Downtown Tampa's historic Kress to be marketed nationally as redevelopment opportunity
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 18, 2015

Brokers in Tampa and Miami will join forces to market downtown's historic Kress building.

Jeannette Jason, who owns the building with her father, Miami-based Doran Jason, said she and her father signed a co-listing agreement for the Kress on Monday.

Jeannette Jason, who joined Cushman & Wakefield of Florida Inc.'s Tampa office in June, will market the property with John Crotty and Michael Fay, principals in Avison Young's Miami office.

Doran Jason "has some comfort level" with the Avison Young principals, Jeannette Jason said.

In late 2014, Atlanta-based HRV Ventures formed a partnership with several local developers - father-and-son construction executives Sam and Casey Ellison; Anthony Italiano, a partner with the Ellisons in EWI Construction; and Tampa developer Alex Walter- to redevelop the Kress into a 22-story hotel.

That deal ultimately fell apart, as the Tampa Bay Business Journal first reported in June.

"There are quite a few groups that are looking at it and in various stages of performing due diligence," Jeannette Jason said.

The redevelopment of the Kress has been a priority for Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who has described himself as "chief prodder" and "chief Kress advocate."