Luxury Florida homebuilder files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Veronika Bondarenko
Fri, December 5, 2025 at 1:33 PM EST
3 min read
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In the final months of 2025, a number of companies overseeing various hotels and resorts have filed for bankruptcy in different parks of the U.S. and the world.
The company behind Tuscany and Hotel 27 in NYC shut down abruptly in September 2025 while château-style Oheka Castle hotel in Long Island is also currently under Chapter 11 protection with debts of over $60 million.
In Canada, a judge in Québec assigned accounting firm PwC to take over the sale of the Fairmont-operated log resort Château Montebello. Owner China Evergrande Group had been ordered to sell after running up more than $300 billion in debts on it, along with other properties.
Phil Kean Designs files for bankruptcy protection in Florida court
Along with hotels, companies specializing in luxury construction and architecture have also experienced economic difficulty. At the end of November, Florida-based Phil Kean Designs Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Florida under Subchapter V for small business operators seeking to remain operational.
As first reported by local outlet What Now based on court documents filed on Pacer, the homebuilding company, based in the wealthy Winter Park suburb of Orlando, had run up more than $1 million in liabilities to different creditors, while struggling to bring in the clients to make a dent on the debt. It also reported $400,000 in assets.
Related: Iconic Fairmont hotel owner files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
On its website, Phil Kean Designs describes itself as a company that specializes in "design and construction of architecturally distinctive spaces" with signature "walls of glass that open to extensive indoor/outdoor living spaces."
The firm, founded by Phil Kean himself in 2002, constructs full homes and oversees renovation and design of individual spaces such as kitchens, living rooms, and outdoor space. It is well-known in the Florida luxury design world and as a company specializing in environmentally friendly building practices.
Orlando-based attorney Daniel A. Velasquez will represent Phil Kean Designs in the bankruptcy proceedings; the next step is for the company to submit its restructuring plan by February 23, 2026, as requested by the court.
These other design firms filed for bankruptcy this year
According to the court documents, Phil Kean Designs will continue to operate as usual by working on ongoing projects and taking on new clients throughout the bankruptcy process. The company has not publicly commented on the bankruptcy beyond intent to restructure.
Story Continues
A few other design firms to file for bankruptcy in the second half of 2025 include the Palm Beach-based D&D Design Group. With over $1 million in debts, the 35-year-old company specializing in luxury homes requested court permission to liquidate with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in August 2025.
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A month earlier in July, IG Design Group Americas filed for Chapter 11 protection in the Southern District of Texas, Business Wire reported. It faced similar problems of "navigating a challenging operating landscape for several years, compounded by the loss of a major customer."
Midwestern architecture giant GH+A Design Studio also filed for protection for its Detroit studio in September 2025, according to Crain's Detroit Business.
Related: A popular national park is shutting down every one of its hotels
This story was originally published by TheStreet on Dec 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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