"They are going to buy it," one broker aware of the discussions insists of CRP. The firm also reportedly would acquire 125 Newbury St. and 959 Concord St. as part of the package. Given the uncertain capital climate and wispy economy, observers caution that no deal is immune from late-stage dissolution, but most spoken to said they will be surprised if the sale to CRP does not cross the finish line. "It's getting really, really close," says one broker.

At this point, the parties involved have yet to acknowledge the deal, with calls not returned from CRP's Boston office or from Maric principal Mark Rubin. Eastdil Secured's New England investment group is said to be handling the sales process, but members of that team also did not respond by press deadline. Sources could not provide a sales price for the package or a projected closing date.

Maric has owned portions of the portfolio since the mid-1990s, paying an aggregate of $42 million in four separate transactions. The holdings feature the 165,000-sf Framingham Corporate Center, aka 492 Old Connecticut Path. "It's an excellent building," offers one Framingham-based broker who says the asset has held up well despite having been constructed more than 20 years ago. The original developer was Centros Properties. The Meadows is the second largest structure in the portfolio, while 959 Concord St. has approximately 75,000 sf and 125 Newbury St. is just under 35,000 sf.