/C O R R E C T I O N – APW Ave Group/ In the news release, "APW Avenue Group Reveals Founder James R. Park's $4B Real Estate Portfolio History — From Early LA Deals to a $145M Refinancing", issued Aug. 25, 2026 by APW Ave Group over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end:
APW Avenue Group Reveals Founder James R. Parks' $4B Real Estate Portfolio History — From Early LA Deals to a $145M Refinancing
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- James R. Parks built his career by stepping into complicated situations and figuring out what could be done with them. Over more than four decades, the Los Angeles-based CPA, investor and founder of APW Avenue Group has assembled a real estate portfolio valued at approximately $4 billion, spanning multifamily housing, hospitality and commercial properties.
His story began with accounting.
After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1972, Parks joined Peat Marwick, now KPMG, where he developed expertise in tax and business management, working with clients in the entertainment industry. He eventually launched his own practice, building a reputation among high-net-worth individuals, studios and entertainment companies.
In the early 1980s, he and a business partner began investing in multifamily properties in Los Angeles. One of their first major acquisitions involved two apartment buildings totaling 360 units. They later combined those properties with a larger portfolio and sold the package to institutional investors, doubling their investment in about 18 months.
That transaction established a pattern that would define Parks' investment career: identifying assets with complicated circumstances, finding a way to restructure them and creating value over time.
His real estate activities eventually expanded to thousands of apartment units. During the savings and loan crisis, Parks acquired distressed assets and restructured debt through the Resolution Trust Corp., including one transaction that generated approximately $70 million in value.
In 2001, he founded APW Avenue Group, a privately held real estate investment and development firm focused on assets requiring active ownership and a clear turnaround plan.
Its most prominent investment is Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York. Parks and his wife, photographer and conservationist Xtina Parks, became majority owners of the troubled Tribeca development after years of delays and setbacks. The project was restructured and ultimately opened in 2022 as the first U.S. hotel from the Paris-based Barrière brand.
In early 2026, the property secured a $145 million refinancing led by Goldman Sachs, closing a significant chapter for a project that had spent years navigating financial and development challenges.
Parks' investment career has also extended into media. He served as chairman and CEO of LaserPacific Media Corp., helping guide the post-production company through financial difficulties and a major technological transition before its acquisition by Eastman Kodak in 2003.
Parks' work has never been limited to transactions. Parks has held leadership positions at USC and other institutions, supporting education, arts and cultural preservation. He and Xtina established the Chrystina and James R. Parks Research Center for Archives, Conservation, and Collections Care at the Autry Museum of the American West.
Today, Parks continues to invest in philanthropy and preservation. He is restoring a 100 year old estate in New York patterned after Skibo castle in Scotland and serves on the board of directors of Roam Africa Conservation, founded in Botswana by his wife, Xtina Parks, to protect Africa's wildlife and the communities that live alongside it through conservation, education and sustainable economic opportunity.
After four decades and billions of dollars in assets, Parks' approach remains grounded in the same idea that shaped his earliest deals: complexity can create opportunity for investors willing to understand the problem and stay with it.
About APW Avenue Group
APW Avenue Group is a privately held, high-value strategic real estate investment and development firm based in Los Angeles, focused on multifamily housing, hospitality, and mixed-use properties across high-growth and premier markets in the United States. Led by James R. Parks, APW is the majority owner of Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York, a premium hospitality success story in Tribeca. The firm partners with institutional capital to acquire, reposition, and develop high-potential real estate assets. With a proven track record of successful value-add and opportunistic investments, the firm delivers strong risk-adjusted returns while creating premium housing and hospitality experiences.
Media Contact:
Colby Jones
APW Avenue Group
apwavenuegroup.com
[email protected]
Correction: An earlier version of this release incorrectly had "Parks'" written as "Park's" in the headline.
SOURCE APW Ave Group
Share this article