NEW YORK CITY-The Canadian REIT buys 2.4 million sf worth of retail assets from developer First Pro. The company will spend the next 12 to 18 months building out more than 225,000 sf at the 99%-occupied facilities.

NEW YORK CITY-The health plan provider ups it Penn Plaza district space at 132 W. 31st St. by 12,600 sf. The sublease deal carries a 12-year term. GVA Williams and S.L. Green brokered the transaction.

NEW YORK CITY-Affordable-housing advocates are raising the roof over yesterday's unscheduled Housing Finance Agency meeting. Three Downtown multifamily projects received approval for $340 million in Liberty Bond financing despite having only a 5% affordable-housing component.

NEW YORK CITY-Fleet Bank will open two branch banks and two ATM locations by the end of the year as part of its ongoing expansion/renovation program. The bank is spending $22 million over the next two years to nail down its New York presence.

NEW YORK CITY-The global customer-service management firm will spend $8 million to build out the former Woolworth building, purchased yesterday by Jefferson County. The deal is considered a major North Country coup that will bring 700 jobs to the area.

NEW YORK CITY-The firm sells half its interest in the 2.7-million downtown Calgary property to British Columbia Investment Management Corp. Brookfield bought the 2.7 million-sf property from TrizecHahn in mid-2000.

NEW YORK CITY-The five million-sf facility gets a new tenant as the mail and document management services provider takes a long-term lease with a 30,000-sf expansion option at RTP's Building 9.

NEW YORK CITY-A new Marcus & Millichap report says Manhattan's multifamily sector has seen a nearly complete recovery from a post-Sept. 11 slump and its long-term prospects look positive. Rent and occupancy levels have rebounded and buyer demand is high.