DANBURY, CT-GE Capital Corp.'s Commercial Equipment Financing business has signed an agreement to acquire Scottsdale-AZ based Franchise Finance Corp. of America in a deal valued at $2.1 billion.

VALHALLA, NY-Governor George Pataki has named developer Mitchell Hochberg of Spectrum Skanska Inc. to the Board of Directors of the Westchester County Health Care Corp.

STAMFORD, CT-Barry F. Hersh, former vice president of the Brookhill Group, has been named associate director of the Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute of Baruch College of the City University of New York.

WHITE PLAINS-FMB reports that office vacancy rates in Westchester and Fairfield counties inched up slightly in the first quarter of this year, not as badly as reports of a slowdown might have led one to expect.

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY-Spurred by the significant economic turnaround that has taken place in Dutchess County in recent times, Emmes Asset Management plans to reposition an existing 288-unit complex into a luxury rental community.

ALBANY-State Senator Nicholas Spano says he expects competition from communities across the state to be fierce for state funding for biotech programs. Spano supports a Senate Resolution, earmarking $30 million in funding.

WHITE PLAINS-The average rental costs for two- and three-bedroom units in Westchester County skyrocketed last year, according to a report released by Westchester Residential Opportunities Inc., a not-for-profit housing organization.

WHITE PLAINS-The average rental costs for two- and three-bedroom units in Westchester County skyrocketed last year, according to a report released by Westchester Residential Opportunities Inc., a not-for-profit housing organization.