Firebird Grove
(Oculus)
131 Spring Street, Suite 405 New York, New York 10012
People:
Firebird Grove NYC portfolio
$337.3 million -walkup 41%, mixed-use 33%, C0 7%; Manhattan 59%, Brooklyn 40%*
642th largest portfolio by dollar value
363,275 sqft – walkup 54%, mixed-use 33%, elevator 5%; Brooklyn 50%, Manhattan 49%
1053th largest by SF
51 properties – Brooklyn 54%, Manhattan 45%
174th largest
406 residential units – Manhattan 57%, Brooklyn 42%
687th largest by residential units
Notes
Website: In 2020, Berggruen Holdings and Firebird Grove began a partnership, Oculus, to build a long-term, customized investment portfolio of multi-family properties in New York City, with a specific focus on historic buildings in Brooklyn.
Company Activity past 24 months:
Buyer company: 2 for $32.9 million
Seller company: 4 for $13.9 million
Borrower company: 1 for $15 million
Top Ten Associated Companies:
Derby Copeland Capital (2), Signature Bank (2), Series 2019-B10 (1), Bank of America (1), Joseph Daskal (1), Dime Community Bank (1), New York Community Bank (1), Suzanne Castagna (1), JSAF Capital (1), Owemanco (1)
Top Ten Associated People:
Gregory Fantauzzi (2), Joseph Daskal (1), Alan L. Kaufman (1), Suzanne Castagna (1), Joseph E. Safdie (1), Sohail Zayona (1), Chengronghao Gu (1), Jesse Hutcher (1)
Recent activity as company:
• Firebird Grove sold 40 4 Avenue for $3 million to Joseph Daskal on April 22, 2026.
• Firebird Grove sold 665 St Marks Avenue for $3.8 million to Owemanco on March 30, 2026.
• Firebird Grove sold 667 5 Avenue for $2.2 million to JSAF Capital on August 21, 2025.
• Firebird Grove sold 303 Bedford Avenue for $4.8 million to Suzanne Castagna on April 23, 2025.
• Berggruen Holdings and Firebird Grove borrowed $15 million from Series 2019-B10 for 541 Atlantic Avenue on December 18, 2024.
• Thor Equities sold 541 Atlantic Avenue for $25 million to Berggruen Holdings and Firebird Grove on December 18, 2024.
• Ludlow Property Group sold 164 Ludlow Street for $7.8 million to Firebird Grove on October 08, 2024.
• Firebird Grove sold 66 6 Avenue for $3.9 million to AXG Management on April 11, 2024.
• Firebird Grove borrowed $17 million from Derby Copeland Capital for 9 Patchin Place on February 02, 2024.
• Firebird Grove borrowed $10 million from Bank of America for 9 East 68 Street on November 09, 2023.
Latest Stories:
• JSAF Capital pays $2.2M to Firebird Grove for mixed-use in Greenwood Heights (August 31, 2025)
• Recent seller pays $4.8M to Firebird Grove for mixed-use in Williamsburg (June 16, 2025)
• Berggruen Holdings, Firebird pay $25M to Thor for 9 rentals in Boerum Hill (January 06, 2025)
• Firebird Grove sells mixed-use in Prospect Heights for $3.9M (April 29, 2024)
• Firebird Grove signs $17M refi with Derby Copeland in Greenwich Village (February 23, 2024)
• Firebird Grove pays $6M for 11-unit walkup in Little Italy (October 06, 2023)
• Firebird Grove pays $5.5M for 4-unit mixed-use in Tribeca (October 25, 2022)
• Firebird Grove pays $7.5M for mixed-use in Fort Greene (August 18, 2022)
Properties: