COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

The global headquarters of Dewey & LaBoeuf LLP, a glass-sheathed office tower in midtown Manhattan, has a commanding view of a stretch of Sixth Avenue looking downtown. A pair of statues, designed by artist Jim Dine, rise from the plaza of the stately office, overlooking Rockefeller Center. But now, it will be the law firm's ornate tomb, a reminder of its glory days.

Back in March, 55-year-old grandmother Sharon Simmons made headlines when she announced her plans to audition for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading squad on May 5. This past weekend Simmons did just that.

Police are currently investigating suspicious packages at the World Financial Center, prompting officials to evacuate one of the buildings on Thursday.

Experts believe 2012 could mark the beginning of a turnaround for the housing industry, albeit a slow one.

The top after-market NASDAQ gainers Wednesday were: Online Resources, Tessera Technologies, NxStage Medical, Digital River, Washington Federal, Monolithic Power Systems, iGATE Corp, Theravance, Transcept Pharmaceuticals and Shuffle Master.

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan may soon get closer to nature. SHoP Architects and mall operator Howard Hughes Corp. (NYSE:HHC) unveiled an emerald proposal for the Pier 17 mall on the South Street Seaport last Thursday that will ease the historic district into the present.

Sharon Simmons may be a 55-year-old grandmother, but that is not stopping her for having her way with an audition for the infamous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Simmons, who is turning 56 in May, plans to audition for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading squad May 5, amidst all of the younger competitors.

Howard Lutnick's BGC Partners Inc. (NASDAQ: BGCP) has agreed to buy the commercial real estate brokerage Grubb & Ellis Company (PINK:GRBE), which will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the wake of declining revenue from the commercial real estate bust.

Empire State Realty Trust, owners of the iconic Empire State Building, filed to sell up to $1 billion of its Class A common stock, giving ordinary investors a chance to own a piece of the building that has been fought over by billionaires.

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney struggled at the CPAC 2012 Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday to connect with Republican voters who either cannot relate to him or worry that he is not conservative enough.

The nation's capital has been a leader when it comes to real estate. While much of the country's housing market continues to languish, Washington D.C. and the surrounding area have seen tight inventory and price growth in recent months.

Thirty cities accounted for half of all global commercial real estate investment from 2008 to 2011, according to a report released Wednesday.

Dundee Real Estate Investment Trust (D_u.TO: Quote) will buy Whiterock REIT (WRK_u.TO: Quote) for about C$580 million ($572 million) in a cash-and-stock deal to strengthen its position in the office property space.

China's fledgling real estate investment fund market could see a surge of activity in 2012 as property developers launch their own vehicles in a desperate bid to bridge an estimated $111 billion financing gap in the year ahead.

Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) announced Monday the firm is expanding its international commercial finance capabilities through acquiring Burdale Financial Holdings Ltd and the portfolio of Burdale Capital Finance Inc. from Bank of Ireland Plc (BKIR). The portfolio represents approximately $1 billion in loans outstanding from U.S. and U.K. customers. Bank of Ireland, the nation’s largest bank, will receive about 690 million euros ($899 million) from the sale.

New York City was named the most expensive U.S. commercial real estate market in a report by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International.

Officials from major New York property owners said 2011 office leasing activity was strong, despite broader economic concerns, in a panel at the Goldman Sachs Commercial Real Estate Symposium in Lower Manhattan on Thursday.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the U.S. economic activity increased at a slow to moderate pace in 11 of the 12 Fed districts. St. Louis reported a decline.

Improving market fundamentals will bolster the commercial real estate market in 2012, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Wells Fargo & Company announced on Wednesday the formation of a commercial real estate investment trust (REIT) finance group.

Improved job growth and positive leasing fundamentals point to continued recovery in the office and industrial sectors, but buyers continue to focus on major cities over tertiary markets, according to a webcast on Tuesday from commercial real estate brokerage Marcus & Millichap.