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Category Archives: Liberty

Liberty Acquires D.C. Property

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Liberty Property Trust (LRY) recently acquired a property in Washington, D.C. for $133.5 million. The property 2100 M Street NW is a nearly 291,000 square feet, eight-story office building, which is currently 77% occupied with space available for lease of 66,366 square feet.

It has a premium location with a decent amenity base within a three-block radius. Also, it enjoys easy accessibility for being in close proximity with the Red and Orange/Blue Metro rail lines.

The property has retail tenants like The UPS Store of United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) and M Street Store. Moreover, its office tenants are The Urban Institute, George Washington University, Stewart & Stewart, GSA-SSA.

The deal brings in leasable space to Liberty Property, whose current downtown properties are mostly occupied (99% leased). Moreover, it offers opportunities to redevelop and expand to a maximum of 415,000 square feet.

Last month, Liberty Property reported first-quarter 2013 FFO (funds from operations) of 65 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. The result was attributable to a consistent performance of the overall portfolio as well as strong leasing and development activities.

Liberty Property currently holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Two other REIT stocks that are performing well and deserve a look include CubeSmart (CUBE) and The Macerich Company (MAC), both carrying a Zacks Rank #2.

Note: Funds from operations, a widely accepted and reported measure of REITs performance, are derived by adding depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income.

Read the Full Research Report on MAC

Read the Full Research Report on LRY

Read the Full Research Report on CUBE

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Liberty Acquires D.C. Property

Pope Francis meets with Angela Merkel. Economy and religious liberty discussed – Video

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Pope Francis meets with Angela Merkel. Economy and religious liberty discussed
http://en.romereports.com Pope Francis welcomed Germany #39;s Federal Chancellor, Angela Merkel, at the Vatican #39;s Apostolic Palace. During their brief Saturday meeting, both leaders talked about...

By: ROME REPORTS TV News Agency

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Pope Francis meets with Angela Merkel. Economy and religious liberty discussed - Video

Liberty Medical employee speaks out

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Management at Liberty Medical Supply in Port St. Lucie has yet to comment to WPTV NewsChannel 5 about substantial changes and major layoffs at the company. But one current Liberty Medical employee is breaking her silence about a work environment she calls 'hostile'.

"It was a very good place," said the employee whose identity will not be revealed. "It was teamwork. It was family," she said, describing work life when she was hired at Liberty Medical several years ago. This is how she describes the company now. "It's a very hostile environment right now; the not knowing what's going on."

Liberty Medical Supply, once St. Lucie County's largest private employer, has had a turbulent 2013. The company filed for bankruptcy, announced layoffs involving between 300 and 400 people and also cut pay for some employees.

The employee says she recently received a termination notice. In July, she will be among those being laid off. She says work stress is taking a toll on her physical and emotional well-being. "Anxiety attacks, panic attacks," she said, describing how the stress is impacting her. Still, she says, bleak job prospects keep her working at the company.

"They're scared," she said, speaking about her coworkers' reluctance to speak publicly about the company's inner workings. She says some employees fear that they would be let go even sooner than July or they may become ineligible for some unemployment benefits.

Additional layoffs, the company has said, are not likely. Multiple requests for comment from Liberty Medical management have yet to be answered.

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Liberty Medical employee speaks out

Liberty Place sues group over anti-white, gay rants

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Frank Kummer and Emily Babay, PHILLY.COM Posted: Thursday, May 23, 2013, 8:36 AM

A religious group spewing what the owners of One Liberty Place call hate speech against women, whites and gays can no longer demonstrate immediately outside the building's entrance at 16th and Chestnut Streets, a judge ruled today.

The owners of One Liberty Place in Center City Philadelphia filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge. The group is frequently seen perched on Center City street corners shouting at passersby through bullhorns. Liberty Place Retail Associates, which owns the building, has asked the state court to bar the group from gathering in front of the entrance to its 61-story tower at 16th and Chestnut Streets.

Court of Common Pleas Judge Ellen Ceisler ruled this morning that the sidewalk area adjacent to One Liberty Place, where the group had been gathering, is private property.

She said the group could gather in the public sidewalk space that is not immediately next to the building, so long as it did not impede pedestrian access. If the Israelite group wants to set up a large stage or use a megaphone, it will need to get a permit from the city managing director's office.

"Whatever we have to do, we'll do," Israelite School member Kory Travis said in court. "Whatever is legal, we want to do it."

After the hearing, he said he didn't know if the group would have any presence at 16th and Chestnut this Friday.

The group is a nonprofit based at 46th and Market Streets in West Philadelphia.

Ceisler's ruling came after an attorney for Liberty Place, Jason Gosselin, with Drinker, Biddle and Reath, sought an injunction today asking a state court to prohibit the group from gathering at the entrance to The Shops at Liberty Place, a 150,000 square foot, 60-shop retail center and food court within One Liberty Place.

The lawsuit filed in state court claims that since November 2012 the group has met on Friday afternoons near its 16th and Chestnut Street entrance, using a loudspeaker to "take turns preaching hate toward whites, homosexuals and women."

