Boston, Spring and Summer, 2020, BPDA engaged Auburndale Realty Co. to conduct a limited highest and best use analysis and investment valuation of various properties held in Boston. The properties were commercial in nature with many facet components to its highest and best use valuation that were challenging.
Real estate webinars on the impact of CV19 on the future of commercial real estate
Boston University Spring, 2020 Webinars, Rob Nahigian, BU instructor and Jon Keefe, Director of the BU Real Estate Program co-developed and co-moderated 7 real estate webinars on the impact of CV19 on the future of commercial real estate. The webinars were 45 minutes to 1 hour a piece that included a number of key speakers. The webinars ran, April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 21, June 4 and June 18. Guest speakers included: Sarah Abrams, Darryl Fess, Mark Marguiles, Mike Price, Brian Golden, Richard Henderson, Jim Terrell, Suzanne LeBlanc, Greg Vasil, Doug Poutasse, Jim Martin, Greg Hofstetter, Tom Perreira. Speakers were from the firms: BPDA, Davis Co., Iron Mountain, Brookline Bank, MBTA, BentalKennedy, GBREB, Duff & Phelps, etc.
Continuing education for real estate salespeople and brokers in Massachusetts.
Boston- July, 2019, The Massachusetts Real Estate Licensing Commission has reappointed Rob Nahigian to its MA RE Licensing Education Subcommittee. The Subcommittee reviews and approves courses required for continuing education for real estate salespersons and brokers in Massachusetts. Each licensee is required to fulfill 12 hours of CE education to maintain a license. Rob has served on the subcommittee for many years and has developed over 44 of the commercial CE courses.
Real estate consultants have appointed Rob Nahigian as national co-chair of the Working Together team.
Chicago, July, 2019, The Counselors of Real Estate has appointed Rob Nahigian as its National Co-Chair of the Working Together Task Force. The Task Force will identify opportunities for doing business together that are measurable benefit of membership and add value to the CRE credential.
Received the 2019 James Felt Award for Creative Consulting from The Counsellors of Real Estate
(Chicago, IL) May 1, 2019—Rob Nahigian, CRE, Principal of Auburndale Realty Company in Newton, MA and Robert Cleary, Jr., CRE, senior vice president of Colliers International in Boston have earned the 2019 James Felt Award for Creative Counseling from The Counselors of Real Estate®. The award celebrates outstanding achievement and ingenuity in real estate counseling by a member of the CRE organization and was presented April 29 in Chicago.The pair was recognized for its site selection, development, lease analysis, and adaptive reuse work in converting a World War II-era U.S. Army ammunition building in Boston’s Seaport District into the new design, fabrication, and manufacturing facility for JC Cannistraro, LLC. The company consolidated operations from Wilmington, Stoughton, and Watertown, MA, into the 320,000 square-foot Art Deco building, relocating existing employees and anticipating growth to total up to 400 jobs in the popular burgeoning development district.Cleary and Nahigian were retained as real estate advisors by Cannistraro in 2014, initially performing a lease audit of Cannistraro’s existing locations, as well as an analysis of relocation sites for a potential consolidation of the company’s multiple office, manufacturing, and warehouse locations. Real estate options included (1) purchasing 10-15 acres of land for the development of new office and manufacturing space of approximately 200,000 square feet; (2) buying an existing commercial building of 150,000-200,000 square feet and renovating it to Cannistraro’s specifications; (3) purchasing an existing facility that could accommodate expansion plans; and (4) leasing a suitable property. Cleary and Nahigian researched more than 100 locations before conducting financial feasibility assessments for several select sites and presenting recommendations.The pair’s four-year corporate advisory assignment resulted in Cannistraro, a manufacturer of plumbing, HVAC, sheet metal, and fire protection systems, signing a 50-year lease valued in excess of $25 million, with two additional 10-year options for a 70-year control period. Significant additional capital was invested in the full historic renovation of the nearly 80-year-old property, which is owned by the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, a unit of the Boston Planning and Development Agency.“This relationship with the Cannistraro family goes back several decades, and when we identified real estate as a means to bring operational efficiencies to the growing business, the leadership was very excited about the prospect,” said Cleary. “In partnering with Rob Nahigian, we presented a highly knowledgeable and experienced advisory team. It was a demanding process and review, but Cannistraro had the imagination, capacity and capability to realize a truly amazing accomplishment.”The award honors the memory of James “Jack” Felt, CRE, a prominent real estate pioneer, founding father of The Counselors of Real Estate, former chairman of the New York City Planning Commission, and a trustee on many well-known corporate and charitable boards.
Discussing logistics, supply chain and intermodal
Finally, Tom Hill, radio host on WATR in Waterbury, CT had Rob has a guest speaker on his business show, Friday, November 16, 2018. The two of them discussed logistics and supply chain, intermodal, consumer costs, transportation and ports and new trends on “click and pick.”
Teaching Synergistic Sales Skills in Atlanta for the SIOR National Classification Class on Synergistic Sales Skills
As a SIOR faculty member, Rob taught Synergistic Sales Skills on November 14 in Atlanta for the SIOR National Designation class on Synergistic Sales Skills. Approximately 21 real estate brokers were in attendance to fulfill their SIOR designation requirements.
Speaking of Supply Chain and Logistics, From Shanghai to Your Shelf
On November 9th, Rob was invited to speak at the SIOR Northeast Regional Event in New York City on November 9. Over 5 SIOR chapters were part of this collaboration including New England, Connecticut, NY, NY, PA and NJ. Approximately 150 attendees were part of this two day program. The main event was held at the Bank of America Global headquarters near Bryant Park. Rob spoke on logistics and supply chain, From Shanghai to Your Shelf. He had recently visited and toured the Savannah Port with the GA Port Authority and shared his experience as it relates to other port advantages and disadvantages.
Essentials of Negotiation at the NAR Commercial Learning Theatre.
Rob was then invited as a national speaker on November 5, 2018 at the NAR National Convention at the Commercial Division in Boston. Rob spoke on negotiating basics at the NAR Commercial Learning Theater. Over 6,000 people attended the NAR national convention.
Business Transactions and Negotiation
MA NAIOP asked Rob to speak on business transactions and negotiating at its regional event on October 19 at AllSteel, 200 State Street, Boston. Approximately 25 real estate brokers, architects, lawyers, engineers, contractors and developers were in attendance.