FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—Ohio-based custom clothier Astor & Black is relocating its corporate headquarters to the top floor of the Miami Herald’s landmark Broward County bureau building along I-75 in Pembroke Pines. The move is expected to create at least 62 new jobs in the area.

Darcie Lunsford of Butters Group represented the Miami Herald and building ownership, a partnership between Coconut Creek-based Butters Group and Boca Raton-based Milhous Group. Kimberly Barbar of Stiles Corp. represented Astor & Black.

Financial terms of the seven-year deal were not disclosed. Astor & Black is expected to move into its new 22,294-square-foot home in August after an investment of $1.5 million in renovations, technology infrastructure, and equipment.

“Astor & Black was provided with a tenant improvement allowance as is common to deals of this size and term for renovation to the physical space,” Lunsford tells GlobeSt.com. “Much of the larger $1.5 million investment the company will be making will be for equipment and other technology infrastructure pertinent to their specialized custom clothing business."
 
According to Barbar, one of the reasons Astor & Black was drawn to South Florida was its ability to attract talent to this area. Premier signage was another reason. The 46,000-square-foot building at 2010 NW 150th Ave. is highly visible from I-75 and was developed by Butters in 2000 for the Herald. But as the newspaper landscape changed, so did the Herald’s space needs.
 
“The Herald wasn’t utilizing all that space anymore but still had several years left on its lease,” Lunsford says. “With the building’s prime perch overlooking I-75 in the heart of Broward’s western suburbs, I knew we could find a taker for all or part of the space. This deal allows the Herald to slip into a more size-appropriate home while securing a dynamic, long-term tenant for Butters and its partner.”
 
The Herald will relocate its Broward news, advertising and support staff into 3,100 square feet in the adjacent building at 2000 NW 150th Ave., also owned by the Butters partnership. The Herald is subletting the space for the balance of its term.

Astor & Black has been approved for $554,000 in state and city incentives. The privately held clothier is backed by Castanea Partners, a $500-million private equity firm that specializes in early-stage retail concepts. Astor & Black recently recruited Richard Dent, former COO of Victoria’s Secret Pink brand, as its new co-CEO to roll out a major expansion of its custom clothing services across the United States and Canada.