NEWARK, NJ—Officials pushing for a new multi-billion-dollar Gateway Hudson River Tunnel announced recently they have trimmed $1.4 billion off the cost of the project in the hopes of securing necessary federal funding for the venture. Richard Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, the project sponsor, sent a letter…
Read MoreNEW YORK—A report released this week by the Citizens Budget Commission calls for the city to better manage city government leased space costs, which rose to $1.1 billion in 2018. Given the rising costs, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which manages the city’s real estate portfolio, should accelerate efforts to improve its management, monitoring…
Read MoreTOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE—A joint venture of Saber Real Estate North, LLC of Armonk and EnviroFinance Group, LLC of Emeryville, CA has broken ground on the $300-million redevelopment of the former Hudson River State Hospital campus here. The project, being built on 156 acres on Route 9, calls for a mixed-use development that will include rental…
Read MoreMONTGOMERY—This Orange County community is currently reviewing plans that would add nearly 2.4 million square feet of warehouse distribution space to its commercial tax base. At present, global healthcare products firm Medline Industries, Inc. is seeking approval from the Montgomery Town Planning Board for a $120-million, 1.3-million-square-foot distribution facility. The firm is moving operations from…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Lower Manhattan's desirable location and competitive pricing drove commercial leasing to 3.8 million square feet in the first half of 2019, marking the best mid-year total since 2000, according to the Alliance for Downtown New York's Q2 2019 Lower Manhattan Real Estate Market Report released on Aug. 7. Commercial leasing in the second quarter…
Read MoreWith more than 1.6 million people, over 60,000 buildings, and a real estate net worth of some $1.74 trillion, it’s no wonder that Manhattan continues to hold the reputation as the financial capital of the world. For decades, the 22.7-square mile island has attracted people from all over the globe, yearning to experience life in…
Read MoreNEW YORK—A host of dignitaries and city officials including Deputy Mayor Vicki Been, Council Member Carlina Rivera, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, the New York City Economic Development Corp., community stakeholders and RAL Development Services broke ground on Aug. 5 on the new 21-story building that will house the Union Square Tech Training Center. The…
Read MoreNEW YORK CITY—L+M Development Partners and Invesco Real Estate announced on July 31 they were entering into a contract to purchase and preserve five former Mitchell-Lama developments in Manhattan from Urban American and Brookfield Asset Management for $1.2 billion. The regulatory agreements, covering all 2,800 units and enacted in partnership with the New York City…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Commercial real estate brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap recently released its latest report on the New York City multifamily market, which predicts strong demand will keep apartment vacancy in Manhattan below 2%. The report stated that New York City apartments continue to benefit from some of the strongest demand dynamics in the country. Job…
Read MoreNEW YORK—An affiliate of Mack Real Estate Credit Strategies reported on Aug. 16 it provided a $199-million loan to refinance the Courtyard by Marriott Hudson Yards hotel, recently built by companies affiliated with hotelier David Marx. The loan proceeds will be used to take out a construction loan and other previous financing ahead of the…
Read MoreYONKERS—Although the Sears department store shut down there recently, the Cross County Shopping Center continues to draw new tenants. The ownership of the storied shopping center announced recently that it will add three new retailers to its tenant roster in 2019. New to the complex will be Mito Asian Fusion, Invicta Watches and Carvel Ice…
Read MoreNEW WINDSOR—Talk about a double gut-punch to the Mid-Hudson economy. Empire Resorts, Inc, after suffering continued losses at its Resorts World Catskills Casino in Sullivan County, revealed recently that it may have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and has agreed to be taken private by its majority shareholder. In Orange County, the success story…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Country Bank, which began operations in 1988 and later relocated its headquarters to New York City, will be merged into OceanFirst Bank in a deal valued at $102.2 million. Toms River, NJ-based OceanFirst Financial Corp., parent company of OceanFirst Bank announced its intent to merge with Country Bank Holding Company, Inc., parent company of…
Read MoreCARMEL—Tracey Walsh, a lifelong Carmel resident with deep knowledge of the county and a clear vision for its potential, will be the new Putnam County Director of Tourism, County Executive MaryEllen Odell announced on Aug. 7. The appointment was made after the Putnam County Legislature officially established the Department of Tourism at its Aug. 6th…
Read MoreNEW YORK—More than 125 commercial and residential real estate professionals heard a rather sobering outlook of what the recently enacted new rent control regulations enacted by the State Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo will have on the region’s real estate market. The morning session was held on Aug. 7 at the…
Read MoreALBANY—A six-month New York State investigation into code enforcement practices in New York State found systemic failures to prioritize code enforcement at all levels of government. The State Senate investigative report identified common shortfalls, recommended sweeping legislative and regulatory changes, and urged both municipalities and the state to take code enforcement more seriously. In the…
Read MoreNEW YORK—The New York Times Co., which has been expanding its workforce recently, will be relocating approximately 350 workers from its headquarters building at 620 Eighth Ave. in Manhattan to Court Square Place in Long Island City, Queens. The media organization signed a lease for 57,846 square feet of space at 24-01 44th Road. Court…
Read MoreCHICAGO—The Counselors of Real Estate has identified the current and emerging issues expected to have the most significant impact on real estate, with U.S. infrastructure being the leading concern of the 1,100-member organization. “Inadequate infrastructure creates a hard ceiling to economic development, and real estate values are tied to sustainable growth,” said Julie Melander, CRE,…
Read MoreAuthor: Harris Beach Attorneys at Law, PLLC Editor’s Note: The New York State Association of Realtors released the following column for Realtors authored by Harris Beach Attorneys at Law, PLLC in respect to recent rent regulation and tenant protection legislation that was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. BACKGROUND: On June 14, 2019, the…
Read MoreWASHINGTON—Pending home sales continued to ascend in June, marking two consecutive months of growth, according to the National Association of Realtors. Each of the four major regions recorded a rise in contract activity, with the West experiencing the highest surge. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 2.8% to…
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