Barron Collier Companies Partners with Metro Commercial and hires Rod Castan as President

NAPLES, FL. — Barron Collier Companies (BCC) announces a joint venture partnership with Metro Commercial named Barron Collier Investment Partners. Rod Castan will serve as the President of Barron Collier Investment Partners and a Principal with Metro Commercial Real Estate.

Barron Collier Investment Partners will invest in and manage ground up retail development projects in the southeast United States. “While the entity (Barron Collier Investment Partners) is new, the relationships are not new, and the scope of our work is the same. We have worked with both Metro Commercial and Rod Castan on investment projects and this move serves as a natural extension of our business, allowing us to streamline our investment process,” said Blake Gable, CEO of Barron Collier Companies.

Metro Commercial is the industry leader in national, full-service retail advisory services and provides guidance to over 150 retailers, and owners of over 430 properties. Their in-house expertise includes a committed team of brokers, analysts, marketers, researchers, and property managers. BCC recently partnered with Metro Commercial on Founders Square, a mixed-use development on the southeast corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard. “Our new partnership allows us to expand and enhance the professional services that we provide to both existing and new clients throughout the Southeast. Rod will lead us in building our platform to deliver those services to a variety of retailers, developers, lenders, and owners,” said Tom Londres, CEO of Metro Commercial Real Estate.”

Castan is a nationally recognized commercial and retail real estate leader. He has been involved in the commercial real estate development and management industry since 1986. Formerly with the Courtelis Company for the past 27 years based out of Miami, Florida, he was involved in developing, leasing and managing 25 ground up retail/office/multifamily real estate projects throughout Florida that totaled over 4 million sq. ft.

Rod has a long-standing history with BCC and was involved in leasing of the mixed-use Ave Maria Town Center when the Town Center and Publix first opened to the public. “I have been involved with Ave Maria since the beginning, so it means so much to me personally to be involved with this project again. One of my primary goals is to help plan and attract more quality restaurants and retailers to Ave Maria,” explained Castan.

Castan is passionate about education and currently sits on the board of advisors for Florida International University Hollo School of Real Estate and is a member of the Board of Advisors for University of Florida’s Bergstrom Center where he and was Board Chairman 2016-1017. He is a member of the ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) Certification and Governing Committee and past Florida State Director. His community service in Naples includes serving as a Founding Member and VP in the Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District from 2011-2016.

ABOUT BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES
Barron Collier Companies is one of the largest diversified companies in Florida dedicated to the responsible development, management, and stewardship of numerous landholdings. Led by the Collier family, with roots tracing back one hundred years to Collier County, founder Barron G. Collier, Barron Collier Companies pursues its vision for Southwest Florida with successful enterprises in several areas including agriculture, land development and mineral management. For more information, please visit www.barroncollier.com or call 239-262-2600. Please visit www.barroncollier.com to learn more about Barron Collier Companies project portfolio.

ABOUT METRO COMMERCIAL
Metro Commercial is the industry leader in national, full-service retail advisory services, guiding retailers and property owners toward innovative, data-driven, retail-related real estate solutions. Through the firm’s National platform, Metro has been providing local, regional, national, and international guidance to over 140 retailers, and owners of over 430 properties for 35 years. It also offers full-service property management for over 6 million square feet of retail space, along with a robust investment sales and development services arm. For more information on Metro Commercial’s real estate services, visit www.metrocommercial.com.