Pinellas investor buys Keiser University's Largo real estate
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Apr 28, 2023

Keiser University's Largo property has sold for $14.1 million.

The nearly 200,000-square-foot building, located at 16120 U.S. Hwy. 19 N, along with a neighboring parking lot sold to Clearwater-based Crown Pointe on 19 LLC, an entity linked to a two-party partnership led by John Gerlach, an executive vice president with Colliers International Tampa Bay.

The sale closed April 19, according to Pinellas County property records.

The two-story building is fully leased by Keiser University and global customer care and technology company 24-7 Intouch. Gerlach told the Tampa Bay Business Journal the acquisition was a private investment. He said he intends for it to be a “long-term hold” as they believe both Keiser University and 24-7 Intouch will renew their leases.

Gerlach said they will start “almost immediately” on upgrades to the property, including fixing the parking lot and sprucing up the building to “make it a little more lively looking.” They have hired an architect to go through the interior of the building as well as to identify additional improvements.

“We will take some of the building and increase the services there to attract the employees and students on both sides of the aisle,” Gerlach said.

Both 24-7 Intouch and Keiser University have been in the building since 2014. It is one of more than 20 different campuses for the private college throughout Florida.

The facility was built in 1985 and is less than 7 miles from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. The property last sold in March 2017 for $13.8 million, according to a deed filed in Pinellas County.

It lies adjacent to Tri-City Plaza, a shopping plaza that includes Publix Super Markets Inc., Dollar Tree and Pizza Hut.