All of the changes become effective January 1, 2001.

"This shift will allow us to further leverage our resources inNew York and to further develop our city-based businessinitiatives," Swerdlow says. "This shift is a recognition of NewYork City as a huge driver of business for us and for ourcompetitors." The shift in title and headquarter designations willprovide Swerdlow with, as he phrased it, "a seat at the table" inthe company's national and international forums.

CB Richard Ellis actually has two offices currently inManhattan, as well as one on Long Island, but it is the 560Lexington Ave. address that will become HQ. Swerdlow explained thatwhile there are two different groups at each of the Manhattanoffices, they are interrelated and all report to him, as they havesince 1995. (There was a third office Downtown, but it has beenconsolidated into the existing two offices.)