Avison Young Appoints Brandon Polakoff as Head of NYC Investment Sales

Global real estate advisory firm Avison Young has appointed Brandon Polakoff as its new head of investment sales for New York City, Commercial Observer has learned.

Polakoff, 34, who was most recently the firm’s principal and executive director of tri-state investment sales, will lead a team of more than 30 professionals to support Avison Young’s sales of multifamily, office, development and retail assets across the city, according to a Monday announcement.

He begins his new role effective immediately, the company said.

“From my standpoint, there’s going to be a very strong emphasis on doing things the right way,” Polakoff told CO. “So a nonstop focus and effort from top to bottom, market knowledge with analytical skills, sourcing high-quality opportunities. And, then, for our clients, casting the widest net possible for buyers.”

News of Polakoff’s new position follows another leadership announcement at Avison Young, in which James Nelson, previously the firm’s leader of investment sales in the New York tri-state area, was promoted last week to head of the firm’s investment sales nationwide.

Nelson’s appointment was part of the launch of Avison Young’s new national investment sales platform called USIS, which will focus on assets in key U.S. markets across multifamily, office, retail and development sectors, CO reported.

Polakoff will continue to work closely with Nelson, as well as Erik Edeen, who was recently appointed senior director and principal of U.S. investment sales for USIS.

Polakoff also said he intends to continue to focus on the firm’s core locations in the city — which include Manhattan below 96th Street, prime neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and Long Island City and Astoria in Queens — to “create the best possible outcome” in its asset classes.

“Brandon is a top producer in both our company and our industry, [and] we are excited to elevate him into this leadership role to continue shaping and executing our investment sales strategy in New York City,” Rory Murphy, principal and market leader at Avison Young, said in a statement.

Since joining Avison Young in 2018, Polakoff has been involved in sales valued at approximately $5 billion, the firm said.

Some of those deals include the $50.5 million sale of Page Management’s three-building apartment portfolio in the West Village and Chelsea in October, as well as the $38 million sale in 2023 of 144 Fulton Street, home to the largest Chick-fil-A site in the world.

“We’re doing pretty significant volume, and I think the goal for us is to build on that,” Polakoff said. “A big thing is just going to be the opportunities that we source, making sure that we maintain the highest quality of market knowledge, and making sure we continue to work together. The more people we have working on every assignment, the wider the net we can cast, and the better job we can do for our clients.”

Before his time at Avison Young, Polakoff did stints as an intern for Silverstein Properties and Boston-based Beacon Capital Partners, then moved on to work on investment sales for Massey Knakal Realty Services, which was acquired by Cushman & Wakefield in 2014.

Polakoff is from Princeton, N.J., and graduated from Hartford’s Trinity College, where he was a member of the varsity lacrosse team.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.