Feb 19, 2015

Kidder Mathews hires 4 in San Diego

Benson

Brown

Duncan

Morera

Kidder Mathews had added four more brokers in San Diego. Mickey Morera, James Duncan and Jeff Brown all specialize in sales and leasing for industrial and research and development properties. Jim Benson focuses on industrial properties. Morera, Duncan and Brown all come from Cushman & Wakefield, and Benson was last with Cassidy Turley/DTZ. Kidder Mathews' San Diego office now has eight brokers, and also manages 800,000 square feet of biotech space in La Jolla. Kidder Mathews has 450 employees in 10 offices in Washington, Oregon and California.

This year's challenge: Rainier Malt House

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Students from the University of Washington and University of British Columbia will tackle redeveloping the original Rainier brewery's Malt House in Georgetown for NAIOP's 2015 Real Estate Challenge.

They will present their proposals at a breakfast event at 7:30 a.m. March 11 at Sheraton Seattle Hotel.

For more information, or to register, visit: http://bit.ly/1zOquCP

Purchase and sales seminar April 1-2

Law Seminars International will hold its 21st annual Advanced Commercial Real Estate Purchase & Sales seminar April 1 and 2 at the Washington State Convention Center. The two-day event will cover market conditions, escrow and closing logistics, litigation, appraisals, financing and negotiations. Co-chairs are Jennifer D. Cobb of Jameson Babbitt Stites & Lombard and Scott B. Osborne of Foster Pepper. For more information, or to register, visit: http://bit.ly/1znVtqi

Feb 12, 2015

Eskenazy heads Merrill Gardens

Eskenazy

Merrill Gardens named David Eskenazy its new president, replacing Tana Gall, who left earlier this year to pursue other interests. Eskenazy last worked as chief financial officer at Aegis Living, and has more than 25 years of experience. He spent nine years as chief operating officer for R.C. Hedreen Co. Eskenazy is on the board of Outerwall, which operates Coinstar, Redbox and ecoATM kiosks. Seattle-based Merrill Gardens has 31 assisted-living communities in five states.

DeBrock to lead HFC division

DeBrock

Washington State Housing Finance Commission promoted Lisa DeBrock to lead the homeownership division. DeBrock has been a manager in the division since 1999. She replaces Dee Taylor, who retired in December. Before coming to the commission, DeBrock worked in the public and private sectors on mortgage banking and housing counseling. The division annually oversees more than $800 million in loans and down payment assistance.

New brand for Red Lion: Hotel RL

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Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels Corp. said its Olympia hotel will be renovated and converted to a new upscale brand: Hotel RL. Work on the hotel at 2300 Evergreen Park Dr. S.W. will begin in March and finish in December. The new brand is designed to offer a “town square” that caters to visitors and locals. Lobbies will have seating with morning coffee service and evening cocktails, and rooms will have wood floors and flat-screen TVs. Red Lion also is converting hotels in Spokane and Salt Lake City to the new brand.