Grubb & Ellis Crafts $6M School Deal for Town

ORLANDO-Workstage LLC, a Grand Rapids, MI-based developer owned by the Gale Co. of Florham Park, NJ and Steelcase Inc. of Grand Rapids, is fast-tracking a $6 million, 43,000-sf charter school project for Oakland, FL, one of Orlando’s oldest suburbs with a permanent resident population of 936.

Frustrated by construction and funding requirements, the town turned to Grubb & Ellis Co. for a solution, says Richard Cooper, senior vice president in G&E’s Miami office. Cooper orchestrated the innovative public-private venture that will see the school erected in July, seven months after the deal was done.

“The town was having difficulty putting together the financing, development and management of the construction of its new school,” Cooper says. “Workstage was the perfect solution for them, because of their unique approach, financial market knowledge and quality product.”