BOCA RATON
» Economos Properties closed on a $46.5-million construction loan for a Fort Lauderdale development featuring two hotels, office space and ground-floor retail. The total cost is estimated at $65.5 million.
» Washington Mutual will close its operations service center by the end of the year, laying off 175, as part of cutting 1,200 jobs nationally.
» DayJet has reached an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to share information on its new operations technologies, including efficient flight patterns and reduced carbon emission.
» Woodbright Development sold Del Mar Village to Federal Realty Investment Trust of Rockville, Md., for $41.7 million.
DELRAY BEACH
» Office Depot (NYSE-ODP) is attempting to reduce its 2,000-employee Delray headquarters staff through voluntary buyouts. The company says it has not targeted a specific number of job cuts.
FORT LAUDERDALE
» Republic Services, the nation’s second-largest trash hauler, will acquire Allied Waste Industries of Arizona, the third-largest, in a $6.1-billion merger. The combined headquarters will be in Arizona, resulting in a layoff of about 100 of Republic’s 170 Fort Lauderdale corporate employees.
» BankAtlantic has completed the sale of its five Orlando branches to Mercantile Bank for an undisclosed sum in an effort to reduce expenses.
» Research in Motion, manufacturer of the BlackBerry, expects to hire up to 500 locally for its south Florida research and development center.
» Parlux Perfumes’ earnings were $5 million for the year ended March 31, compared with a loss of $27.9 million a year
earlier.» Pediatrix Medical Group (NYSE-PDX) has acquired Pediatric Cardiology Associates, with principal offices in Tampa and St. Petersburg, 11 pediatric cardiologists and more than 70 support staffers.
HOLLYWOOD
» Tousa Inc. won court permission to access more than $300 million to continue operations while it reorganizes under Chapter 11.
MIRAMAR
» Spirit Airlines will start charging passengers for seat selection and increase its fee for bags over 50 pounds.
PLANTATION
» DHL Express USA will cut 175 jobs from its 1,000-employee Plantation headquarters.
PORT ST. LUCIE
» East Coast Plastics, a Fort Lauderdale manufacturer, will move 80 jobs to a new location at Parkway Warehouse Associates.
WELLINGTON
» BE Aerospace (Nasdaq-BEAV) will acquire Honeywell Consumables Solutions of Tempe, Ariz., for $1.05 billion in cash and stock, doubling its revenue in aircraft parts distribution.
WEST PALM BEACH
» Flagler System, owner of the Breakers Palm Beach resort, is taking over the former Governors Club in the Phillips Point building, signing a long-term lease with the building’s owners, Colonnade Properties.
» Flagler Title Co. has been placed under the control of an outside lawyer, following the disappearance of founder Roger Gamblin and at least $2.5 million.