CIM Group

CIM Group is a privately held real estate investment and development firm that invests in commercial property and related real assets on behalf of large institutional investors, including pension funds. Its activities span acquisition, development, redevelopment, ownership, asset management, and investment management. The firm’s portfolio has included office buildings, residential properties, hotels, retail centers, mixed-use destinations, data and technology-oriented real estate, renewable-energy infrastructure, and other urban assets. The company was established in 1994 by Shaul Kuba, Richard Ressler, and Avi Shemesh. Kuba and Shemesh had emigrated from Israel to the United States during the 1980s and initially operated a landscaping business. Ressler, who had worked as an investment banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert, became a customer of that business and subsequently joined the other two founders in pursuing real-estate investments. This background helped shape CIM’s early model of combining entrepreneurial property development with institutional investment capital. During the 2000s and 2010s, CIM became associated with large-scale urban redevelopment projects in major American cities. It developed substantial portions of Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, acquired and redeveloped the Hollywood & Highland complex in Los Angeles, and participated in hotel, office, retail, residential, and mixed-use transactions across California, New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Nevada, and other markets. Its projects have often involved repositioning existing buildings or underused sites rather than relying only on ground-up construction. The firm expanded its investment-management platform through transactions and partnerships. In 2017, Mitsui & Co. acquired a 20 percent interest in CIM Group. In 2018, CIM acquired Cole Capital from VEREIT; Cole Capital controlled approximately $7.6 billion in real-estate assets at the time. CIM has also formed joint ventures with companies and investment groups including JBG Smith, Kushner Companies, Golub & Company, and other institutional or specialist partners. CIM’s portfolio has included prominent urban properties such as 432 Park Avenue in Manhattan, the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas, the Ordway Building in Oakland, Two California Plaza in Los Angeles, the former Watchtower building in Brooklyn, and the Montague–Court Building in Brooklyn. The firm has also invested outside traditional commercial property, including Westlands Solar Park and European residential assets managed through a later partnership with Round Hill Capital Ventures. The company’s strategy has included acquiring assets with redevelopment potential, improving or repositioning established properties, developing new high-rise and mixed-use projects, and assembling geographically diversified portfolios for institutional capital. Some proposed projects have faced local opposition or changing market conditions. For example, CIM’s proposed acquisition and redevelopment plan for Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza was cancelled in 2020 after community opposition to a plan that did not include a residential component. According to the cited Wikipedia reference, as of December 31, 2025, CIM Group owned 304 commercial-property assets valued at approximately $32.0 billion. The company remains active as a private real-estate investment platform, although detailed current information about its corporate headquarters, leadership structure, website, and financial reporting is not established in the supplied source material.

CIM Group was founded in 1994 by Shaul Kuba, Richard Ressler, and Avi Shemesh. Kuba and Shemesh were childhood friends who had emigrated from Israel to the United States during the 1980s. Before entering institutional real estate, they operated a landscaping business. Richard Ressler, a former investment banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert, became a customer of the landscaping company and later joined the two founders in pursuing real estate investments. The firm grew from this entrepreneurial partnership into a private investment manager serving large institutional capital providers. In the early 2000s, CIM became involved in the redevelopment of downtown Santa Monica, California, including much of the Third Street Promenade. In 2004, it acquired the site of Hollywood & Highland, which included the former Tiffany Theater. CIM redeveloped the Los Angeles property and eventually sold the complex in 2019 for $325 million, while the Dolby Theatre was treated as a separate asset and was sold later by CalPERS in 2024. The company expanded through hotel, office, retail, residential, and mixed-use acquisitions. In 2005, it partnered with JBG Smith to acquire Washington, D.C.’s Marriott Wardman Park hotel. In 2007, it acquired the BB&T Center and sold it to Arden Group in 2017. In 2008, CIM acquired Oakland’s Ordway Building as part of a larger transaction with Brandywine Realty Trust and completed The 88, a major high-rise project in San Jose. CIM’s New York activity increased during the following decade. In 2010, it acquired the former Drake Hotel site in Manhattan for $305 million and began development of 432 Park Avenue. It also acquired 15 William, its first investment in Manhattan’s Financial District. In 2012, it acquired 108 North State Street in Chicago from Bank of America after foreclosure. The firm partnered with Kushner Companies on 2 Rector Street in 2013 and on the former Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower building in Brooklyn in 2016. The latter transaction was described as one of the largest Brooklyn property deals of its time. CIM also partnered with Ben Shaoul to acquire part of the Verizon Building for residential conversion. The firm continued to build a broad portfolio across the United States. It acquired Two California Plaza and Monclair Place in 2014, invested in Westlands Solar Park, and acquired the Montague–Court Building and Uber’s Oakland building in 2017. It also sold the former Charles Schwab headquarters to Blackstone in 2017. In 2018, CIM acquired Cole Capital from VEREIT; the acquired platform had approximately $7.6 billion in real estate assets. CIM completed renovations to 425 South Financial Place during the same period. CIM’s development and investment plans have sometimes been affected by local politics and market conditions. In 2020, it agreed to acquire Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles and proposed replacing former Sears and Walmart space with offices. Community opposition focused in part on the absence of a residential component, and the transaction was cancelled. That year, CIM and Golub & Company received approval to develop Tribune East Tower in Chicago. CIM also acquired five apartment towers in Alexandria, Virginia, in a major Northern Virginia multifamily transaction. The company’s platform later extended to European residential real estate. In July 2024, CIM partnered with Michael Bickford to establish Round Hill Capital Ventures, a business managing a reported $2.1 billion portfolio concentrated mainly in European residential properties. In October 2025, Crow Holdings recapitalized a national retail portfolio of 194 properties totaling approximately 4.5 million square feet across 30 states. The supplied reference states that, as of December 31, 2025, CIM Group owned 304 commercial-property assets valued at approximately $32.0 billion. The firm’s history reflects a progression from founder-led property investment and urban redevelopment into a diversified private real estate investment platform with institutional clients, development partnerships, and exposure to office, multifamily, hospitality, retail, mixed-use, and renewable-energy assets.