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Liberty Place sues group over anti-white, gay rants

Liberty Mutual And Safeco Insurance Catastrophe Teams Blanket Region To Handle Tornado Claims

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BOSTON, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To help customers promptly and safely recover from the devastating storm system that hit the Oklahoma City area, Liberty Mutual Personal Insurance companies Liberty Mutual and Safeco have sent teams of catastrophe claims specialists to the area to handle claims, including property experts in the hardest-hit areas and specialists available by telephone. To further facilitate quick customer response, the companies have set up a special home and auto claims mobile unit at the insurance command center in Moore, Okla., 301 NE 27th Street.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121219/MM30363LOGO-b )

"Helping our customers in their time of greatest need is our first responsibility, and we have dedicated more than 120 claims experts on the ground to ensure that we are responding as promptly as possible to everyone who has experienced a loss from this storm," said Ted Gramer, executive vice president and chief claims officer, Liberty Mutual Personal Insurance. "Once safe to do so, customers should reach out to us by phone, internet, mobile applications, through their agent, or at our response vehicle location in Moore with their claims or questions."

Home and auto insurance customers are encouraged to report their claims 24 hours a day by calling these numbers:

Homeowners can meet with Liberty Mutual or Safeco catastrophe specialists at the mobile claims unit in Moore daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT to discuss their claims, obtain policy information, and in some cases get initial claims payments for covered losses or receive advances to cover anticipated out-of-pocket costs such as food, clothing, housing and personal items.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2012 direct premiums written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 81st on the Fortune 100 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2012 revenue. The company employs over 50,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

Liberty Mutual Insurance's Personal Insurance sells private passenger automobile, homeowners, and specialty products in the U.S. through the Liberty Mutual Insurance and Safeco Insurance brands. Liberty Mutual Insurance products are distributed through more than 2,300 licensed sales representatives, direct response centers, third-party producers and online at http://www.libertymutual.com. With more than 14,000 affinity group relationships including employers, credit unions, and professional and alumni associations Liberty Mutual Insurance is an industry-leader in affinity marketing. More than 10,000 independent insurance agencies in 49 states sell Safeco Insurance products. Personal Insurance also offers a wide range of traditional and variable life insurance and annuity products through Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston.

CONTACT:

Glenn Greenberg

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Liberty Mutual And Safeco Insurance Catastrophe Teams Blanket Region To Handle Tornado Claims

Liberty Mutual Insurance Provides Tools to Support ADA Compliance for Producers and Employers

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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Liberty Mutual Insurances Group Benefits business unit is introducing new tools to support producers and employers compliance efforts regarding the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). Drawing on expertise acquired from more than 60 years of managing disability and absence, Group Benefits has published a guide to help employers develop ADA-compliant programs; and a manual for brokers and producers to use in helping their clients understand this complex issue.

It is both more challenging and more important than ever for employers to understand and fully comply with the ADA, notes Heather Luiz, director of product management at Liberty Mutuals Group Benefits operation. ADA compliance affects every element of an employers absence management programs and strategies, whether occupational or non-occupational. And non-compliance can be costly.

Ms. Luiz is featured in a video discussing best practices employers can undertake immediately to ensure that they are aware of their ADA obligations and interact appropriately with employees seeking accommodation for a disability under the Act. The video may be viewed at http://www.libertymutualgroup.com/ADA.

The new employer and producer guides help readers to:

To learn more about Liberty Mutuals Group Benefits operations consultative approach to ADA compliance visit http://www.libertymutualgroup.com/ADA or email GroupBenefits@LibertyMutual.com.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Bostonbased Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2012 direct premiums written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 81st on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2012 revenue. As of December 31, 2012, Liberty Mutual Insurance had $120.1 billion in consolidated assets, $101.5 billion in consolidated liabilities, and $36.9 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

Liberty Mutual Insurance offers a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation, property, commercial automobile, general liability, global specialty, group disability, reinsurance and surety. Liberty Mutual Insurance (www.libertymutualinsurance.com) employs over 50,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

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Liberty Mutual Insurance Provides Tools to Support ADA Compliance for Producers and Employers

New York Liberty ready for fresh start with new coach Bill Laimbeer

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Cappie Pondexter hopes the Liberty's new coach Bill Laimbeer can help improve their defense.

Ned Dishman/Getty Images

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- When the New York Liberty open the regular season May 25 in Connecticut, you might not recognize them.

They have a new coach, many new players, and perhaps more, important, a new outlook on the game they love.

Coach and general manager Bill Laimbeer, in his first season with Liberty, has brought a defense-first approach to a team that went 15-19 last season. And to help matters, he drafted several players who should help balance a lineup that still includes All-Star guard Cappie Pondexter.

It's hard to argue with his success, and Laimbeer is intent on changing the culture around the franchise. He brings an impressive resume with him. With the Detroit Shock, Laimbeer made six consecutive playoff appearances and won three league titles. He was with Detroit for eight seasons.

"Defensively, we want to use our physical strength and athleticism to play a smothering, aggressive defense with the emphasis on no second shots," Laimbeer said. "We have built a team that is big and strong at all positions with defense in mind."

In the first round, the Liberty selected Texas A&M center Kelsey Bone and Oklahoma State forward Toni Young. They also snared three guards later in the draft: Tennessee's Kamiko Williams, Shenneika Smith of St. John's, and Olcay Cakir of Turkey.

"We addressed some of our weaknesses, even after our free-agent signings," Laimbeer said. "Kelsey Bone will add depth to our bigs, Toni Young adds to our athleticism and philosophy of players that can play at least two positions. Kamiko Williams is an intriguing player who should learn well from veterans like Katie Smith. We are very excited about this draft class.

"We were able to select every player we targeted."

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New York Liberty ready for fresh start with new coach Bill Laimbeer


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