The Natick group

Owned by James Carlin III and John Hueber, Crosspoint Associates bought the buildings from HDG Mansur, an Indianapolis-based CRE investor that paid $92 million for the complex in mid-2004. While calls to Crosspoint, HDG Mansur and brokers at CB Richard Ellis who handled the sale were not returned by press deadline, sources report the opportunity was well received, with a cadre of high-profile players rumored to have chased the deal. Brokers orchestrating the transaction included CBRE principals Gary Lemire and William Moylan and Chris Angelone, all members of the Boston investment sales team.

The portfolio is leased through 2014 to Thomson Financial, a subsidiary of Toronto-based Thomson Corp. The firm occupies an adjacent building that is owned by another investor. The buildings changing hands are 11-15 and 49-51 Farnsworth St., plus 12-56 and 19-37 Thomson Place. The properties were previously owned by Boston Wharf Co., a British firm that once controlled most of the Fort Point Channel. That area, part of the larger Seaport District, now features a slew of new landlords after Boston Wharf began selling its portfolio earlier this decade. Prior to the massive divestment, Boston Wharf Co. had been in Fort Point Channel for more than 150 years.

While the Farnsworth Stillings assets are tied up due to the Thomson agreement, many of the Boston Wharf buildings are being converted or upgraded by their new stewards. The one-time industrial center is quickly morphing into a diverse mixed-use district featuring upscale condominiums, office space, restaurants and retail. Recent investors arriving include Aegean Capital, Berkeley Investments, Normandy Real Estate Partners and Commonwealth Ventures.