The signing was complicated, including both a sublease with thebuilding's current tenant, CBS Viacom, which is cutting back on itsspace use in the region. Also part of the transaction is along-term lease extension with the locally based Hartz. Jaime M.Weiss and Ronald Blaufelder of the Moonachie-based Weiss Realtyrepresented North Fork, and John Jay Garibaldi of the Chatham-basedGaribaldi Group spoke for CBS Viacom.

The locally based Hartz was represented in-house. Terms of thetransaction were not disclosed. "The fact that the CBS Viacom spacewas absorbed so quickly demonstrates the viability of theMeadowlands office market," says Hartz president and COO EmanuelStern. "North Fork recognized the value of the location and itsability to serve the tri-state region."

"Timing was a critical element in this situation," says Weiss."North Fork, having recently acquired the Trust Co. of New Jersey,and having also announced its merger with GreenPoint FinancialCorp., needed immediate space to serve the check processing andback office needs of more than 350 metropolitan New York, NewJersey and Connecticut branches.