CBRE vet closes 500,000 s/f in deals during 2005.

CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) has announced that CBRE First Vice President Gregory H. Barkan closed 500,000 s/f of office leasing transactions in New Jersey in 2005.

Barkan, a ten-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry, was recently promoted to first vice president and is based in CBRE's Saddle Brook office.

Some of his largest transactions in 2005 include:

* A 93,000 s/f lease on behalf of CB Richard Ellis Investors Strategic Partners to Aegis Insurance at Metropolitan Center, a 420,000 s/f trophy office tower in East Rutherford, N.J. He also handled a 31,000 s/f lease extension to The MWW Group at the property. Barkan negotiated the transactions along with CBRE team members Kevin Welsh, senior vice president; Patrick Murphy, executive managing director; and Remy de Varenne, senior vice president.

* A 34,000 s/f lease extension on behalf of KBS Realty Advisors to RBC Dain Rauscher at 25A Hanover Road in Florham Park, N.J. Barkan, along with CBRE Senior Vice President Don Sperling, handled the deal."

Barkan has been with CB Richard Ellis since 1996 and has closed over $550 million in lease and sale transactions. His extensive experience includes representing institutional owners, regional developers and Fortune 500 companies in the leasing, acquisition and disposition of their properties. Prior to joining CB Richard Ellis, Barkan worked at his family-owned MAI appraisal firm. Barkan recently completed his M.B.A. in finance at NYU.