• 2025

  Reported portfolio reaches 304 commercial assets

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The supplied reference reports that CIM owned 304 commercial-property assets valued at approximately $32.0 billion as of December 31, 2025.

• 2024

  Round Hill Capital Ventures is formed

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM partners with Michael Bickford to create a platform focused mainly on European residential real estate.

• 2020

  Tribune East Tower approval

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM and Golub & Company receive approval for the Tribune East Tower development in Chicago.

• 2018

  Cole Capital acquisition

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM acquires Cole Capital from VEREIT, adding a platform with approximately $7.6 billion in real estate assets.

• 2017

  Mitsui takes a minority stake

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Mitsui & Co. acquires a 20 percent interest in CIM Group.

• 2013

  Downtown Grand opens as a completed development

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM completes the Downtown Grand project in Las Vegas.

• 2010

  432 Park Avenue development begins

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM acquires the former Drake Hotel site in Manhattan and begins development of 432 Park Avenue.

• 2008

  The 88 is completed

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM completes The 88, a major high-rise development in San Jose.

• 2004

  Hollywood & Highland acquisition

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  CIM acquires the Hollywood & Highland site and later redevelops the Los Angeles complex.

• 1994

  CIM Group is founded

  [1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Shaul Kuba, Richard Ressler, and Avi Shemesh establish CIM Group and begin investing in real estate.

A private, institutionally oriented real estate investment and development platform focused on large-scale urban properties, redevelopment opportunities, and diversified commercial real estate portfolios.

• Investment management · 1994

  Institutional real estate investment management

  CIM Group invests in and manages commercial real estate for large institutional clients, including pension-related capital. Its platform combines acquisitions, development, redevelopment, portfolio construction, and ongoing asset management across multiple property types and geographic markets.

• Real estate development

  Urban redevelopment

  Urban redevelopment is a central part of CIM’s activity. The company has worked on high-density districts, retail corridors, former hotel sites, office properties, and mixed-use destinations, often seeking to reposition underused assets or integrate them into broader city-center projects.

• Commercial real estate

  Office and mixed-use properties

  CIM’s office and mixed-use portfolio has included major urban towers and redevelopment projects such as the Ordway Building, Two California Plaza, the Montague–Court Building, the former Uber building in Oakland, 425 South Financial Place, and the planned Tribune East Tower.

• Residential real estate

  Residential real estate

  The company invests in and develops residential properties, including apartment towers and high-rise conversions. Examples include 432 Park Avenue, the residential conversion of part of the Verizon Building, and the acquisition of five apartment towers in Alexandria, Virginia.

• Hospitality real estate

  Hospitality properties

  CIM has owned or developed hospitality assets including Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C., the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas, and the Hollywood & Highland complex, reflecting its participation in destination-oriented urban real estate.

