Civil War-Era Law Firm Pulls Up Stakes

New York City

Law firm Schiff Hardin LLP has taken two full floors totaling 48,164 square feet at Kushner Cos.’ 666 Fifth Ave. The 146-year-old firm plans to relocate from 900 Third Ave. in the first quarter of 2011. Separate teams from CB Richard Ellis negotiated for both sides, with CBRE’s Howard Fiddle, Zachary Freeman and Stephen Siegel negotiating on behalf of Kushner and Scott Gottlieb and Michael Wellen doing the talking for Schiff Hardin in the 10-year deal. Marina Rabinovich of Schiff Hardin and Larry Rabinowitz of Kushner provided in-house legal counsel for tenant and landlord, respectively.

Coldwell Banker Commercial Hunter Realty’s Michael Okun and Richard Gottlieb have arranged a 15-year lease for a 35,000-square-foot space that spans three connected buildings at 1, 3 and 5 Little West 12th St. for office space provider WeWork. It’s the second WeWork unit in the city; there’s also a location at 154 Grand St. as well as a San Francisco site, and the company plans additional new locations over the next 12 months. The building, which is owned by the Estate of William Gottlieb, was represented by Sloane Rhulen of CB Richard Ellis.

Nonprofit Greenwich House will continue operating its executive offices at the Joseph Rosen Foundation’s 122 W. 27th St. after a long-term 20,000-square-foot renewal was signed. The tenant occupies the entire third and sixth floors. Colliers International’s Perry Mesmer negotiated for the building’s ownership; Greenwich House was represented by Marc Ellman of Ellman Realty Advisors.

Investment firm Madison International Realty has acquired additional partnership interests in the Chrysler East Building at 666 Third Ave. for approximately $10 million, increasing its stake from 38.5% to 48.9%. Madison now has total invested capital of $55 million in the 745,410-square-foot office property.

Hunter Global Investors, a locally based hedge fund, has renewed its lease for 13,332 square feet of space at 485 Madison Ave. Jack Resnick & Sons, the owner of the building, was represented in-house. Michael Norris at Cassidy Turley represented Hunter GlobalTime Equities Inc. recently completed a $5.1-million sale of an 11,294-square-foot office condo at 70 West 36th Street to diamond trading firm KGK Group. The 105-year-old company will use the new office condo as its New York headquarters. Harold and Diane Siegel of Norman Bobrow & Co. Inc. represented the buyer.

Long Island

CBK Realty has sold a two-story, 27,000-square-foot office building at 65 Roosevelt Ave. in Valley Stream for $3.2 million. Manhattan-based Laurence Ross and Josh Goldflam of Highcap Group represented CBK. Jagarnauth Realty, based in New Jersey, represented the buyer, a partnership of private investors.

Westchester County

An entity affiliated with North Plainfield, NJ-based Levin Management has obtained $24 million in permanent financing for its Post Road Plaza shopping center at 895 Pelham Pkwy. in Pelham Manor, NY. Cronheim Mortgage’s Andrew Stewart, Dev Morris, and Anna Westhoff arranged the financing, which has a 10-year term amortized over 25 years. Cronheim originated the financing and will now act as servicer and correspondent for the lender. The 268,172-square-foot property is anchored by a 75,000-square-foot Fairway Market which opened in April and serves as the grocery chain’s flagship location.

Fairfield County

RFR Realty’s 300 Atlantic St. in downtown Stamford, CT signed Astoria Generating Company Holdings LLC to 15,712 square feet for its corporate headquarters. Margaret Carlson of RFR represented the property owner, while a CBRE duo of Colin Reilly and Silvio Petriello negotiated for Astoria Generating.

Nations Equipment Finance, a newly formed commercial finance company focused on equipment-based term loans and leases, is taking 5,683 square feet at the Merritt 7 Corporate Park complex in Norwalk, CT. NEF signed a five-year lease and will move to the property in November. CBRE’s Sean Cahill and Suzanne Dengenis represented the tenant. JoAnn Brennan McGrath represented ownership Merritt 7 Venture LLC.