Lennar lines up $1.7 bln from China Development Bank -WSJ

Dec 11 (Reuters) - Home builder Lennar Corp lined up $1.7 billion from state-run China Development Bank for two San Fransisco-based housing projects, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar the deal.

Officials of both the companies are trying to close the deal by year-end to qualify for a tax exemption, the Journal said.

The loan will be used as capital to kick-start the Treasure Island and Hunters Point Shipyard housing projects in San Francisco, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the paper, officials from the Miami-based Lennar, including the head of its San Francisco office Kofi Bonner, traveled to China last week and reached a deal on Friday.

The journal also said that a Chinese contractor was expected to be involved in the project, and the state-run China Railway Construction Corp Ltd was the front-runner to fill that role.

Lennar was not available for comment.