"We're talking with a Parisian spa, and a film school is also looking at the space," says Judith Halevi of C-Square. The retail space will span the ground floor of the 62 Cooper Square building, sporting 22-foot ceilings and measuring around 20,000 sf.

Halevi explains the delay in choosing a candidate by siting the amount of activity in the area. "Next door the Ian Schrager Hotel at Cooper Square and Astor Place is going up, which is one of the reasons that we've been holding off on signing a retailer. We realize that more people will be interested when the hotel comes up."

In actuality, several people have already shown a great deal of interest in the development that has commitments for nine out of the 25 units. "The units went on the block in November," says Halevi. "People are realizing that a loft building with units that have a view on at least three sides are a rarity."

Corporate America also took note when Samsung America signed to take the entire ground floor retail space last October at 52 Cooper Square, a smaller offshoot building that is tacked on to 62 Cooper. "Samsung is using this opportunity to launch a new platform called Web2Zone Inc.," nots Gary Warfel of C-Square. "Samsung has done some prototypes in Korea, but this will be the flagship store."

"Samsung will set up this new platform by using several terminals that provide ultra high-speed access at 100 times the speed that's out there," continues Warfel. "Subsequently, that technology will be used in the retail space, set to open in June. Also, we worked out a deal with Samsung to use that connection to add to the services in the lofts."

This type of high-speed access will provide tenants with the fastest Internet connection in all of Manhattan. In related news, Cooper Union is in the process of approving plans to expand the exiting park across from the Carl Fischer Building to three times its existing size. GlobeSt.com will stay on the story, reporting the latest developments.

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Carl Fischer Lofts Over a Third Sold, Discussions Underway for Retail Space

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