BIGGEST REAL ESTATE DEALS

Riverfront Plaza
915 East Byrd Street, Richmond
$174 million
Buyer: Boston Properties Inc.
Seller: Metropolitan Life

For Boston Properties, 1998 was going to be the year of exquisite buys. "We set out to acquire trophy assets in cities we'd like to be in," says Vice President Ray Ritchey. "In New York we got 280 Park. In D.C. it was Metropolitan Square."

And in Richmond it was Riverfront Plaza. The 20-story twin towers are known for their dramatic views, plush offices and prominent tenants. An added bonus, Ritchey says, is the development of the River Walk along the James.

Riverfront Plaza, built in 1990, has 900,000 square feet of class-A office and retail space plus 2,178 underground parking spaces. The complex's three largest tenants are Wheat First Union, a regional securities brokerage and investment banking firm; Dominion Resources, the parent company of Virginia Power; and Hunton & Williams, one of the largest law firms in the South.

Boston Properties Inc. is a real estate investment trust that operates primarily in Boston, Washington, D.C., New York and Baltimore.

National Center 2 and National Center 3
2521-2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington
$158 million
Buyer: Equity Office Properties Trust
Seller: Crystal Holdings LP (an affiliate of Harvard Private Capital Group Inc.)

Details: National Center 2, called the James K. Polk Building, and National Center 3, the Zachary Taylor Building, were both built in 1970. These 12-story office buildings are 100 percent leased and have 897,016 square feet of combined space. In the second quarter of 1998, Equity Office Properties purchased a 90 percent interest in the buildings for $158 million.

Players: Equity Office Properties LLC, property manager; Rocco V. Tricarico, architect.

12300 and 12310 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston
Price: $96 million
Buyer: Boston Properties Inc.
Seller: Mulligan/Griffin

Details: Both properties were developed by Mulligan/Griffin and are five story office buildings. The 12300 building is 255,244 square feet and was built in 1987. Its tenant is Lockheed Martin. The 12310 location is 263,870 square feet and was built in 1988.

Commonwealth Tower
1300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington
$91 million
Buyer: TWM Real Estate Group, Atlanta
Seller: New York State Teachers Retirement Systems

Details: This 343,000-square-foot, 15-story, multi-tenant office building is directly across from the Rosslyn Metro Station. Originally built in 1985, the facility was redesigned by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The building has excellent views of Washington, D.C., and the Potomac River.

Players: Cushman and Wakefield represented the seller. Clarion Partners was the investment advisor.

Willow Oaks I and II
8260-80 Willow Oaks Drive, Merrifield
$76 million
Buyer: Prentiss Properties Acquisition Partners LP
Seller: Carey Winston

Details: Built in 1987 and 1989, this corporate center has immediate access to Interstate 495 and Route 50. Willow Oaks I has 182,469 square feet of multi-tenant office space and Willow Oaks II has 205,000 square feet.

Players: PruBeta-2 is the developer and Prentiss Properties Limited Inc. is the property manager.

Three Ballston Plaza
1100 Glebe Road
$62 million
Buyer: MassMutual Life Insurance
Seller: CarrAmerica

Details: This 16-story, 309,000-square-feet multi-tenant office building was built in 1990 and is 100 percent leased. In addition to office space, it has banking facilities, a convenience store, dry cleaner, exercise facilities, food service, on-site management and a restaurant.

Players: Carr Real Estate Service is the property manager. Also involved in the deal were Keyes Condon Florence Architects. The Oliver Carr Co./CSX Realty was the developer, and Transwestern, Carey Winston negotiated for the seller.

3100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington
$61 million
Buyer: Jamestown Group
Seller: SI Clarendon Inc.

Details: The 238,183-square-foot office building features a dramatic classical-revival exterior, a three-story marble lobby and a European-style plaza with shops and restaurants. Built in 1987, it has high-speed elevators, 15,000 square feet of storage and offers direct tunnel entrance to the Clarendon Metro Station.

Players: Carr Real Estate Services is the property manager; Olmstead Foundation is the developer.

American Center East and West
8300-30 Boone Boulevard, McLean
$57 million
Buyer: ERE Yarmouth
Seller: Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.

Details: American Center East and West were built in 1985 with 162,334 square feet of multi-tenant office space in each building.

Players: Cassidy & Pinkard/Sonnenblick-Goldman negotiated for the seller. Cassidy & Pinkard Inc. is the property manager and developer..

One Bell Atlantic Plaza
1310 North Courthouse Road, Arlington
Price: $55 million
Buyer: Carlyle Group, Washington, D.C.
Seller: New York Life

Details: Built in 1982, this 12-story, 353-square-foot property is leased entirely by Bell Atlantic Network Services Inc., under a 10-year term that began in 1997.

Players: Prentiss Properties Limited Inc. is the property manager.

Century II Building
2361 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington
$52 million
Buyer: R.B. Hayes LP
Seller: Heitman Properties Inc.

Details: Built in 1975, this 223,623-square-foot, 12-story, multi-tenant office building is 99 percent leased. It has covered parking, a convenience store, dry cleaner, food service and a restaurant.

Players: C&P/Sonnenblick-Goldman negotiated for the seller. Heitman Virginia Management Inc. is the property manager.

This report was compiled by Kathleen F. Phalen.