Terra takes over May's Brooklyn operations.

Two weeks after the Corcoran Group announced its acquisition of Citi Habitats, Terra Holdings, another of New York's residential giants, has bought the remainder of William B. May Company's Brooklyn operations.

The transaction highlights what has been an increasing trend among residential super-brokers to buy up smaller operators and make them part of their brand.

Terra Holdings started its take-over earlier this year, when it bought a 50% stake in William B. May's Brooklyn operations and a 20% stake in its Manhattan operations.

In this week's transaction, Terra Holdings offered Peter Marra, William B. May's former president, the 20% Manhattan stake in exchange for the remaining 50% of his company's Brooklyn operations.

"Brooklyn is an exciting area of growth today and William B. May represented the highest quality residential brokerage office in that area," said David A. Burris, co-chairman of Terra Holdings.

"The existing infrastructure of Brown Harris Stevens [Terra Holdings-owned residential firm] and the experience of William B. May brokers provided a natural marriage. They were our first and only choice."

Roberta Benzilio, president of William B. May, said, "The desirability of our Brooklyn offices as an acquisition target for Terra Holdings demonstrates the high value that William B. May has been able to create during the 21 years we have spent growing these quintessentially local businesses."

Though there will be some natural adjustments as William B. May begins operating under its new Brown Harris Stevens banner--"We expect them to be incorporated into our infrastructure, particularly when it comes to marketing and computer processing," Buris noted,--most of its management will remain in place. Christopher Thomas, who has served as president of William B. May Brooklyn, will join the Brown Harris Stevens team as executive vice president in the residential sales division and head of its new Brooklyn offices.

Maryanne Albano will remain as senior vice president of the Brooklyn division.

"I am excited to be working under the prestigious Brown Harris Stevens name and look forward to making Brown Harris Stevens Brooklyn the premier residential brokerage office serving Brooklyn's landmark neighborhoods," said Christopher Thomas in an official statement.

A player in New York's residential real estate market since 1860, William B. May has two offices in Brooklyn--one in Park Slope and one in Brooklyn Heights. The company currently employs 45 brokers in the borough.

As for Terra Holdings, Buris said it has expansion plans for its Brooklyn operations.

"We are looking to expand our existing franchise into other areas of [the borough] where we don't have offices, particularly in Williamsburg, Fort Greene and several other neighborhoods," he noted.