Ilona Antonova

Introduction

Who is Ilona Antonova and what does she specialize in?

Ilona Antonova is a licensed real estate broker and founder of Royal Empire Realty, specializing in the repositioning of retail assets, shopping malls, and large-format commercial properties across the United States. Her primary focus is on adaptive reuse, event-driven activation strategies, and the conversion of underperforming retail into mixed-use and data center infrastructure opportunities.

What types of properties and opportunities does she work with?

Ilona works with investors, developers, and operators on:

Shopping malls and retail centers (value-add & redevelopment)
Anchor boxes and large-format spaces (20,000–400,000+ SF)
Mixed-use repositioning opportunities
Adaptive reuse into data centers, edge computing, and digital infrastructure
Event-driven and experiential retail environments

From stabilized assets to underutilized properties, the focus is on unlocking hidden value through strategic repositioning.

How does she create value for clients?

Ilona takes a hands-on, strategy-first approach to every deal, combining:

Asset repositioning and redevelopment planning
Tenant mix strategy and leasing optimization
Event-driven traffic activation models
Adaptive reuse feasibility for data centers and infrastructure
Acquisition, disposition, and investment advisory

She works closely with clients from initial valuation and underwriting through due diligence and closing, ensuring each transaction is aligned with long-term asset performance and scalability.

What is her expertise in adaptive reuse and data centers?

Ilona specializes in identifying retail properties that can be transformed into:

Edge computing and last-mile data centers
Carrier-neutral and colocation facilities
Powered shell infrastructure for hyperscale or regional operators

By leveraging existing power capacity, location advantages, and building scale, she helps clients reduce time-to-market and development costs compared to ground-up construction.

What makes her approach different?
Focus on repositioning vs. traditional brokerage
Ability to connect retail real estate with modern demand drivers (AI, data, experiential use)
Access to national and international investor networks
Experience structuring creative, value-add transactions

She doesn’t just sell properties — she helps transform them into higher-performing assets.

Who does she work with?
Real estate investors & private equity groups
Developers & redevelopment specialists
Data center & infrastructure operators
Retail, entertainment, and experiential tenants
Business owners and multi-unit operators
What types of transactions has she represented?

Ilona has successfully represented sellers and buyers in:

Shopping malls and redevelopment sites
Automotive and service-based businesses
Cash-flowing operational companies
Large-format retail and mixed-use opportunities

Many opportunities include:

Seller financing
Value-add repositioning potential
Flexible lease structures
Development and redevelopment upside

Where does she operate?

Based in South Florida, Ilona works with clients nationwide, with a focus on markets where retail repositioning, adaptive reuse, and infrastructure demand are rapidly growing.

Co-Brokerage & Collaboration
Active on BizBuySell and commercial platforms
Open to partnerships with brokers representing qualified buyers