What’s the largest retail properties investor from Massachusetts?

The established thousandinvestors research team has identified that AEW is the largest retail real estate investor from Massachusetts, with more than $82B in assets under management.

What is the investment focus of AEW?

AEW stands as a preeminent global real estate investment manager, overseeing a substantial portfolio of assets amounting to $82.0 billion as of the fourth quarter of 2024, a figure that encompasses its operations across the North American, European, and Asia-Pacific regions. The firm caters to over 800 institutional clients and operates from 19 offices worldwide, including those in major cities such as Boston, Paris, London, Hong Kong, and Sydney.

AEW’s $54.9 billion core investment platform encompasses retail as a pivotal asset class. The investment portfolio encompasses stabilized, income-generating retail properties, including grocery-anchored centers and urban storefronts, which are characterized by strong tenant profiles and stable cash flow. Furthermore, retail constitutes a component of AEW’s $19.5 billion core plus and value-add strategies.

Alternative candidates for the AUM-based ranking of retail real estate investors in Massachusetts

The largest alternative candidate for our ranking is TA Realty, a U.S.-focused private real estate investment firm with over $18.3 billion in assets under management and more than $42 billion in transactions since its founding in 1982. The firm operates in 30+ major U.S. markets, leveraging over 40 years of real estate experience. TA Realty’s investment strategy encompasses core, core-plus, and value-add strategies, employing a diverse array of investment vehicles, including open- and closed-end funds, as well as separate accounts. The company’s diversified portfolio encompasses industrial, multifamily, office, data center, and retail assets, with the retail sector playing a consistent role in its balanced sector allocation.

Another major retail real estate investor is Long Wharf Capital, a Boston-based private real estate investment firm specializing in value-oriented investments across industrial, multifamily, retail, office, and hospitality sectors. The firm’s investment strategy focuses on acquiring properties with a gross value ranging from $15 to $100 million, with a typical hold period of 3 to 5 years. Investment strategies encompass a range of approaches, including lease-up, repositioning, recapitalization, management turnaround, and development. These strategies are implemented through various structures such as equity joint ventures, preferred equity, and fixed-rate mezzanine.

Both investors are part of the thousandinvestors list of the largest retail real estate investors from the US.

Image source:jacob Licht via Unsplash (June 24, 2025)

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