Bracha takes over for BHS at Azure

Brown Harris Stevens is out at the Leon D. DeMatteis Corporation’s Azure Condominium, the new, 34-story tower on the Upper East Side, and Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Bracha Group is in.

Bracha officially took the helm Friday, group head Ilan Bracha told The Real Deal.

While the motive behind BHS’ ousting is unclear (DeMatteis did not respond to requests for comment), sales launched at the 333 East 91st Street tower more than two years ago, and according to Bracha, just nine units are currently in contract.

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The Azure is the site of a May 2008 crane collapse that killed two construction workers and forced a shutdown. At that time, 17 contracts had been signed. Sales resumed two weeks later, though whether there is a connection between the decrease in signed contracts and the construction delays that resulted from the accident, is also unclear.

Nancy Packes, who had been heading the BHS sales and marketing team at Azure, was not immediately available for comment.
Bracha, who spoke via e-mail because he is in Israel marketing a project in Jerusalem, said he expects the building to sell quickly under his wing. “Our approach is more aggressive,” he said, noting that his group has a strong following in the international client community that he plans to draw upon for sales.