Clifford Finn, Citi Habitats’ head of new development marketing, is departing the brokerage to join Prudential Douglas Elliman’s new development marketing arm, Elliman announced today. His team of nine will join him in the switch to Elliman.
Following Finn’s departure, Citi Habitats will partner with Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group in all its new development endeavors going forward, Citi Habitats President Gary Malin told The Real Deal in a statement. Citi Habitats Marketing Group’s current organization will be restructured to facilitate the partnership, the firm said.
Finn, who spent more than eight years at Citi Habitats, spearheaded the marketing for notable rental properties as well as condos during his time at the firm, including Silver Towers for Silverstein Properties, New York by Gehry for Forest City Ratner, The Ashley and Aldyn for Extell Development and the Cocoa Exchange.
“This is a unique opportunity for Elliman because Clifford’s expertise in marketing both rental and condominium developments presents another dynamic dimension for our development marketing platform,” said Susan de Franca, president and CEO of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing.
In a statement, Finn said Douglas Elliman Developments is the “most unique platform in the industry,” noting that he had collaborated with key members of the Douglas Elliman Developments team during his time at Citi Habitats.
Finn’s departure from Citi Habitats comes at a pivotal time for the city’s largest rental firm. The company has recently released a string of announcements about the new direction the firm is taking.
As The Real Deal previously reported, the company is closing its Gramercy-area offices in an effort to consolidate its presence in the neighborhood and expand elsewhere in the city. It recently completed renovating its company headquarters at 250 Park Avenue South and is in the midst of renovating its West Village office at 114 Perry Street. The company is also set to unveil a new website in the coming months, following the release of a new company logo and colors.
Last month, the firm also lost Rado Varchola, one of its top brokers. Varchola, who was named Citi Habitats’ Top Individual of the year by overall production and Top Individual of the year in sales in 2011, joined Nest Seekers, it was previously reported.