A Diverse Team of Experienced and Trusted Professionals

About Ascent

Ascent is an entrepreneurial investment, development and consulting firm that combines the extensive real estate development, management finance and capital market expertise of its principals.

We are real estate owners, developers and investors who believe not every transaction looks the same and not every transaction needs to be structured or executed the same way in order to be successful. We seek to match potential investment opportunities with investor demand and always co-invest alongside our investors in order to create an appropriate alignment of interests.

Formed in 2003 as a collaboration among John Porges, Dean Benjamin and an investment management vehicle sponsored by M.D. Sass and Macquarie, Ascent is the product of a relationship that began in 1997. Ascent’s leaders have experienced the highs and lows of multiple investment cycles and believe such experience necessarily informs each and every decision we make going forward.

Ascent is positioned to act in a variety of capacities including sponsor, co-sponsor, asset manager and developer depending upon the needs of a given opportunity. We seek to uncover opportunities that are often overlooked by others due to size or one or more other disqualifying factors.

Our Team

Each and every transaction is different and has been underwritten based upon our view of the opportunity, potential risks and anticipated rewards.

Transactions

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John A. Porges

Principal

Prior to Ascent, John was vice president and general counsel of J.D. Carlisle Development in New York. John was primarily responsible for development strategy, overall transaction management and marketing. Prior to J.D. Carlisle, John was an associate at Togut, Segal & Segal in New York. John is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College and New York School of Law.

jporges@ascentrea.com
212-843-8910

Dean S. Benjamin

Principal

Prior to Ascent, Dean was a director in the Principal Transactions Group at Credit Suisse First Boston. Dean’s responsibilities included the structuring and execution of numerous capital markets transactions, the creation of high yield investment vehicles and the workout and restructuring of a multi-billion dollar portfolio of assets following the 1998 debt crisis. Prior to Credit Suisse First Boston, Dean was an associate at Schulte Roth & Zabel in New York. Dean is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Fordham University School of Law.

dbenjamin@ascentrea.com
212-843-8911

 

Bryan Amsterdam

CFO

Bryan facilitates distribution analysis, investor waterfall calculations, and income tax compliance for Ascent’s new and existing joint ventures. Drawing from over a decade of public accounting experience allows Bryan to bring unique value to all transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, refinancings and debt and equity restructurings. Bryan specializes in Real Estate/Hospitality tax accounting, Partnership Taxation, Like-kind exchanges, Tangible Property Regulations Analysis, and depreciation. Bryan lives in Northport, NY with his wife Carissa and their children Branden and Taylor.

BAmsterdam@SystemsTax.com

 

Sabrina Massa

Executive Assistant

Sabrina Massa is the Executive Assistant at Ascent. Sabrina assists with with investor relations, management and administration of more than 40 real estate entities involving in excess of 100 investors. Sabrina’s responsibilities include distribution coordination, bank reconciliations, property management and all administrative functions. Prior to Ascent, Sabrina was a Financial Associate with Citibank.

smassa@ascentrea.com
212-843-8913

Tim Bokinsky

Associate

Prior to Ascent, Tim was a Senior Analyst in the Transactions Group at Property Reserve in Salt Lake City, UT. Tim’s primary responsibilities included assisting transaction managers with market research, financial modeling, investment committee presentations, and project due diligence. Prior to Property Reserve, Tim was a senior analyst in CBRE’s Debt & Structured Finance Group in Phoenix, AZ. Tim is a graduate of Utah State University where he studied finance with minors in real estate and landscape architecture.

tbokinsky@ascentrea.com
212-843-8912

 

Property Name Rambler Park
Property Address 7557 Rambler Road Dallas, TX
Property Type Class A Office
Date Acquired March 2016
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Property Address545 Oakmead Parkway
Sunnyvale, CA
Property TypeR&D/Manufacturing
Date AcquiredNovember 2015
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Property Name200 Kansas
Property Address200 Kansas Street
San Francisco, CA
Property TypeCreative Office/PDR
Date AcquiredFebruary 2015
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Property Address5001 Statesman Drive Irving, TX
Property TypeClass A Office
Date AcquiredJanuary 2019
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Property Address1000 Louis Rose Place, Charlotte NC 28262
Property TypeTwo-story office building
Date AcquiredJuly 2021
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Property Address501 Seaview Avenue
Staten Island, NY
Property TypeMedical Office
Date AcquiredJune 2014
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Property Name8601 N Scottsdale Rd (Gainey)
Property Address8601 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Property TypeSingle-story office building
Date AcquiredJune 2020
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Property Address18444 & 18456 North 25th Avenue Phoenix, AZ
Property TypeMedical Office/Creative Office
Date AcquiredDecember 2018
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Property Address301 Gregson Drive, Cary, NC 27511
Property TypeThree-story single office building
Date AcquiredApril 2022
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Property Address4141 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040
Property TypeThree-story multi-tenant office building
Date AcquiredMay 2022
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Property Address1413 Center Street Park City, UT
Property TypeCreative Office
Date AcquiredApril 2018
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Property NameThe Alameda
Property Address1665 West Alameda Drive Tempe, AZ
Property TypeClass A Office
Date AcquiredFebruary 2019
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