Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT) received the 2007 Workplace Excellence award from the Alliance for Workplace Excellence. The award was created to recognize visionary employers that support fulfillment, success and wellness at work, at home and within the community.

"We at Federal Realty feel honored to have been selected to receive this award and to be recognized for our commitment to our employees," says Philip Altschuler, vice president, human resources at Federal Realty. The Alliance referred to Federal Realty's internal growth and development programs for mid-level managers, tuition reimbursement program, career mobility program, leadership training, flextime and com-prehensive benefits program as the basis for winning the award.

AvalonBay Nabs NAHB Honor The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) honored apartment REIT AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE: AVB) with its 2007 “Property Management Company of the Year” award during its Pillars of the Industry Awards. The Pillars awards recognize superior achievement in the apartment and condo industry, based on development, design, marketing and management. “This award not only recognizes that AvalonBay is a great developer of physical communities, but also highlights our success in building a superior operations and management organization,” says Leo S. Horey, AvalonBay’s executive vice president of operations.

Origen Financial Award Mortgage REIT Origen Financial, Inc. (NYSE: ORGN) was recognized as the “National Lender of the Year” by the Manufactured Housing Institute. According to MHI, Origen was recognized for the third time in four years for its excellence in manufactured home lending. “Origen is committed to manufactured housing finance, outstanding loan performance, customer satisfaction and industry integrity,” says David Rand, Origen’s senior vice president of strategic development.

Liberty Beam

Office and industrial REIT Liberty Property Trust (NYSE: LRY) held a Topping Off ceremony by placing the final steel beam atop its 975-foot Comcast Center in downtown Philadelphia. The June 18 ceremony celebrated the new landmark as Philadelphia’s tallest building. The project broke ground in January 2005 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2008. Here (l to r) John Galtuso, SVP, Liberty Property Trust; David Cohen, executive vice president, Comcast Corporation; Brian Roberts, CEO Comcast Corporation; Ralph Roberts, founder of Comcast Corporation; Councilman Darrell Clarke; Mayor John Sheet; Bill Hankowsky, CEO of Liberty Property Trust, hold the oversized “remote control” that puts the topping off in motion.