MILWAUKEE, WI-Locally based international investment bank gives itself an instant presence within the real estate investment trust industry by hiring REIT specialists Mark Decker Sr., Mark Decker Jr. and David Raff away Ferris, Baker Watts Inc., an investment bank based in Washington, DC.

CLEVELAND-Locally headquartered Developers Diversified Realty pays $500 million for 31 properties totaling 5.2 million sf while its Australian listed property trust pays $538 million for an interest in 12 shopping centers totaling 5.7 million sf.

PORTLAND-The general contractor from Tigard acquires a building here on Barbur Boulevard as its new headquarters. The seller, Kurisu International Inc., is in a temporary location on Capitol Highway while it plans a new headquarters for itself as well.

KENT, WA-Tarragon Development in late June will close on its acquisition of 10 acres in the heart of the city and then immediately begin construction for the first phase of the Kent Station mixed-use project on the site of the former Borden Chemical plant.

SACRAMENTO-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's call for a review of the state's real estate assets, including high-value urban properties that might be sold, sparks words of advice from investors, public-private real estate developers and advisors.

LEBANON, IN-The lease commitment here allows Duke Realty Corp. to launch construction of a 650,000-sf building. Completion is scheduled for October.

NASHVILLE, TN-The retail and residential project will start this fall, with the first completions scheduled for late 2005. The developers are Bethesda, MD-based BOS Group, Houston-based Transwestern Commercial Services and Nashville Urban Venture LLC.

SACRAMENTO-Saying the process for managing hundreds of billions worth of state-owned assets is "deficient," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issues an executive order calling for a thorough accounting of the state's real estate assets, including high-value urban properties that might be sold, as well as a review of the management process in general.