CHICAGO, IL (March 30, 2010) – The Chicago office of real estate services firm Bradford Allen has arranged a long-term, 10,071-square-foot lease on the second floor at 1 North LaSalle Street in Chicago on behalf of Bank Leumi USA. The bank is relocating from 100 North LaSalle Street where it has occupied approximately 8,781 square feet for the past 35 years. Principal and President Jeffrey Bernstein and Managing Director Joshua Feldman represented Bank Leumi USA in the transaction.

“After an extensive search, Bank Leumi chose one of the most recognizable financial addresses in Chicago,” said Feldman. 
 
The relocation of Bank Leumi’s Chicago headquarters comes at a time when the bank is shifting the focus of its local operations toward private banking.

“Our new location will focus on corporate banking for middle market companies, as well as private banking, and much less on retail-related activities therefore a retail presence on the ground floor was unnecessary,” said Bank Leumi’s Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Boaz Blumovitz. “The move to a larger space was needed to accommodate our substantial growth, and it was important for us to stay in the very heart of Chicago’s financial district – which has been part of our local identity for decades.”

Built in1929 and renovated in 2000, 1 North LaSalle Street is located in the heart of Chicago’s financial district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bank Leumi USA will have a significant presence at the landmark building including plaque signage and ad signage on the second floor windows.

MB Real Estate’s Edward McKim and Kevin Purcell represented ownership in the transaction.

About Bank Leumi USA
Bank Leumi USA, operating in the U.S. for more than fifty years, is an FDIC-insured, full-service commercial bank that provides financial services to middle- to upper-middle market firms, and international businesses through offices in New York, Illinois, California, Florida, and an offshore office in the Cayman Islands.
 
Bank Leumi USA offers U.S. and international private banking services as well as a full range of securities and insurance products through its brokerage subsidiary, Leumi Investment Services Inc.
 
It is the largest subsidiary of the Leumi Group, Israel’s leading banking group, founded in 1902, with assets exceeding $86 billion.  Bank Leumi USA and Bank Leumi le-Israel are separate legal entities.  Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. is recognized as a significant force in international finance.  The Leumi Group serves clients around the world through more than 300 branches and offices in Israel, major world financial centers in 21 countries, and a broad network of correspondent banks.

About Bradford Allen
Bradford Allen Realty Services, a Chicago-based commercial real estate firm, makes a full range of services and expertise available to entrepreneurial and corporate business entities, and not-for-profit organizations. The firm provides real estate strategy, advice, marketing, and transaction execution for occupiers, investors and owners of real estate. Please visit our website at www.bradfordallen.com.