COSTA MESA, CA-ABRA Investments, an investment company owned by Art Birtcher and Bob Anderson of Laguna Niguel-based Birtcher Anderson Properties, acquires the 236,183-sf class A office building from Amstar Group Ltd. for $41.3 million. The property is on a ground lease.

LOS ANGELES-Henry Finkelstein is named to chair the 30-attorney real estate department of L.A.-based law firm Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman Machtinger and Kinsella.

CANOGA PARK, CA-A Southern California investment group acquires the 139-unit Northwood Hills Apartments from a Los Angeles-based investor for nearly $10.5 million, according to Marcus &amp; Millichap.<p>

ORANGE COUNTY-A flurry of leasing in the county reflects the generally upbeat outlook expressed by top CBRE retail specialists in a recent report on current trends and future expectations here and in the rest of Southern California.

LOS ANGELES-For the 10th straight year, the Kosmont Cos. ranks cities on their cost of doing business, in collaboration with the Rose Institute at Claremont McKenna College. The survey shows where doing business is least and most expensive.

ORANGE, CA-The properties include a $5.4 million strip retail center here, a $2 million center in Fountain Valley and a $1.9 million property in Walnut.

WEST LOS ANGELES, CA-A creative office here commands $2 million in a 1031 exchange, and a 6,500-sf office property in Woodland Hills brings $1.6 million.

LOS ANGELES-Conan Cotrell joins the company as SVP of marketing and leasing, making him the top leasing exec for the REIT's 3.6-million-sf L.A. portfolio. He formerly was with Summit Commercial in El Segundo.