In Firm’s Launch, Road to Success Already Mapped Out for 128 CRE

March 07, 2018 — By Joe Clements

One Gateway Center, Newton MA

NEWTON—Say “Hello” to 128 CRE, a freshly minted real estate services firm launching today, the operation comprising a half-dozen seasoned suburban professionals who intend to make their presence known—and in fact, already have—along America’s Technology Highway, with a “hyper-specialization” west of Boston where key principals “live and work every day,” co-founder Jeremy A. Freid, SIOR, tells Real Reporter Tuesday in acknowledging the launch. Other Senior Partners are Douglas Adamian, SIOR, and Adam T. Meixner.

“128 CRE will be uniquely positioned to provide value to its clients because we focus exclusively within the Central 128 corridor,” Freid says of the group whose new headquarters is at One Gateway Center in Newton Corner. Senior Advisor Jordan Sneider, Advisor Matthew C. Perry and Client Services Director Meghan Huebner round out the inaugural roster of employees, the firm’s collective breadth of CRE acumen eclipsing 75 years.

The founding principals and team had heretofore been servicing the same submarket that includes Waltham, Watertown, Westwood—all the ‘W’ towns—as well as Dedham, Needham, Newton and Norwood and neighboring communities. They had done that until now as the Route 128 Central division of Boston Realty Advisors, a leading independent firm based in the city which parted ways with their colleagues in a transition that became final last week, Freid confirms in stressing the departure was amicable.

“We really respect those guys in every way and expect to continue our great relationship with them,” he says, pointing out the deep connection with that company extends back 11 years for him and 14 years for Meixner, BRA celebrating its 16th year in business under the guidance of founder Jason S. Weissman. Adamian is a more recent arrival after an award-winning and acclaimed career in suburban Boston.

A catalyst for the spin-off, Freid says, was a desire to better define his team. “All we do is commercial real estate in the suburbs along Route 128,” Freid says of the singular mantra that inspired the very apt shingle, 128 CRE. “We think this (conveys) that message very clearly,” Freid says of the simple-but-direct name, although by any handle the group is hitting the road running, having more than two dozen existing customers make their way to Newton Corner with the staff, something Meixner concurs is a measure of the reputation of its past performance.

“Our dedication to commercial real estate in the Boston suburban markets has earned us the trust of sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants for over a decade, establishing us as the premier commercial real estate firm for selling or leasing commercial property in the 128 markets,” says Meixner, the principals having “consistently ranked above the competition in terms of transactions completed on an annual basis,” he reports. The crew capped off their tenure at BRA leasing and selling and more than any other brokerage firm in their realm in 2017, according to Meixner, who says being based in the submarket should further boost their edge.

“It was clear to us that being located in the heart of the markets that all of our clients are in was critical,” he explains, adding, “This will create a tremendous amount of efficiency and flexibility, which will only increase the top level service that we are already providing them with.”

Adamian, Fried and Meixner are longtime veterans of the central Route 128 market and as residents are tuned into their surroundings, says Freid, “providing political, civic and local market insights not generally available or widely known.” Sneider and Perry are up-and-coming stars whose roles will partly be pushing beyond the central part of Route 128 to other segments of America’s Technology Highway, outlines Freid.

Huebner has a background in “customer-facing roles” and will use those skills in marketing and communication roles with current and prospective clients,” according to the company. 128 CRE also has a new website—128cre.com— that has gone live.“We are open for business,” says Fried. “It’s really exciting.”