BURLINGTON, MA-Boston Federal Savings Bank is acquiring seven local offices from Houston-based Encore Bank. Boston Federal and Broadway National Bank are owned by BostonFed Bancorp Inc. The two banks have 11 branch offices in the Greater Boston area.

CAMBRIDGE, MA-Architectural firms interested in designing Spaulding & Slye Colliers' proposed 45-acre mixed-use complex submitted 100 plans for the project, which will reportedly cost over $1 billion.

BOSTON-In the largest downtown lease this quarter, Nixon Peabody is leasing 167,000 sf of office space at 100 Summer St. The law firm recently acquired Hutchins, Wheeler and Dittmar and both firms are moving from 101 Federal St.

BOSTON-Habitat for Humanity of Greater Boston makes a proposal to the Boston Redevelopment Authority to build Arrowhead Habitat Homes, a 22-unit affordable housing project with mixed-use commercial space that will be located on Blue Hill Avenue in Dorchester.

BOSTON-Legislation that would enable municipalities to use bond financing to fund infrastructure projects has passed both the House and the Senate and is currently in committee. NAIOP is confident it will pass.

BOSTON-The developers of the Columbus Center project, the controversial $400 million, 990,000-sf project, have agreed to slice three stories off one of their residential buildings and increase the affordable housing percentage.

BOSTON-The McGraw-Hill Cos. is staying at 711 Atlantic Ave. The global information services provider renewed its lease for 13,500 sf through June 2008.

WALTHAM, MA-Broadview International signs a six-year lease for 11,941 sf of office space at 1050 Winter St. in the Bay Colony Corporate Center. The mergers and acquisitions advisor will use the space as its headquarters location.