ASSIGNMENT
Berkeley College engaged RM Friedland to oversee the sale of its former White Plains campus properties at 99 Church Street and 6 Cottage Place. Following the College’s 2021 consolidation of academic operations to New York City and New Jersey, the objective was to reposition the nearly one-acre downtown site—comprising a 110,000 SF four-story academic building and a 55-unit student residence—into a viable redevelopment opportunity that would benefit both the seller and the community.

CHALLENGE
The assignment required identifying a qualified buyer capable of transforming two institutional buildings into productive new uses while maintaining the site’s architectural integrity and contributing to downtown revitalization goals. The RM Friedland Investment Sales team—John Barrett, Co-Managing Director; Chris O’Callaghan, Managing Director; and Carmen Bauman, Senior Broker—recognized the property’s potential for adaptive reuse but also the complexities of zoning, construction feasibility, and financial structuring in a post-pandemic market.

RESULT
After falling out of contract with one group, RM Friedland identified Wilder Balter Partners, a regional leader in community-focused residential development, as the ideal purchaser. The firm refined the redevelopment plan to convert both structures into affordable for-sale condominium residences—68 units at 99 Church Street and 40 units at 6 Cottage Place—supported by expanded parking and facade enhancements.
The project secured $4.7 million from the City of White Plains and $10 million from Westchester County through the Land Acquisition Act, underscoring its alignment with local housing and economic-development goals of the Westchester County Government.
By leveraging RM Friedland’s market expertise and network, Berkeley College successfully transitioned its legacy campus into a forward-looking residential development that strengthens downtown White Plains and fulfills both civic and institutional objectives.