Greg Newman

When a large-scale South Florida construction deal needs a senior lender that can move fast and close cleanly, Greg Newman and Bank OZK are often the first call. 

Newman has spent decades building relationships across the region — with Miami and South Florida at large becoming Bank OZK’s largest market — allowing the firm to navigate a still-uneven capital markets scene, rising costs and a tighter equity environment. The regional portfolio includes condos and multifamily deals from Miami to West Palm Beach, and, over the past year, Newman’s real estate specialties group leaned further into low-
leverage construction loans.

In Sunny Isles Beach, Bank OZK increased construction debt to $418 million for Fortune International Group and Château Group’s St. Regis-branded oceanfront tower development — a project that has been underway since 2023 and, after a revised site plan, is now approved for up to 361 condos. 

In Coral Gables, the bank provided a $133 million construction loan for Allen Morris Companies’ Ponce Park, an 11-story, 58-unit luxury condo with ground-floor retail, which began construction in December and is slated for completion in early 2028. And, in Coconut Grove, Bank OZK backed a $323 million construction loan for CMC Group and Fort Partners’ Four Seasons Private Residences Coconut Grove — a 20-story, 70-unit project on South Bayshore Drive, with construction expected to run through mid-2028.

Bank OZK ended 2025 with $40.8 billion in assets. The firm reported fourth-quarter 2025 net income of nearly $172 million, and said its loans grew 7.8 percent and deposits grew 7.5 percent annually, driving record yearly net interest income of $1.59 billion.