Firm History

The firm was founded in 2005 by real estate veteran, Christopher Merrill, in partnership with the Galvin family (founding family of Motorola). Christopher Merrill and the firm’s senior executives have a long history of identifying unique and innovative investment strategies over their careers. It is in this spirit of innovation, integrity and investment discipline that Harrison Street was founded and continues to operate today.

In July 2018, Colliers International Group Inc. (CIGI) purchased the interests of the Galvin family and became Harrison Street’s new strategic partner. The transaction solves for succession of founders, ensures long-term firm stability and creates stronger alignment with the firm’s limited partners.

Key milestones follow:

2020

September AUM of $29.0 billion

August Hosted our fourth annual senior housing operator conference

July Our summer internship program was the largest class to date with 16 interns representing 13 universities

April Social Infrastructure Fund acquired Fort Detrick Energy Production Facility, its second district energy investment

April Sold a 14 asset self storage portfolio in southeastern US

March Awarded 2019 Alternatives Investor of the Year: North America by PERE

2019

December AUM of $24.8 billion

December Awarded Pensions & Investments “Best Places to Work” for the sixth consecutive year

December Acquired first life sciences portfolio in the UK

October Firm acquired its 1000th asset

August Final close of US Opportunity Fund VII and Co-Investment Vehicles with total capital commitments of $1.6 billion

August Rolled out inaugural Fitwel certification to senior and student housing properties

June Ranked in the Top 25 of PERE’s list of Top 100 private equity real estate firms

May Acquired life sciences portfolio, Osborn Triangle, in Cambridge

April Final close of Europe Fund II and Co-Investment Vehicle with total capital commitments of €700 million

2018

December AUM of $18.0 billion

December Awarded Pensions & Investments “Best Places to Work” for the fifth consecutive year

July Formed strategic partnership with Colliers International Group Inc.

July Succession planning completed with expansion of Executive and Management Committees

June Launched Social Infrastructure open-end fund

January Sold $1 billion student housing portfolio

January Harrison Street Healthy Aging Session hosted by Mayo Clinic for Senior Housing Operators

2017

December AUM of $13.7 billion

December Nominated as runner-up for PERE’s North America Firm of the Year Award

December Awarded Pensions & Investments “Best Places to Work” for the fourth consecutive year

June Final close of US Opportunity Fund VI and Co-Investment Vehicles with total capital commitments of $1.05 billion

June Launched two-year Investment Analyst program in Transaction department

March Created dedicated Operating Partners Services department

February Firm grew to over 100 employees

January Ranked 2nd in Top Owners of Student Housing by Student Housing Business

2016

December AUM of $12.2 billion

December Awarded Pensions & Investments “Best Places to Work” for the third consecutive year

November Europe Fund held final close with total capital commitments of €235 million

June Core Real Estate Open-End fund surpassed $5 billion in gross assets

February Completed privatization of publicly traded Campus Crest for $1.9 billion

February Firm sold its 250th asset

2015

December AUM of $8.4 billion

December Awarded Pensions & Investments “Best Places to Work” for the second consecutive year

October Opened London office

May Ranked 28 of 50 largest private equity real estate firms in the world by PERE

March Member of Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)

January Final close of US Opportunity Fund V and Co-Investment Vehicle with total capital commitments of $1.1 billion

2014

December AUM of $6.6 billion

December Awarded Pensions & Investments top three “Best Places to Work” in Alternative Managers category

August Expanded healthcare delivery sector with acquisition of behavioral health asset

May Ranked 38 of 50 largest private equity real estate firms in the world by PERE

March Named top three “Firm of the Year” in North America category by PERE

2013

December AUM of $5.8 billion

October Sold portfolio of 43 self storage assets for $315 million

October Launched Sustainability committee to focus on firm’s ESG initiatives

July Final close of US Opportunity Fund IV with total capital commitments of $750 million

2012

December AUM of $4.0 billion

July Formed joint venture with 35th operating partner

2011

December AUM of $3.5 billion

November Launched core real estate open-end fund

October Registered as an Investment Adviser with the SEC

June Final close of US Opportunity Fund III with total capital commitments of $595.5 million

March Raised $1 billion of discretionary capital since inception

2010

December AUM of $2.5 billion

2009

December AUM of $2.0 billion

June Closed $135 million investment with Extra Space Storage making the firm the 7th largest US owner of storage by sq.ft.

2008

December AUM of $1.5 billion

July Final close of US Opportunity Fund II with total capital commitments of $431.6 million

2007

December AUM of $700 million

June Final close of US Opportunity Fund I with total capital commitments of $208.5 million

2006

December AUM of $390 million

August First Close of US Opportunity Fund I

2005

September Harrison Street founded