Commercial real estate firm Lee & Associates is expanding into Wilmington.

Lee & Associates announced its new Wilmington office in a news release on Tuesday. It will become the firm’s third North Carolina office and will be led by Sandy Thorpe, who will serve as managing director.

Thorpe has more than a decade of experience in development and commercial real estate. He founded Parastream Development with business partner Andy Hewitt in 2021. The joint venture renovated the Bottle Works Building, a former Coca-Cola bottling facility at 921 Princess St. In 2023, Thorpe and Hewitt won a Coastal Entrepreneur Award for their redevelopment efforts in Wilmington’s growing Soda Pop District.

The news release stated Thorpe’s “deep local connections and commitment to the Wilmington market position him to lead Lee & Associates’ expansion in the region, focusing on business development, brokerage and talent recruitment.”

According to the release, the Wilmington office will specialize in retail, office, industrial, land and multifamily real estate and will be an extension of the firm’s Raleigh Durham office.

“The offices will work closely together, leveraging the resources, expertise, and collaborative synergy between the two locations to provide seamless service to clients across the state and throughout the Southeast,” the release stated.

"Wilmington’s commercial real estate market is experiencing dynamic growth, making it the perfect time to expand Lee & Associates’ presence in the region," Moss Withers, CEO of the Raleigh Durham office, stated in the release.

"By integrating the expertise of our Raleigh Durham team with Sandy’s deep market knowledge, we are well-positioned to provide best-in-class service and strategic solutions to clients looking to capitalize on opportunities in this thriving market," he added.

According to the release, Russell Stewart and Dan Koeller, both professionals from the Raleigh Durham office, will play an active role in the Wilmington market, further strengthening the office’s capabilities and expanding its reach in the region.

"Lee & Associates offers the ideal combination of a nationally recognized brand with an entrepreneurial, client-first approach," Thorpe stated in the release. "By joining forces with the Raleigh Durham office, we’re able to bring unmatched expertise, collaboration and market intelligence to serve the needs of the Wilmington business community."

The Lee & Associates office will be located at 6781 Parker Farm Road, Suite 1B #140 in Wilmington. The firm offers an array of real estate services tailored to the needs of the company’s clients, including commercial real estate brokerage, integrated services and construction services.

Established in 1979, the company has offices throughout North America and has established an emphasis on expansion. Recent market expansions include Charlotte, Central California, Nashville, San Francisco and Boston, among others.