McDonnell joins Avison Young as principal in Fairfield/Westchester

According to Arthur Mirante, Avison Young principal and Tri-State president, healthcare real estate specialist Sean McDonnell has joined Avison Young in the firm's Fairfield/Westchester office. Effective immediately, McDonnell, a 15-year veteran of the real estate industry, becomes a principal of Avison Young. McDonnell will work closely with Mirante and Sean Cahill, Avison Young principal and managing director of the company's Fairfield/Westchester office, to build and grow Avison Young's regional healthcare real estate practice, with a focus on high-level recruiting and business development. Through his diverse expertise, McDonnell will also assist his new colleagues with tenant and landlord requirements in the office and industrial sectors. An expert in medical-practice expansion and strategic planning, McDonnell has initiated healthcare growth and expansion programs as well as physician management initiatives for local and national firms. Over the past six years, he has completed several hundred thousand square feet of medical-property transactions, with a prestigious roster of clients that includes Norwalk Hospital, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale University, St. Vincent's Hospital, Davis Companies and Marcus Partners. Prior to joining Avison Young, McDonnell served as a senior director at Cushman & Wakefield in Connecticut, where he was part of the firm's national healthcare practice group. He also previously served for a number of years as executive director of real estate operations and property management for Norwalk Hospital. "Sean has earned an impeccable reputation and track record in the healthcare sector," comments Mirante. "He brings an analytical approach to managing his clients' real estate requirements and developing creative solutions that address their current and future needs. As we look to build on the momentum that we have established in the Tri-State market, Sean's specialized expertise will be a considerable asset in helping us to identify new avenues for business growth and development." Adds Cahill: "The healthcare sector is a key driver of real estate activity in the Fairfield, Westchester and New Haven County markets, and we will look to Sean to leverage his vast experience and network to drive our efforts in building a strong regional healthcare practice. His business approach is a perfect complement to Avison Young's collaborative, client-led service model, and we look forward to the contributions that he will make to expanding our presence." During his career in real estate, McDonnell has managed numerous, high-profile transactions. Notable assignments include representing Norwalk Hospital in its 110,000-square-foot (sf) lease at iPark in Norwalk, CT and, most recently, its 22,000-sf lease in Westport, CT; managing Yale-New Haven Hospital'srequirements for a 10,000-sf orthopedic center in Milford, CT, as well as an 11,000-sf Children's Hospital in Norwalk, CT; and working with the Orthopedic Associates of Stamford (OAS) for its 18,000-sf lease for an orthopedic center in Stamford, CT. In addition, McDonnell served as part of a team that represented Kayak.com in its 17,000-sf headquarters relocation in Stamford, CT. He also negotiated more than 30,000 sf of lease renewals in 2013 at the 40 Cross medical center in Norwalk, CT, and launched two 40,000-sf medical centers on Riverside Avenue in Westport, CT and Boston Post Road in Guilford, CT. "Avison Young has distinguished itself by building a culture that emphasizes collaboration and uses an inter-disciplinary approach in order to deliver the best possible service offerings to its clients," states McDonnell. "I am extremely excited to join the firm as a Principal, and play an integral role in the creation of a best-in-class healthcare property practice that is strongly positioned to serve the real estate requirements of the regional medical community. Additionally, I look forward to working with my new colleagues to assist them in developing solutions for clients beyond the healthcare sector." During his career, McDonnell has been elected chairperson for a number of organizations and has received awards for his participation in the Corporate Volunteer Council and The Birmingham Group. He was elected toNew Haven Business Times' "Forty under 40" in 2002 for professional achievement and community involvement, and serves on multiple boards. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and communications from the University of Rhode Island.