Jeffrey Soffer hires another Turnberry alum to expand resi division

Jeffrey Soffer is on a roll. The former Turnberry Associates co-CEO has tapped Jim Cohen as president of his new company’s residential division.

Cohen was previously senior vice president of development sales for Fortune International Group, a role he had filled since the beginning of 2017. The development marketing executive spent the most time working for Turnberry Associates, where he oversaw all residential sales between 1994 and 2007, he said.

Fortune tapped Carmen Casadella to take over Cohen’s role. Edgardo Defortuna, founder and CEO of Fortune, wished Cohen well. “Prior to joining Fortune International Group, Jim Cohen spent much of his career with Turnberry Associates. When Jeff Soffer made him an offer to return to the firm, coming full-circle, it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up,” Defortuna said in a statement.

Soffer launched Fontainebleau Development in March after splitting up interests in Turnberry Associates with his sister, Jackie Soffer. He later hired Bruce Weiner, former CEO of Turnberry Limited, as chief operating officer of residential development for the new firm, Fontainebleau Development. Weiner and Cohen worked together under the Soffer family in the past.

“It’s almost like the original group getting back together again,” Cohen said.

At Fontainebleau Development, he’ll be involved in all pre-development projects the company is working on in South Florida and out of the state. Cohen will oversee all residential sales, including at the 154-unit Turnberry Ocean Club, a luxury condo tower in Sunny Isles Beach that’s expected to be completed next year.

Projects that have yet to be announced include luxury condo buildings and mid-market condos “to attract a different type of buyer,” he said.

“We’ve been through multiple cycles. We come from a great deal of experience,” Cohen said. “We understand when it’s time to start ramping up and we feel that time is coming on now.”