• Retail real estate

  Retail and shopping centers

  Retail assets have included regional shopping centers and high-profile urban retail destinations. CIM has pursued both direct ownership and redevelopment strategies, including investments connected with Third Street Promenade, Monclair Place, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, and national retail portfolios.

• Infrastructure investment · 2014

  Renewable-energy infrastructure

  CIM expanded beyond conventional buildings through an investment in Westlands Solar Park, a photovoltaic power project. This activity illustrates the firm’s broader interest in infrastructure and real assets alongside commercial property.

• 2024

  Formation of Round Hill Capital VenturesM&A

  Background

  CIM sought to broaden its platform into European residential real estate through a partnership with Michael Bickford.

  Action taken

  CIM and Bickford created Round Hill Capital Ventures to manage a primarily European residential portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The new business was associated with a real estate portfolio reported at approximately $2.1 billion, concentrated mainly in European residential properties.

  Portfolio value. $2.1 billion (July 2024)

  Source

• 2020

  Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza plan cancelledStrategy

  Background

  CIM proposed acquiring Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and converting former Sears and Walmart space into offices while supporting activity in the remaining retail area.

  Action taken

  CIM and the seller cancelled the proposed transaction after community opposition to a redevelopment plan that did not include a residential component.

  Aftermath

  CIM did not complete the planned acquisition. The episode demonstrated the importance of community support and mixed-use considerations in urban redevelopment projects.

  Proposed purchase price. More than $100 million (April-June 2020)

  Source

• 2018

  Cole Capital acquisitionM&A

  Background

  CIM pursued expansion of its real estate investment-management capabilities through the acquisition of an established platform from VEREIT.

  Action taken

  CIM acquired Cole Capital, which had approximately $7.6 billion in real estate assets.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition expanded CIM’s managed real estate platform. The supplied reference does not provide subsequent operating or financial results.

  Real estate assets associated with acquired platform. $7.6 billion (2018)

  Source

• 2017

  Mitsui minority investmentM&A

  Background

  CIM Group sought to expand its institutional and international capital relationships while remaining a privately held investment platform.

  Action taken

  Mitsui & Co. acquired a 20 percent interest in CIM Group.

  Aftermath

  The transaction gave Mitsui a minority position in the real estate investment firm; the supplied material does not describe later changes to that ownership.

  Ownership interest. 20% acquired by Mitsui & Co. (February 2017)

  Source

• 2025

  Crow Holdings recapitalizes national retail portfolio[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Crow Holdings recapitalized a national retail portfolio associated with CIM Group comprising 194 properties and approximately 4.5 million square feet across 30 states.

• 2024

  CIM Group and Michael Bickford form Round Hill Capital Ventures[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  CIM Group partnered with Michael Bickford to establish Round Hill Capital Ventures, a business managing a primarily European residential real estate portfolio.

• 2020

  Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza transaction cancelled[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  CIM agreed to acquire Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and proposed converting former Sears and Walmart space to offices. The transaction was cancelled after community opposition to the plan’s lack of a residential component.

• 2020

  Tribune East Tower receives development approval[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  CIM Group and Golub & Company received approval to develop Tribune East Tower in Chicago.

• 2020

  CIM acquires five Alexandria apartment towers[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  CIM Group acquired five apartment towers in Alexandria, Virginia, in a transaction described as one of the largest apartment deals in Northern Virginia.

• 2018

  CIM Group acquires Cole Capital[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  CIM acquired Cole Capital from VEREIT. Cole Capital had approximately $7.6 billion in real estate assets at the time of the transaction.

• 2017

  Mitsui acquires minority stake in CIM Group[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Mitsui & Co. acquired a 20 percent interest in CIM Group.

• 2017

  CIM sells Charles Schwab headquarters[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  CIM Group sold the then-headquarters building of Charles Schwab Corporation to Blackstone.

• 2017

  CIM acquires Brooklyn’s Montague–Court Building[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  CIM Group acquired the Montague–Court Building from SL Green Realty in a transaction involving one of Brooklyn’s largest office towers.

• 2017

  CIM acquires Uber building in Oakland[1]CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The company acquired Uber’s building in Oakland, California.

Showing the 10 most recent.

1. 1CIM Groupen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CIM Group acquires Fort Worth industrial propertyfortworthbusiness.com
3. 3NRIA Closes $73 Million Loan With CIM Group to Begin Construction of Ocean Delrayprnewswire.com
4. 4U.S.-Based CIM Group Enters UK Real Estate Market with Acquisition of Cathedral Square, a Three-Building Office Campus in Guildfordfinanznachrichten.de