JEMB Realty Launches Basis Investment Group LLC to Capitalize on Unprecedented Opportunities in Debt Market

NEW YORK, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JEMB Realty, an experienced real estate owner, developer and management company, has launched Basis Investment Group LLC, to capitalize on the unprecedented opportunities in the debt market.

Finance veteran Tammy K. Heyman, who previously directed CWCapital’s fixed and floating rate Capital Markets Lending Division, will serve as President of the new venture. Morris Bailey and Joseph Jerome, (top right photo) founding principals of JEMB Realty, made the announcement.

Basis Investment Group, as the latest venture in the JEMB family of Companies reflects JEMB’s ability and agility to identify opportunities in a changing marketplace.

Basis Investment Group is a debt investment platform that acquires and originates high-yield performing and distressed whole loans, mezzanine loans, B notes, gap equity and select CMBS investments on behalf of its clients.

In addition to debt investment, Basis Investment Group will provide origination, lending and underwriting support to third parties on a separate account basis.

“Our track record and formidable resources, combined with the proven leadership of Tammy Heyman make Basis Investment Group an immediate impact player in this market, where investor confidence is low and capital is scarce,” said Bailey.

Heyman and the Basis Investment Group management team have originated and securitized in excess of $30 billion of fixed, floating rate and mezzanine debt products over the last decade, while JEMB Realty operates more than 7.2 million square feet of real estate in North America and has deep entrepreneurial roots extending over 30 years.

In her role as president, Heyman will build the debt investment platform, raise and deploy capital, as well as develop, manage and oversee the company’s operations.

She brings more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate finance industry, a solid record of building and growing debt platforms and a well developed strategic view of this business.
“We needed someone who had the experience of running a business, the understanding of today’s challenging investment climate and the ability to see and create opportunities where others could not,” said Jerome, president of JEMB Realty.

“This is an ideal time to extend the reach of JEMB to launch a debt investment arm,” said Heyman. “Achieving ‘equity like’ returns, while only taking debt level risk is a great value proposition for us.

" While the opportunities are vast, our focus will be on identifying those investments at the right ‘basis’ that will generate solid returns and preserve our clients’ capital.”

JEMB Realty Corp. is an experienced real estate owner, developer and manager headquartered in Manhattan that acquires, upgrades and repositions commercial, retail and residential property in existing and emerging city business districts.

With its subsidiary BUSAC Real Estate in Montreal, Quebec, JEMB owns and operates in excess of 7.2 million square feet of commercial space in North America.

Contacts: Great Ink Communications, Roxanne Donovan or Barbara Nelson, 212-741-2977.