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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1




                      CONSENT TO BE NAMED AS TRUST MANAGER

         I, Norman Braman, hereby consent to be nominated as a trust manager of
Automotive Realty Trust of America, and to be named as a nominated trust
manager in the Form S-11 Registration Statement filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission by Automotive Realty Trust of America.

Dated:   March 27, 1998

                                        /s/  Norman Braman 
                                        -----------------------------------
                                             Norman Braman