Matt Chapdelaine was hired as a senior advisor and will head the new team, Maesel says. Chapdelaine, advisor Abe Salander and associate advisor Nate Glaisner were brought over from Marcus & Millichap. Representatives from Marcus and Millichap declined to comment on their departure. Kevin Baran, who was formerly with Alliance Realty, has also been hired as an advisor for office investment sales.

Sperry Van Ness Chicago formed late last year, Maesel says. The group's focus is on private equity transactions between $1 million and $10 million. Multifamily property specialists Fisher/Sears and Associates Inc., which had been based here, merged last month into Sperry Van Ness Chicago, as previously reported by GlobeSt.com. Maesel had previously formed the commercial division for Sussex & Reilly Residential and bought the commercial division, called SR Commercial. Maesel was then approached by SVN about SR Commercial becoming a local Chicago office. Earlier this year, the Chicago office of Sperry Van Ness hired Wayne Caplan as the director of investment and development services, as previously reported by GlobeSt.com. The office now has approximately 30 to 35 employees, Maesel says.

SVN Chicago is currently in discussions to hire five brokers who specialize in the industrial and land sector, Maesel tells GlobeSt.com. The group also plans on opening a North Shore office by the end of the year with a goal of having eight to 10 employees in the North Shore office by the middle of 2009, he tells GlobeSt.com.