BGI Capital Announces Expansion to Palm Beach County and a New Managing Director, Gregory J. Laskody

BGI Capital will open a new Boca Raton office and expand its operation to Palm Beach County.

The Miami-based alternative lender and commercial real estate debt provider operates offices in Miami and New York, making this its third location. The new office will be located at 1900 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431.

Managing Partner Kenneth Baboun is leading BGI Capital’s expansion efforts into key markets, choosing to open a location in the county due to the demand the firm has experienced in the area and its strong network within the community.

In addition to the expansion, BGI Capital also welcomed Managing Director Gregory J.Laskody, CCIM to the firm. Gregory will serve as the firm’s primary Palm Beach County liaison spearheading its efforts to expand debt and capital solutions to a new client base.

With over 30 years of commercial real estate experience, Gregory has extensive expertise in investment sales, commercial real estate mortgage and investment banking, and valuation. Collectively, he has been involved in over $3 billion of commercial real estate transactions. Throughout his career, he has held production, leadership, and management positions with various companies in commercial real estate including Lee & Associates, Deloitte, Nomura Capital, Wells Fargo, Q10 Capital, Newmark Grubb Night Frank, and Colliers International.

“I believe that with my vertically-integrated experience in investment sales and CRE capital markets practice, combined with the firm’s network, will successfully meet our client’s investment objectives.” BGI was founded in Miami in 2013 and expanded into the Northeast in February of 2019 with the opening of its New York office, led by Managing Director Luis Tio. The firm’s presence in New York has led to securing multiple loans in Brooklyn, Astoria, the Bronx and Long Island City among others.In Miami, BGI Capital has played an integral role in the transformation of several Miami neighborhoods including Edgewater, Coral Gables, Brickell and Doral.

Mauricio Umansky’s The Agency Celebrates Opening of Boca Raton Office at Private Faena Reception

Beverly Hills-based brokerage The Agency has picked Boca Raton as its first location in its highly anticipated expansion plan throughout South Florida.

The luxury brokerage celebrated the announcement last week at a private cocktail reception hosted in Faena’s Living Room, where they hit the ground running; contracts were signed and deals were inked on the hotel’s velvet, cheetah-print couches. The celebration followed The Real Deal’s South Florida Real Estate Showcase & Forum where Umansky revealed the finalized location.

The Agency is launching its office at 20 Southeast Third Street in mid-November, according to managing partners Chris Franciosa and Jared Ringel, who are leading the Agency’s expansion in South Florida along with Howard Elfman, the managing broker.

The brokerage was attracted to the “long-term stability” of Boca Raton and its potential for growth. The two-story, 6,700-square-foot office will house the Agency Development Group and the Agency Creates, its creative division.

The Agency plans to expand the business to Broward and Miami Dade, according to managing partners Franciosa and Ringel who joined the Agency from Douglas Elliman and have sold more than $100 million of real estate in their careers. The Agency anticipates about 20 agents joining the Boca office, but Ringel hinted at the possibility of a Miami location already in the pipeline as well.  

In addition to its home base in Beverly Hills, the firm has 25 offices in Brentwood, Calabasas, Danville, Malibu, Noe Valley, Venice, Orange County, Pacific Palisades, Palm Desert, Park City, Scottsdale, Sherman Oaks, Turks and Caicos, Los Cabos, Punta de Mita and elsewhere. 

It will compete with other high-end brokerages in South Florida like One Sotheby’s International Realty, the Keyes Company and Lang Realty.

Mike Pappas, CEO of the Keyes Co., stated that “Just as the L.A. market is very intense and competitive, so now is the South Florida market with all the major players, both local firms and firms outside of this market.”

Article by: Katya Demina