Kimco Realty Corp. of New Hyde Park, NY, made its second substantial purchase on Boston's iconic retail strip this year, paying $11.6 million for 127-129 Newbury St., while an affiliate of Horizon Associates spent $3.8 million for 329 Newbury St. Kimco officials refused comment on the latest acquisition. The firm in June secured 111-115 Newbury St. for $14 million.

Kimco is not the only company doing repeat business on Newbury St. The most prolific buyer has been Taurus Investments, a Boston-based company now operating on a global scale but intensely focused on Newbury St. Backed primarily by $150 million from Anglo Irish Bank Corp., Taurus has already acquired 22 assets on the thoroughfare this year. In an interview this week, Taurus president Peter Merrigan tells GlobeSt.com that the eclectic mile of shopping carries an international allure that makes even skittish Irish investors confident of the shopping destination's resiliency. "As a long-term location, it can't be beat," says Merrigan, adding that Taurus continues to chase opportunities there as they arise.

Considering the hyperactive year, it might seem there is nothing left to pursue, but the makeup of Newbury St. does offer a higher number of individual properties than found in most urban settings. A review by GlobeSt.com shows that more than three dozen assets have already sold this year for more than $1 million each, with the bulk trading between $5 million and $10 million. A few, 201 Newbury St. and a 45,000-sf retail condo at 360 Newbury St., have surpassed $40 million, with the condo acquired by a Spanish investor for nearly $50 million, but small- and medium-sized sales have been the norm.

The past three months have shown little in the way of any decline, as nearly $40 million in deals have been consummated since a Debt & Equity Journal article on August 27th tallied more than $150 million in transactions YTD on the street. Taurus has added four buildings since then for another $18.5 million of properties.

Paralleling Newbury St. between the Boston Public Garden and Kenmore Sq., Boylston St. has also seen numerous properties change hands in 2007. The latest at 867 Boylston St. is a boutique building directly across from the Prudential Center complex. Sources say an affiliate of Kensington Investments has the six-story, 29,000-sf building under agreement after a robust competition. The asset is being marketed by CB Richard Ellis/New England, but efforts to contact brokers and Kensington officials by press deadline were unsuccessful. It is unclear what the building will sell for, having been put on the block minus an asking price. According to city officials, 867 Boylston St. is assessed at $7.1 million.

Industry observers maintain 867 Boylston St. will sell well above the assessed value due to its location and the booming Back Bay office market, which has emerged as the priciest in the city, even topping the Financial District. According to marketing materials produced by CBRE, 867 Boylston St. has "unlimited potential for redevelopment." Besides having Newbury St. around the corner, CBRE touts the arrival of national brands to Boylston St., including Apple, which is opening a flagship store on the same block.