Chris Helms
Jon Ufland, principal and managing broker at Unlimited Sotheby's International Realty, pauses for a photo at the company's 673 Centre St. office on Sept. 24, 2014.
You may have noticed a big change to the building at the heart of the Centre/South district: Prudential Unlimited Realty is now Unlimited Sotheby's International Realty.
The change became official Oct. 1. A new affiliation has been in the works since Prudential sold off its real estate arm more than three years ago. As those agreements expired, real estate companies had to shop for new affiliations.
Jon Ufland, principal and managing broker at what is now Sotheby's, said the new partnership made sense after looking at several options. Sotheby's did not have an affiliate in either Brookline or JP, the two places where Ufland's firm has offices.
"We thought it was a good fit for Brookline and a good fit for JP," Ufland said.
This brings the number of independently owned and affiliated Sotheby's offices in the Bay State to 33, 
The old electric clock has been removed in favor of a "blade" sign.[/caption]
During the last two or three years as it was clear some sort of transition away from the Prudential brand would be coming, Ufland said the realty held off enhancements to their storefront. But with the name change official, much of the new look is in place: A fresh blue awning, a "blade" style sign to replace the electronic clock and a new sign. Further enhancements to what you see in the windows as you walk past are also in the works.
The clock, although a well-known part of JP's streetscape, hasn't worked in years.
"It's a huge change," said Andrew Zarro, the now-departed executive director of Centre/South Main Streets, a business and neighborhood development organization. "It's a company that does have a strong tie to the arts but also is very community-oriented."
Ufland said Sotheby's would continue Prudential Realty's role as a major sponsor of 
A view of the front of Unlimited Sotheby's International Realty, which changed its name from Prudential Realty on Oct. 1, 2014.[/caption]
Growth
Ufland said business has been growing. Sales volume generated by the 20 agents in the JP office is up 73 percent, to $77 million a year, since he became managing broker five years ago. And that doesn't count revenue from the company's expanding rental unit.
Ufland's company rents the Centre Street space from Charles Hajjar. Ufland declined to say how much Sotheby's pays for rent.
Unlimited Sotheby's International Realty's has two locations: In JP at 673 Centre St. and in Brookline at 1290A Beacon St.
[Editor's note: The original posting gave the wrong name for the landlord of 673 Centre St.]