Dedham, MA Despite the widespread pause and seemingly unavoidable disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the Colliers International Southwest leasing team, market activity and transactions never truly took a break. Notably, at KS Partners’ three-building Dedham Row portfolio, which comprises 980 Washington St., 3 Allied Dr., and 333 Elm St., the team has inked 85,000 s/f of leases – or 22% of the entire portfolio – in Q2 2020 alone.

“Plenty of tenants are still focused on the end game with a ‘this too shall pass’ mindset,” said Colliers International senior vice president PJ Foster. “We are going to come out of this pandemic with some new rules and sensitivities, but at the end of the day Dedham Row’s unique underlying fundamentals will continue to attract tenants seeking a strategic location central to both highway and rail commuters and a first-class on-site experience.”

The tenant mix for the portfolio and for the most recent leasing transactions cover a wide swath of industries and verticals; from financial services to energy; insurance to legal; and healthcare to professional services. At just under 30,000 s/f, Brown & Brown Insurance is the largest of the most recent leasing transactions, and represents an in-portfolio relocation and expansion, moving from 333 Elm to 980 Washington. Other recently signed leases, which reflect a mix of new tenants, expansions, and renewals/extensions include: HDAI, Hawthorne, Canon, ARC, Highline, Platinum Equity, Yes Energy, Bryan Wellness, NRK Investments, and Trillium Technical.

“The trio of buildings at Dedham Row are a mere stone’s throw from premier mixed-use establishments, Legacy Place, and just one exit from Westwood’s retail mecca at University Station,” said Colliers senior vice president Kevin Brawley. “The tenant experience KS Partners has created within each of its buildings, in combination with what is available to tenants just a short distance away, will continue to drive activity and momentum for the foreseeable future.”

Also joining PJ Foster and Kevin Brawley in representing KS Partners is Colliers senior advisor John Real.

“Partnering with the Colliers team of PJ, Kevin and John created just the right mix here in Dedham,” shared KS Partners’ Senior Vice President and Director of Investments Michael Rota. “Our commitment to capital improvements, amenities, and deal flexibility, allowed us to retain and attract new tenants to these first-class properties. The many renewals, relocations and expansions in the midst of a pandemic is further testament to the quality of these assets and the resiliency of the Colliers-KS Partners team. We could not be more pleased with the results.”