MIAMI—After closing on its attention-getting acquisition of Abood Wood-Fay in December, Avison Young is leasing space for its new Miami team. Avison has leased space at 2020 Ponce, a luxury class A office and retail tower in Coral Gables.

Abood Wood-Fay, which was doing business as Colliers International South Florida before the acquisition, was the exclusive leasing agent for 2020 Ponce. Avison will take up space on the 12^th floor.

“I have had the pleasure of marketing this class A property for years,” says Donna Abood, principal of Avison. “The timing is perfect now, as our current lease is soon expiring, so we took advantage of the opportunity to make this move and house our Miami office in a building that reflects Miami and Coral Gables all at the same time, with a beautiful blending of Mediterranean and modernism design.”

Abood says the firm plans to use the balconies, which offer views of Downtown Miami, to entertain clients. She also pointed to the column-free, floor-plan inverted, large, open areas on the window line, where natural light beams into the workspace, as ideal for the team. She explains, “the incorporation of glass walls and a large, collaborative area for our brokers and staff make the shared space feel almost like a comfortable, inviting living room.”

Originally launched as a for-sale product in 2009, developer Florida East Coast Realty (FECR) has been leasing space at 2020 Ponce for several years. FECR recently announced plans to once again offer for-sale office and retail space there, as well as an exclusive opportunity for up to 50% developer financing. FECR will also continue to lease space at the building.

As for Abood and her team, they are ready to hit the ground running. “My partner, Michael Fay, and I genuinely know that this acquisition is bringing our firm and our team to a higher level,” Abood, who received Colliers' highest award bestowed the Tom Richardson Award in early November, tells GlobeSt.com. “The quality of the people at Avison Young is unmatched—principals who are considered heavy hitters and real leaders in our industry.”

This is a significant move for Avison in South Florida. The acquisition dramatically expands Avison's business-line coverage in the region and across the state. Abood and Fay are now principals of Avison and managing directors of the firm's Miami office.