Real estate firms scoop up GVA brokers

John Madures is the latest GVA Advantis broker to find a new job with another local firm.

Divaris Real Estate hired Madures as a leasing and sales associate. Madures was most recently an associate director for GVA.

Some other former GVA brokers have found work with other real estate firms since the Richmond office went belly-up last month.

Late last week, Thalhimer announced that it had hired Matthew Braun to its industrial specialty group, and Charlie Polk is heading up a new local office of Jones, Lang, LaSalle.

Job-seeking brokers aren’t the only thing GVA has left in its wake. After weeks out of business, the company’s for-lease signs are still up all over town, and the website is still active although nobody is there to answer calls.

Retail vacancy continues to rise

There are more storefronts in Richmond than ever before; the problem is that more of them are also empty. Commercial real estate brokers say that could mean banks might soon start taking back some retail properties if tenants don’t start signing leases.

The metro area’s retail vacancy rate rose to 6.9 percent in the second quarter, up from 5.5 percent a year ago, according to Thalhimer’s recent market report. And that most recent figure is up from 6.2 percent in the first quarter of this year. Read more

The Pipeline: Commercial Real Estate Round Up for 7.3.09

Porter Realty reports South Atlantic Properties Inc. purchased the 22,800 square foot office/warehouse at 11046 Leadbetter Road in Hanover from TSC LLC for $1.2 million.

Pocoshock Commons LLC purchased the 5,500 square foot office/warehouse at 7729 Pocoshock Way in Chesterfield from AJS Holdings LLC for $383,000.

Metro Restaurant & Janitorial Supplies leased 6,000 square feet at 12101 Wilfong Court in Chesterfield.

Thalhimer reports Wolfgang’s Gym leased 11,500 square feet at 3517 Courthouse Road in Chesterfield.

Kitchen Crafters, Inc. leased 4,000 square feet at 9071 W. Broad St. in Henrico.

Ultimate Karate Academy, Inc. leased 4,000 square feet at 1115 Alverser Drive in Chesterfield.

Encore Dance Studio leased 3,200 square feet in Westchester Commons at Midlothian Turnpike and Route 288 in Chesterfield.

Kevin Harrison, D.O., P.C. leased 1,900 square feet at 9460 Amberleigh Drive in Chesterfield.

LivingWell Healthcare Cooperative, a healthcare program for businesses, leased 1,100 square feet at 4196-B Innslake Drive in Henrico.

CB Richard Ellis reports UPS Supply Chain Solutions leased 11,500 square feet at 1550-1590 E. Parham Road in Henrico.

Commonwealth Commercial reports Ciao of Carytown leased 2,000 square feet at 3031 W. Cary St. in Richmond.

Liberty Property reports Eco Granite and Marble leased 18,000 square feet at the Fairgrounds Distribution Center-Building C in Henrico.

Grubb and Ellis | Harrison and Bates reports Kincersnyder PC, a new law firm with a focus in civil litigation, leased 2,100 square feet at North Shore commons at 4991 Lake Brook Drive in Henrico.

Divaris reports Ross Dress for Less leased 25,000 square feet at Town Center Plaza on Midlothian Turnpike and Mall Road in Chesterfield.