

Mercantile Capital Corporation, which is moving to new headquarters facilities in downtown Orlando, recently closed on a pair of U.S. Small Business Administration 504 Loans that will help build and equip a steel processing plant in Jackson, Ala., valued at more than $12 million.

NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new lease agreement for 4,546 square feet of office space at 2200 Lucien Way in Maitland.

The Central Florida office of SIKON Construction, Maitland, commenced work on the Publix at Boynton Lakes Plaza redevelopment in Boynton Beach under a $4.6 million contract with Regency Centers, Jacksonville.

Orlando Health is starting something new in patient care for the community. The organization’s newest medical facility, named the Orlando Health Heart Institute, has opened.

TectaAmerica recently was awarded a TOBY award. Visit www.bomaorlando.org/

Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, the U.S. division of Canada’s largest home builder, recently appointed Patricia Castillo as new home counselor and Jerry Rullo as lead new home counselor in its Orlando division.

The Seminole State College of Florida District of Florida has chosen an Orlando firm to design and build a covered practice facility for the Raiders' baseball, women’s golf and softball teams. The $275,000 facility will include nearly 8,000 square feet of space for four batting cages and portable pitching mounds and moveable nets, which can be used for golf. The facility will be constructed just north of Jack Pantelias Field, Raider baseball's home field, and could be completed as early as June.