Jul 28, 2016

Cushman & Wakefield/Commerce

Cushman & Wakefield/Commerce hired Evan Cohn as associate broker. He joins the Seattle investment capital market team led by veterans Gary Danklefsen and Gordon Ahalt, who have done deals worth $5 billion. A Northwest native with a sales background outside real estate, Cohn will now focus on the commercial office market, where owners are looking to finance for upgrades and possible sales.

NAIOP Sept. 21 event: Tale of Two Cities

NAIOP's Sept. 21 breakfast will look at what shapes the real estate landscape of cities across the country. Speakers are Mark Flemming, chief economist with First American and a guest on CBS, Fox News, CNBC and NPR talking about mortgages and property issues; and Linda Isaacson, director of business intelligence with First American, who leads the firm's initiatives and analytics. It starts at 7 a.m. at Four Seasons Seattle. Information is at http://www.naiop.org.

NAIOP community enhancement Sept. 24

This year's NAIOP community enhancement project will be Saturday, Sept. 24, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a high school in Burien called New Start. NAIOP said in a press release that students at New Start High School are pursuing an education even though their life circumstances make it a significant challenge. New Start teachers and staff provide support to help them succeed. The Salmon Creek Campus had been an elementary school before it reopened for the high school. The school was dilapidated and built for small children, and has not been remodeled, with broken walkways, chipped paint, deteriorating wood and a confusing entry. NAIOP said the project will give students pride in the school and create a comfortable and welcoming environment. NAIOP is seeking financial donations and volunteers. Information is at http://www.naiop.org.

Jul 21, 2016

Van Ness Feldman

Krebs

Van Ness Feldman hired Josh Krebs as an associate in the real estate practice group, handling transactional matters for purchasers, sellers, developers, landlords, tenants and lenders. He negotiates purchase and sale agreements, leases, and other agreements, and counsels clients on residential and commercial property.

CREW South Sound wine tasting

CREW is holding its First Annual South Sound Wine Tasting on Thursday, July 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Tacoma Yacht Club, 5401 N. Waterfront Dr. in Tacoma. Members cost $25 and non-members are $35. Walk-ins (member or non-member) are $40. Information is available from office@crewseattle.org, http://www.crewseattle.org or by calling (206) 417-5580.

Kennedy Wilson buys Auburn apartments

The real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson said it purchased a 430-unit property in Auburn for $81 million. The company invested $19 million and secured a 10-year loan of $62.6 million through Freddie Mac at a fixed-rate of 3.63 percent to acquire Belara at Lakeland. It was built in 2006 on a 40-acre site in Lakeland Hills, a master-planned community, with a clubhouse, fitness center, outdoor pool and playground. The firm has an office in Seattle and is based in Beverly Hills, California.

City honors Bill Hobson

A section of Eastlake Avenue between Denny Way and Court Place has been re-named for Bill Hobson, the former executive director of DESC who died earlier this year. Hobson was the driving force behind 1811 Eastlake, an innovative project that houses 75 men and women with chronic alcohol addiction. It was controversial initially but has become a national model and has won multiple awards. The building has a new address: 1811 Bill Hobson Way. DESC provides permanent supportive housing to more than 1,200 tenants.

ULI Vancouver conference starts Friday

Urban Land Institute's Young Leaders Group Cascadia Regional Conference starts Friday in Vancouver with experts from across the region addressing current issues in development, urban design, planning and finance. The keynote speaker is Mark Gilbreath, founder and CEO of LiquidSpace and there will be a panel discussion about 21st Century Cascadia with Gabriel Grant, principal at Spectrum Development Solutions, on the panel. Tours include Vancouver's central business district, densification in the Cambie Corridor and a look at retrofitting suburbia with transit oriented development. The agenda and registration is at http://britishcolumbia.uli.org.