Bust a move: Local city gets top billing for ‘dance parties’

Need to hire a DJ to spin some tracks for a holiday event? You’re in luck.

Tampa was named one of the best cities to “throw a dance party in 2015” by consumer services website Thumbtack.

More specifically, it was No. 7 on the list of best major metropolitan cities analyzed in the report to hire a DJ in, based on availability, cost and and local DJ ratings on the site. The average cost to hire a DJ in the United States is $528 and $455.58 in Tampa, according to Thumbtack.

Here are the top 10 cities… …read more

PGT’s $102 million deal opens new window of opportunity

PGT Inc. has agreed to buy WinDoor Inc. for $102 million, introducing a third brand to PGT’s portfolio and enhancing the company’s leadership position in the impact-resistant window and door industry.

PGT (NASDAQ: PGTI), based in North Venice, will pay cash for WinDoor, and has a commitment letter from Deutsche Bank AG, Deutsche Bank Securities, SunTrust Bank and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey to finance the deal, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The $310 million… …read more

The Gray Storm: A new column explores an aging workforce

There’s a gathering gray storm out there. The latest numbers say that the workforce and its leaders are aging, and fast.

Today there are almost four million more workers age 60 to 64 than there were in 2005. And there are fewer Americans age 20 to 55 working today than in 2005. As of the third quarter of 2015, a third of America’s workers are over age 50, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and employees over age 65 outnumber teenage workers.

So, what does all of this mean exactly?… …read more

St. Pete sustains strong condo market

The strength of the condominium market in downtown St. Petersburg is surprising to even the developers who are making multimillion-dollar bets on it.

Driven by the city’s vibrant urban waterfront, downtown St. Pete has evolved into a true live-work-play neighborhood — one that can sustain demand for $1 million condominiums.

The resurgence of the condo market in St. Pete’s urban core is a ringing endorsement of revitalization efforts. It represents a market that evolved to a point that individuals… …read more

Unequal cities: Where rich and poor live within blocks of each other

Consider the 94108 ZIP code, embedded in San Francisco. The area stretches from Chinatown to Union Square — or, for those unfamiliar with the area, from a part of the city that historically has been an enclave for thousands of immigrant Chinese, many of whom live in crushing poverty, to the part best known for its luxury shopping and high-end hotels.

A quick search shows that in recent years, at least one apartment in that ZIP code was listed for $9,500 per month. In and around Union Square, there… …read more

8 female founders on making the leap from corporate climber to entrepreneur

Today is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, a worldwide celebration of women who are leading businesses and breaking barriers in the workplace.

The main celebration is at the United Nations, but other commemorations are being held in 114 countries. Throughout the day, women will share their stories of success, failure and comeback in a live-streamed broadcast.

While only in its second year, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day was founded by Wendy Diamond, a publisher and animal advocate, who was inspired to… …read more

Why retirement is dead (and what you can do about it)

I submit that retirement as we know it is dead.

It’s my goal to challenge how people see traditional retirement so that more of us can start building and living the life of our dreams now, instead of waiting for some future day that may never come.

Steve is a highly successful sales executive for a media company. He, his wife and two children live in a multi-million dollar home not far from Denver. From the outside looking in, life is good for Steve and his family. He’s in his late 50s, he’s… …read more

Channel district fractured condos sold to partnership with local ties

Rental units in The Slade, a fractured condominium in downtown Tampa’s Channel district, have a new owner.

A joint venture of Cardinal Point Management, based in St. Petersburg, and Boston-based Long Wharf Real Estate Partners LLC paid $40 million for the 214 rental units and approximately 11,500 square feet of retail space, Cardinal co-founder Greg Williams confirmed Wednesday.

The units will continue to be operated as apartments, Williams said. The remaining 80 units in the building are individually… …read more

Why Chinese economic problems are the tip of the iceberg

In recent years, Chinese citizens have confused a rising stock market with a healthy one, and an economic system with a sustainable one.

Today, many of the problems occurring in China are reflective of much bigger issues.

Consequently, moving forward, China’s brand of one-party capitalism will incur inescapable difficulties.

And because China is the world’s second-largest economy, what happens in China no longer stays in China.

Stock market volatility

Outside of Chinese bank accounts, which… …read more

Vinik: Downtown Tampa multifamily could be heading toward ‘overbuilt’ situation

Strategic Property Partners, the real estate company controlled by Jeff Vinik and Cascade Investment LLC, is keeping a cautious eye on multifamily development in downtown Tampa.

Vinik, who owns the Tampa Bay Lightning, said Monday that multifamily projects in Tampa’s urban core may be getting ahead of demand.

As of March, there were 1,389 units under construction and another 2,900 in various stages of planning in downtown Tampa and the neighborhoods that ring the urban core, according to data from… …read more