It’s tough to expand in a recovering market, but sometimes it makes sense. John Combs talks about what went into his decisionmaking in expanding RiverRock Real Estate Group Inc.

Cassidy Turley’s latest expansion move did more than give the company a full-service presence in Denver. The fast-growing company, formed on March 1 with the partnership of a number of former Colliers firms and an assortment of others, found in Denver heavyweight Fuller Real Estate a “perfect fit.”

The green movement is still strong, but most owners and managers of commercial buildings over 10 years old are missing out on a great money-saving opportunity, according to Pike Research’s “Energy Efficiency Retrofits for Commercial and Public Buildings” report. If the commercial property sector were to follow a 10-year energy retrofit agenda, it could ultimately reap over $41.1 billion in savings each year.

The acquisition not only expands Avison’s coverage in the Atlanta region, but also increases the company’s North American property management portfolio. The two companies’ combined portfolio totals 50 million square feet of retail, industrial and office properties in Canada and the U.S.

Mark Carrell and Shirley Hawley have joined GPE Management Services, bringing nearly half a decade of combined property-management experience to the Scottsdale, Az.-based firm.

In these still-stinging-from-recession days, distressed assets continue to provide a major buzzword in commercial real estate. As part of this trend, Voit Real Estate Services has been named asset manager on a $150 million, 12-asset portfolio in the greater Sacramento area.

Retail development and property management firm NewMark Merrill Companies has expanded its portfolio by 385,712 square feet. The Woodland Hills, Calif.-based firm has inked five new property management contracts, all on shopping centers in Southern California.

Commercial real estate services firm Cassidy Turley said Friday that Louisville, Ky.-based Harry K. Moore will join the company on May 13. Harry K. Moore was formerly affiliated with Colliers International.

Real estate manager, investor, and developer The Mueller Company has been awarded three new management contracts totaling more than 1.9 million square feet.

Means Knaus Partners has signed a 12 million square-foot property and construction management, leasing and development deal with Lexington Realty Trust, thereby doubling the size of its property management portfolio. Financial details were not released.