Irvine, Orange County, California, August 16, 2025
News Summary
CBRE has bolstered its Orange County presence with the appointment of Mark Damiani to its National Retail Partners team and the relocation of more than 400 employees to a new 52,749 sq. ft. Workplace360 office in The Boardwalk, Irvine. The move highlights hybrid-work design with collaborative rooms, enhanced video conferencing and regional artwork. Several other senior hires were announced across Parkview Financial, Buchalter, The Ardent Cos. and HLCI, while CBRE reported recent regional transactions including office sales in Orange and a Class A building trade in Irvine. The activity signals continued institutional interest and office repositioning in the market.
CBRE expands Orange County leadership and workspace as multiple firms announce senior hires
CBRE has added a senior retail investment executive in Orange County and opened a new, large Workplace360 office in Irvine as the market sees several notable senior hires across finance, law and property investment firms. The new CBRE office occupies roughly 52,749 square feet across twin towers at The Boardwalk and the firm also reported several regional property sales handled by its teams.
Top line: people, place and deals
The most immediate personnel move is the addition of Mark Damiani to CBRE’s National Retail Partners team as an executive vice president based in Irvine. Damiani will focus on institutional sales of retail properties in the Western United States and brings nearly two decades of industry experience and a transaction history exceeding 150 deals and $30 billion in value. CBRE’s National Retail Partners team has cumulatively handled more than $57 billion in investment sales across more than 2,400 transactions, totaling over 336 million square feet.
In parallel with that hire, CBRE relocated its Orange County operations into a new Workplace360 suite at The Boardwalk in Irvine. The office spans the sixth floor area across north and south towers, linked by an outdoor bridge with seating and Wi‑Fi, and houses more than 400 local employees. The buildout emphasizes hybrid-work technology, plentiful collaborative spaces, enhanced video conferencing and themed conference rooms. The Boardwalk development is by Trammell Crow Company, which will also occupy part of the CBRE suite.
Recent regional transactions
CBRE teams were active on sales in Orange County and Irvine. A 90,191‑square‑foot office at 725 West Town and Country Road in Orange sold for $15.45 million; CBRE represented the seller in a process that attracted diverse buyer interest because of flexible positioning for ownership, investment or potential residential redevelopment under a unique zoning overlay. In Irvine, a 310,925‑square‑foot Class A office tower at 2600 Michelson Drive traded for $42 million, with Southern California buyer Gaines Investment Trust acquiring the property. That asset had been owned by an investment management affiliate since 2017 and is notable for a large parking structure, LEED Gold certification and recent amenity upgrades.
Other senior hires across the region
Several other firms announced senior appointments that expand development finance, legal and debt capabilities across multiple markets:
- Parkview Financial, a Los Angeles–based alternative investment firm, named Scott Denham as managing director and head of nationwide construction. Denham will lead underwriting and risk assessment for construction loans and monitor loan performance. He brings more than 25 years of investment and development experience, most recently from a national industrial development role at Mack Real Estate Group. Parkview also added Abe Kohn as vice president of construction for its Northeast region, based in New York, reporting to Denham and with over 13 years of development experience.
- National business law firm Buchalter elevated two lawyers to shareholders in the Pacific Northwest: Michelle Da Rosa in Portland and Ian Taylor in Seattle. Both join the real estate practice group and bring experience in traditional real estate transactions, development and sector-specific work that includes renewable energy, hospitality, cell towers and maritime and aviation properties, plus regulatory matters such as eminent domain.
- Atlanta‑based The Ardent Cos. appointed Matt Snyder as managing director for the Chicago market to oversee debt sourcing and product development. Snyder has over 20 years of debt-related experience and has played roles in more than $50 billion of finance transactions across CMBS and real estate lending.
- Dallas-based Holt Lunsford Commercial Investments (HLCI) hired Matthew Sibley as vice president focused on sourcing and completing investments in the Houston region. Sibley’s responsibilities include deal sourcing, negotiation, due diligence, zoning, and oversight of design and construction work; his prior roles include industrial development and investment analysis positions.
Why it matters
The personnel moves and office relocation reflect sustained attention to Orange County and surrounding markets from national firms. CBRE’s new Irvine Workplace360 suite and its transaction work underline demand for flexible office design tied to hybrid work, while the transactions show ongoing repositioning of office assets. The leadership hires at firms focused on construction finance, legal real estate work and debt origination point to continued emphasis on underwriting, development oversight and structured finance as property owners and investors navigate evolving market dynamics.
Context and local footprint
CBRE’s Orange County practice traces back decades and the firm maintains a wide regional footprint across several Southern California offices. The Boardwalk complex offers amenities and transportation access suited to corporate tenants and developer occupiers. The noted sales and hires combined give a snapshot of capital flows, workplace strategy and talent movement in the region’s commercial real estate sector.
FAQ
Who is Mark Damiani and what will he do at CBRE?
Mark Damiani joined CBRE’s National Retail Partners as an executive vice president in Orange County and will focus on institutional sales of retail properties, drawing on nearly 20 years of experience and a track record of more than 150 transactions.
What is the new CBRE office in Irvine?
CBRE opened a roughly 52,749‑square‑foot Workplace360 office at The Boardwalk in Irvine, split across north and south towers connected by an outdoor bridge and equipped with upgraded collaboration and video conferencing technology.
What recent property sales were reported?
CBRE facilitated the $15.45 million sale of a 90,191‑square‑foot office at 725 West Town and Country Road in Orange and represented a seller in the $42 million sale of a 310,925‑square‑foot Class A office at 2600 Michelson Drive in Irvine.
Which other firms announced senior hires?
Parkview Financial, Buchalter, The Ardent Cos. and HLCI each announced senior hires covering construction finance, real estate legal work, debt sourcing and regional investment sourcing.
Key features at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| CBRE new office | ~52,749 sq ft Workplace360 suite at The Boardwalk in Irvine; split across north/south towers; outdoor bridge; hybrid-work tech |
| Senior hire – CBRE | Mark Damiani, EVP, National Retail Partners; nearly 20 years experience; 150+ transactions; $30B+ handled |
| Major transactions | 725 W Town & Country Rd, Orange — 90,191 sq ft, $15.45M; 2600 Michelson Dr, Irvine — 310,925 sq ft, $42M |
| Parkview Financial hires | Scott Denham — managing director, head of nationwide construction; Abe Kohn — VP of construction, Northeast |
| Buchalter additions | Michelle Da Rosa (Portland) and Ian Taylor (Seattle) named shareholders in real estate practice |
| The Ardent Cos. | Matt Snyder named managing director, Chicago; focuses on debt sourcing and product development |
| HLCI hire | Matthew Sibley named VP to source and complete Houston investments |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- CBRE: CBRE opens new tech-enabled office in The Boardwalk
- Wikipedia: CBRE Group
- CBRE: CBRE facilitates $15.45 million sale of office property in Orange, California
- Google Search: 725 West Town and Country Road Orange sale
- YieldPro: Eastside Costa Mesa
- Wikipedia: Costa Mesa, California
- Orange County Business Journal: CBRE moves into new digs in Irvine
- Google Search: CBRE Workplace360 Irvine The Boardwalk
- CommercialSearch: CBRE IM sells Orange County office asset for $42M
- Google News: 2600 Michelson Drive Irvine $42 million
Author: Construction CA News
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