The Birch Group recently acquired 51 John F. Kennedy Parkway in Short Hills from Mack-Cali Realty Corp. as part of a four-building, 843,300-square-foot deal valued at $255 million. — Courtesy: The Birch Group
By Joshua Burd
The Birch Group has named a new vice president of property management and construction, in the latest addition to the team behind its growing office portfolio in the region.
The Nanuet, New York-based firm, which focuses on submarkets such as Morristown and Short Hills, welcomed Mike Lyberatos after a banner year for leasing and after several high-profile acquisitions. He will now oversee property management and construction across its portfolio, leading capital improvements and build-outs aimed at retaining and attracting tenants.
Lyberatos is a veteran of firms such as Onyx Equities and Mack-Cali Realty Corp.
“Mike’s expansive experience in property management will be a huge benefit to the firm in supporting our continued growth,” said Mark Meisner, president and founder of The Birch Group. “The momentum we’re seeing across our portfolio is a direct result of The Birch Group’s strategy to provide prospective tenants with unique spaces and environments that go above and beyond their needs and expectations.
“We have entered the new year as the largest private office landlord in New Jersey and continue to expand our reach in the tristate area to meet tenant demand for trophy quality, institutional assets. We expect leasing activity will remain strong in targeted submarkets in the coming months, as companies mull the return to the office and search for top-tier environments for their workforce. With Mike on board, we’re confident that his deep expertise and knowledge will help us to exceed their expectations.”
In announcing the hire, Birch Group said it leased nearly 200,000 square feet to tenants across its portfolio in 2021. The move also follows the company’s $255 million acquisition early last year of a prominent four-building portfolio in Short Hills and a recent $212 million purchase of two buildings in Jericho, New York.
Prior to joining the firm, Lyberatos was a director of operations for Onyx Equities, overseeing property management of the firm’s Bergen County portfolio, in addition to managing company-wide residential and commercial office development, according to a news release. He has more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, which also includes time as a senior director of property management at Mack-Cali, where he oversaw all of the company’s management and leasing activities across nearly 10 million square feet of office, residential, flex and warehouse spaces in the region.
The Birch Group currently boasts a nearly 90 percent occupancy rate across its core 13-property portfolio and has inked new leases and renewals in and around Short Hills, Parsippany, Morristown, Ridgefield and Lake Success, New York, among others.
Its prominent deals in 2021 included:
- A new 11-year, 19,791-square-foot lease with Blue Owl Capital at 51 JFK Parkway in Short Hills
- A new 11-year, 7,626-square-foot lease with Cary Street Partners at 1200 Mount Kemble Ave. in Harding Township
- A five-year, 10,752-square-foot lease renewal with Ohaus Corp. at 7 Campus Drive in Parsippany
- A seven-year, 11,999-square-foot lease renewal with Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan LLP at 9 Campus Drive in Parsippany
“With my extensive experience in the industry, I have honed my skills in commercial real estate, and am uniquely equipped with the necessary skill set to elevate The Birch Group’s property management and construction tactics to new heights,” Lyberatos said. “I’m looking forward to a successful partnership with the Birch team and will work alongside Mark to fulfill tenant needs and facilitate the best possible experiences across the portfolio.”
Birch Group acquires Long Island office campus from Onyx, DRA for $212 million
