Commercial

Retail Mega Broker Faith Hope Consolo Passes Away

December 26, 2018

NEW YORK CITY—Longtime Manhattan retail real estate mega broker Faith Hope Consolo, who was known in some circles as the “Queen of Retail,” died on Sunday, Dec. 23rd at her home here, according to multiple press reports. Consolo, who was the chairperson of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group, was 69 years old. In October 2017, Consolo…

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$850M Empire City Casino Sale to Close in January

December 26, 2018

YONKERS—MGM Resorts International reports its previously announced $850-million purchase of the Empire City Casino property here is scheduled to close in a January. MGM recently announced the planned closing of its purchase in connection with its appointment of Uri Clinton as president and chief operating officer of Empire City Casino. Clinton will head operations at…

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Sports Complex Lease Signed with Pelham Manor

December 18, 2018

PELHAM MANOR—Houlihan Lawrence’s Commercial Group has announced the completion of a lease transaction with REB Sports Complex for an 18,000-square-foot building in Pelham Manor featuring state-of- the-art indoor athletic fields. Daniel Hickey of Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Group represented REB Sports Complex in the direct lease negotiation with the Village of Pelham Manor, which owns the…

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RM Friedland Establishes Investment Sales Division

December 17, 2018

HARRISON– Commercial brokerage firm RM Friedland recently announced the launch of an Investment Sales Division. As part of the expansion, the firm reported that veteran commercial broker John Barrett has been named managing director of the division. In addition, Marco Lala has been named senior vice president, bringing with him a sales team with an…

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Google Plans $1Billion Expansion in NYC

December 17, 2018

NEW YORK CITY—Add Google to the list of mega US tech companies that are planning major expansion initiatives in New York City. Ruth Porat, senior vice president and CFO of Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc., announced in a blog released this morning that Google plans to invest more than $1 billion in capital…

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Orange County Partnership Hands Out Honors

December 11, 2018

NEW WINDSOR—A record crowd attended the 32nd annual Orange County Partnership awards event held on Dec. 4 at Anthony’s Pier 9 here. The partnership handed out its top awards at the event, that also featured a special tribute to outgoing New York State Senators John Bonaccic and Bill Larkin. From left, New York State Senators…

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HGAR’s CID Showcases New Tech Marketing, Research Products

December 10, 2018

WHITE PLAINS—Technology is exploding in commercial real estate. The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors’ Commercial Investment Division recently reviewed some of the tools to help commercial licensees in marketing their properties and doing property research. The CID at its Nov. 29th meeting featured two products—biproxi and RPR. biproxi is a one-stop shop for commercial real…

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Yonkers IDA Approves Adaptive Reuse ‘Mill’ Project

December 7, 2018

YONKERS—The Board of Directors of the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency has approved a resolution of intent earlier this month with the developer of a former loft warehouse in the Carpet Mills Art District. The project by Momentum Realty Associates of Yonkers will convert the light-industrial building at 222 & 252C Lake Street into an office…

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Westchester IDA Approves Half a Billion Dollars in New Projects

December 7, 2018

WHITE PLAINS—The Westchester County Industrial Development Agency has granted preliminary and final approvals for more than $531 million in new development projects in White Plains, Harrison and Pelham. On Nov. 29, the Westchester County IDA granted a resolution of intent to provide financial incentives for AvalonBay Communities’ $76.8-million transit-oriented, mixed-use residential project to be built…

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Lakeview Plaza Shopping Center Trades for $12 Million

December 6, 2018

SOUTHEAST, NY—The grocery-anchored Lakeview Plaza Shopping Center here has been acquired by Greenwich, CT-based Urstadt Biddle Properties in what the new owner calls a “deep discount” at $12 million. The retail REIT has added the 177,000-square-foot shopping center on Route 22 to its portfolio of more than five million square feet. The shopping center, located…

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Ginsburg Unveils Plans for City Square in Downtown White Plains

November 29, 2018

WHITE PLAINS—Ginsburg Development Companies LLC recently unveiled its transformative plan for the Westchester Financial Center in Downtown White Plains to the White Plains City Council. The City Square project calls for the renovation of the existing office complex and the conversion of a portion of the office space into multifamily housing and retail and community…

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NYC Firm to Acquire Macy’s Store in Rockland; Major Lease Signed with New Retailer

November 29, 2018

NANUET, NY—New York City-based Metropolitan Realty Associates has signed a contract to acquire the 218,000-square-foot Macy’s store at The Shops at Nanuet here. Metropolitan Realty Associates, headed by founder and CEO Joe Farkas, is partnering with equity partner Angelo Gordon & Co. LP of New York City in a sale/ leaseback agreement with Macy’s that…

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Survey Suggests Strong Black Friday Sales Expected

November 20, 2018

NEW YORK CITY—A survey released recently by the International Council of Shopping Centers reports that retailers are gearing up for another successful Thanksgiving Weekend as consumers plan to spend an average of $554.90 with $207.30 dedicated to holiday gifts. Omnichannel retailers stand to benefit the most, with 93% of shoppers planning to spend with retailers…

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Serendipity Labs to Open New Location in Downtown White Plains

November 20, 2018

WHITE PLAINS—Co-working firm Serendipity Labs continues to expand its suburban and secondary market offerings and has announced plans to open new locations at properties in White Plains and Buffalo, NY, in a suburb of Milwaukee and in Downtown Cincinnati. The Rye-based company announced three new management contracts and a letter of intent in a fourth…

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Amazon Makes it Official, Picks NYC and Arlington, VA for HQ2

November 13, 2018

SEATTLE—Amazon confirmed press reports that it decided to split its massive second headquarters requirement (HQ2) and has chosen Long Island City, Queens and Arlington, VA to house those operations that will house 25,000 workers each. Amazon announced on Nov. 13 it will invest $5 billion and create more than 50,000 jobs across the two new…

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Realtors Express Confidence in CRE in 2019

November 12, 2018

BOSTON—While challenges face many of America’s commercial real estate markets, Realtors specializing in the sector should have confidence for growth to remain steady in the coming year. That’s according to the sentiments of two economists who spoke at a commercial economic issues and trends forum at the recent 2018 Realtors Conference & Expo in Boston.…

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GUEST VIEWPOINT: Why are Commercial Construction Loans Inherently Risky?

November 6, 2018

Too often, developers can’t secure permanent financing upon a project’s completion. If it’s a condominium project will the condo project sell out? Then, there is construction gamble, as cost overruns, accidents, delays and other problems tend to occur on every job. Imagine, for example, a crane falling or dropping an expensive beam. Further, good labor…

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Yonkers Once Again Looks to Develop Chicken Island

October 31, 2018

YONKERS—City officials hope to end more than four decades of frustration and failed attempts to develop the Chicken Island property in Downtown Yonkers. In what city officials termed as a “game changer” for the downtown district, the City of Yonkers announced on Oct. 29 it had signed a letter of intent to sell the six-acre…

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