The 43rd Annual Winter’s Evening Dinner was held on December 8th at The Grand Hyatt
and raised over $1.5 million for The Robert and Anne Ivanhoe Fund for the Research and Care of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Immune-Related Diseases.

Developers have a chance to bid on a lease for 9,600 s/f waterfront site on the northern edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where up to 130 residential units could be built, according to a request for proposals issued by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation.

“The park has drawn thousands of people to the Brooklyn waterfront and is firmly established as one of the most vibrant public places in New York,” the RFP says. “The site will be an exciting addition to a waterfront that attracts residents and visitors seeking remarkable views and world-class park amenities.”

A New York City non-profit that branched out into development ten years ago is once again adding to its repertoire — with education.

With help from a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Fortune Society recently began offering men and women with criminal histories hands-on training for green jobs in its environmentally friendly Harlem building.

“For our clients, they come with so much stigma it’s hard to get them through the door to get looked at,” said Joanne Page, Fortune’s CEO. “We want to give them an edge, and green training is a great way to do that.”

Warburg Realty Partnership held its annual awards ceremony during the firm’s holiday gathering at Dylan’s Candy Bar in Manhattan.

Frederick W. Peters, president of Warburg Realty, presented awards to agents based on merit and performance demonstrated throughout the year.

Why would Joseph Daniel Kasman, a highly respected real estate professional who has relationships with the leaders in CRE in the tri-state area and beyond, join TICKETECH, a Queens-based company that creates and implements the cutting edge software programs used in the great majority of NYC’s parking garages?

RKF, in conjunction with The Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group, has completed the $139 million sale of a 53,260 s/f primarily retail portfolio in South Beach.

DHA Capital, the recently-formed development and investment firm with a $250 million purse, has bought a Hell’s Kitchen development site for $50 million.

The company, founded by veteran New York developer Dan Hollander, partnered with USAA Real Estate Company and Crimson Real Estate Fund to purchase 546 West 44th Street from Pasha Group.

By Sarah Trefethen

Investment sales brokers have been busier than Santa’s elves this holiday season, as investors hustle to close deals before incurring increased federal capital gains taxes in the new year.

“It’s insanely busy right now,” said Adelaide Polsinelli of Eastern Consolidated. “I have piles of paper on my desk – I wish I had time to get to all these deals.”

Some deals are moving from contract to closing in under a week, she said, and lawyers, bankers and appraisers are all working around the clock to accommodate the accelerated schedule.

By Orlando Lee Rodriguez

As it was nationally, 2012 turned out to be a year of strong sales growth in New York City, especially in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn.

The sale of a portion of North America’s tallest residential tower has placed the value of the building at $1.05 billion.

TIAA-CREF, a financial services provider, has purchased 49 percent of the residential portion of New York by Gehry, the 76-story, 898-unit tower at 8 Spruce St., which opened in lower Manhattan’s hot residential market in 2011.

The original partners, Forest City Ratner Companies and NREA, are retaining 26 and 25 percent stakes respectively.