NEW YORK CITY-In the past 10 years, Globest.com has reported ona host of mega-sized M&A deals. In a close race, Blackstone’s$36-billion purchase of Equity Office Properties in February 2007took the top spot. That deal scored 47% of respondents. Finishingclose behind were the Trammell Crow-CB Richard Ellis merger in 2006at 40% and the Staubach Co. merger with Jones Lang LaSalle in 2008at 35%.

In gauging the significance of the EOP/Blackstone transaction,one respondent simply called it “the bellwether deal.” Anotherrespondent praised “Samuel Zell. Amazing how Zell knows just theright time to max out his office investment.” However, anotherrespondent, while putting EOP/Blackstone at the top of his list,was critical of the result, calling it, “A quick dissolving of thebiggest portfolio of properties to insignificant status.”

While not near the size or scope of the EOP deal, last monthBlackstone Real Estate Advisors agreed to buy ProLogis’ industrialportfolio of 180 properties, minority interest in the Hilltop NewOrleans Riverside hotel and interest in three ProLogis propertyfunds for $1.02 billion.