Jun 29, 2000

LISC merger creates Impact Capital

Two non-profit groups that focus on funding for affordable housing projects have merged. The Puget Sound Local Initiatives Support Corp. teamed with the Washington Community Development Loan Fund to become Impact Capital. LISC's executive director, Tom Lattimore, became Impact's head. Washington Community's executive director, Alice Shobe, became Impact's deputy director.

Impact starts off with a newly formed $20 million Washington Community Investment Fund set up to help non-profit housing developers buy land quickly, build out commercial space and keep their projects moving. Public and private sources have so far put up $16 million for the new fund. Participants in the fund include Washington Mutual Savings Bank, the state Housing Finance Commission, the city of Seattle's Office of Housing and several banks: Northern Trust, Key, U.S. and Wells Fargo.

The fund "will be a bridge to create more affordable housing in the state," said WaMu executive Bob Flowers. "It provides financing that is not currently available."

Kidder Mathews & Segner

Linn Larsenhas become an industrial investment broker in Tacoma for Kidder Mathews & Segner. Larsen has 26 years of commercial real estate experience, mostly with his own firm. He recently served as president of the Washington chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors.

National Mortgage

Andrew Goodstein has been promoted to vice president in the Bellevue office of National Mortgage Co. Goodstein works in loan production.

Dupre+Scott

Patty Dupre was elected chair of the non-profit Central Puget Sound Real Estate Research Committee. Dupre, a principal in the Seattle-based apartment market research firm of Dupre+Scott, replaces Washington Federal Savings Executive Vice President Charles Richmond, who chaired the committee since 1995. The 51-year-old committee provides information on commercial and residential real estate trends via the twice-yearly Central Puget Sound Real Estate Research Report. Experts from a variety of disciplines head 15 specialized subcommittees that generate data for the reports. Dupre has been active with the committee since 1984.

"The committee pioneered the now-popular concept of open access to market information," Dupre said. The long-term health of real estate markets, which affect the entire economy, depend on "timely and reliable market information," she said.

ReFlex Communications

Seattle-based broad-band company ReFlex Communications landed a deal with Essex Property Trust to provide high-speed Internet access to the California REIT's 72 apartment complexes. "The agreement allows us to highlight our network quality and capacity, while rapidly continuing our build-out," said ReFlex President Jim Miller Jr. Reflex says it can install the connections with no disruption to renters. Essex's 72 complexes, totalling 15,804 apartments, range up the West Coast from Southern California to Seattle. Essex has another 1,044 apartments in development. ReFlex says it offers a hybrid wireless-fiber optic path that links directly into fiber optic networks, bypassing local Internet choke points.

Jun 26, 2000

Riddell Williams

Duncan Manville and Scott Yasui have joined the Seattle law firm of Riddell Williams as associates. Manville joined the firm's litigation practice. Yasui concentrates his practice on real estate, including corporate counseling, financing, development, architecture, construction and property management.

Jun 22, 2000

Tarragon Development

Dennis Rattie has joined Tarragon Development as development manager for mixed-use projects. Rattie was director of development and construction for Alterra Healthcare Corp., where we worked for 12 years. At Tarragon his first responsibility will be completion of the grocery-anchored Lakeland Town Center in Auburn. He'll also work on Tarragon's planned project in downtown Seattle's Belltown area and a retail complex planned for Bonney Lake.

Chiles & Co.

GayLynn Beighton of Seattle-based Chiles & Co. was named broker of the year by the Washington Chapter of the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors. Beighton leads Chiles & Co.'s Snohomish County activities and serves as a director of the Commercial Brokers Association. The institute also gave a lifetime achievement award to Palmer Berge, who helped form the local chapter.

CREW topic: what fast-groing firms want

Jane Blair of CB Richard Ellis and Julie Benezet of Amazon.com will take the speaker's podium at the next Commercial Real Estate Women monthly luncheon. The two will discuss what fast-growing companies want, where lease rates may go and what landlords want (outside of the obvious). Blair is a CB vice president and broker. Benezet is Amazon.com's director of global real estate and facilities. The event will be Thursday, July 13, at noon in the Washington Athletic Club's Crystal Room. For reservations or information, call (206) 361-6859.