NEW YORK CITY-The condominium crash of 2008 that hit gentrifying neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Long Island City, Queens are beginning to stabilize, as new investors continue to pour capital into stalled or foreclosed multifamily properties. The latest company rescuing a site from real estate limbo is Madison Realty Capital, a Manhattan-based institutional investor, who has resolved a troubled situation at 385 Union Ave., purchasing the note and the deed on the six-story, 53,000-square foot condo property for $21.5 million, or $458,511 per unit.

Josh Zegen, co-founders and managing member of MRC, says the transaction concluded in less than 30 days on a “very attractive basis” and “well below” replacement costs. “Going forward, we expect that our vertically integrated platform, which incorporates debt, equity and development expertise, will unlock the true value of this fundamentally strong piece of real estate,” he says, in a statement.

The 47-unit property – which is now 97% occupied – was originally owned by Anshel Friedman, Pincus & Joseph Freund, according to property records from Real Capital Analytics. In 2009, the previous owner had defaulted on its construction financing, and subsequently, the property was placed in receivership after the original lender filed a foreclosure auction.

Now with MRC in the picture, the company will provide the finishing touches on construction and satisfy various tax and construction lines previously clouding title. In addition, the management team intends to stabilize the property and enhance its value and visibility in the Brooklyn marketplace.

The trend is also taking place throughout the Williamsburg neighborhood as the area re-emerges post-downturn. Earlier this week, American Realty Advisors acquired a formerly-stalled 62-unit apartment complex at 111 Kent Ave. from Stellar Management for $55.5 million. And two months ago, Steelworks Lofts, a stalled 110,000-square-foot mixed-use condominium development at 76 North 4th St., received a jump-start, securing a $28.4 million acquisition and construction loan on behalf of a partnership between Cayuga Capital Management and Jacob Toll, according to Meridian Capital Group LLC, who arranged the 36-month loan.

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