South Florida Opportunity Zones Update

Jeffrey Ardizon is Principal at The Estate Companies, a Miami-based full-service, vertically integrated developer, owner and operator of residential communities throughout the tri-county region, and one of the largest and most active multifamily developers in Florida. The firm is best known for its institutionally recognized Soleste brand which features Class A multi-family communities throughout South Florida’s urban core and submarket locations. Mr. Ardizon has been credited for identifying and evaluating off-market opportunities, temporary market dislocations, special workouts, overall capitalization and general overall direction of the firm. The Estate Companies has implemented its strategic plan is to increase its focus on development in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and has many luxury projects in various stages of development including Pompano Beach, Dania Beach, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, three projects in Hollywood, two in North Miami Beach, and Spring Gardens, among others. Mr. Ardizon was instrumental in structuring and executing one of South Florida's first opportunity zone transactions, Soleste Grand Central, a 360-unit Class A multifamily project in Downtown Miami. Prior to joining The Estate Companies, Mr. Ardizon was the co-founder and principal of ECI, a real estate investment, management and development firm based in South Florida. The firm focused on providing GP/LP equity and debt for multi-family real estate developments and value-add opportunities across a diverse portfolio of asset classes. During that time, Mr. Ardizon was credited for strategically structuring and creating one of the more notable single-family offices in South Florida. Mr. Ardizon began his real estate career with one of the largest nationally ranked advisory firms in the country, where he led the firm's real estate practice for nearly a decade. He represented some of the largest real estate developers, REIT’s, operators and sponsors in the region. Under his leadership, the firm was awarded the top real estate tax firm by various publications. Mr. Ardizon was a top revenue producer for the firm and quickly gained industry recognition as a leading go-to advisor, advising clients on over $3 billion in transactional value.

Michael Tillman is the CEO and CIO of PTM Partners, a Fort Lauderdale-based real estate investment and development firm focused on designing and building tech-forward sustainable multifamily housing in urban markets. PTM has invested, developed, constructed, and managed over $2.5 billion in real estate covering a broad range of mixed-use inclusionary projects in D.C., Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina. PTM seeks medium-to long-term community-oriented development opportunities that create substantial value for residents, partners, and investors. Prior to PTM, Michael was a managing director of development and acquisitions for LeFrak, building and overseeing their multi-billion-dollar portfolio in South Florida. He holds his BBA from Emory University and earned his MBA from Columbia University’s Business School.

Avra Jain, a Purdue University industrial engineer graduate, has a reputation for developing projects around her favorite pursuits: art and architecture. The recipient of three Sundance Film Awards, Ms. Jain has directed boutique projects that range from converting a warehouse into luxury loft condominiums to the remake of The Vagabond Motel on Biscayne. She is a board member of the MiMo Biscayne Association.

After beginning his career as a tax attorney, Mr. Weiner turned to the narrow specialty of tax planning for real estate developers. Mr. Weiner first became familiar with redevelopment by being involved in the Tower City project in Cleveland, Ohio in the late 1970′s. Upon moving to Florida he took an active interest in real estate opportunities afforded by South Florida. He became active in the Art Deco Society in the early 1980’s which advocated the re-development (as opposed to demolition) of the Art Deco Miami Beach Hotels. Moving to Palm Beach County, Mr. Weiner shaped his practice in tandem with the resurgence of another city, Delray Beach, Florida. Mr. Weiner has invested his own funds in re-development, demonstrating that there can be profits both for the individual and for the community. He owns one of the oldest homes in Delray Beach, Florida called the “Clark House” built in 1896. For the City of Boynton Beach, he was actively involved in the planning of the Town Square project, including City Hall, completed in 2020 and which saved the 1923 High School. As an expert in re-adaptive use, the assemblage of properties, “grandfathering” and similar legal issues which often stand in the way of re-development of blighted areas, Mr. Weiner continues to assist his clients in searching for the proper re-development opportunities east of I-95. Making the older neighborhoods glorious once again reduces the pressure on westward expansion and the ever increasing commuter trips. It revitalizes aging infrastructure and stems blight. It is real estate development that cannot be labeled as scorching the Earth.