Office

25-30 Columbia Heights

Development Team Acquires 11-Story Watchtower Complex at 25-30 Columbia in Brooklyn Heights, Plans Creative Office Conversion

Over the spring, a team of developers entered into contract to acquire, from the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the 11-story, 739,000-square-foot commercial complex known as the Watchtower, at 25-30 Columbia Heights, in Brooklyn Heights. The team – now a joint venture between the Kushner Companies, CIM Group, and LIVWRK – have closed on the purchase for roughly $340 million, Commercial Observer reported. The new owners plan to convert the complex into creative office space, likely similar to how some of the same developers transformed the five-building complex now dubbed DUMBO Heights. The redevelopment is expected to begin within a year. In addition to the acquisition of 25-30 Columbia Heights, the same partnership is remains in contract to buy the vacant, block-encompassing development site at 85 Jay Street, in DUMBO.


17 Laight Street

New Owners Plan Office, Retail Conversion at Six-Story, 115,000-Square-Foot Building, 17 Laight Street, TriBeCa

Vanbarton Group is in contract to acquire the six-story, 115,000-square-foot mixed-use building, formerly home to the Tribeca Film Festival, at 13-17 Laight Street, in TriBeCa, for $90 million. The group plans to convert the building into a retail, office, and “lifestyle facility” space, the New York Post reported. Vanbarton is in the process of buying out all of the property’s existing commercial and residential tenants. The 13,867-square-foot lot also comes with 10,530 square feet of air rights, although it’s not known if an expansion is planned.

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43-01 22nd Street

New Owners Plan Partial Office Conversion at Six-Story, 225,000-Square-Foot Industrial Property, 43-01 22nd Street, Long Island City

Back in May, Olmstead Properties and Newmark Holdings entered into contract to purchase the six-story, 225,000-square-foot manufacturing building at 43-01 22nd Street, located on the corners of 43rd and 44th avenues in the heart of Long Island City. The duo have now closed on the purchase for $61 million, Commercial Observer reported. They plan to convert the structure into office space, although roughly two-thirds of the property is currently leased to Reis Studios. The vacant portions are expected to be converted soon, but it’s not known when the currently leased space will get the conversion. Upgrades to the building will include a redesigned lobby, new windows and façade elements, and new mechanical infrastructure such as elevators.



47-16 Austell Place

Four-Story, 60,000-Square-Foot Factory Converted Into Retail-Office Property at 47-16 Austell Place, Long island City

The four-story, 60,000-square-foot industrial building at 47-16 Austell Place, in southern Long Island City, has recently been converted for a variety of commercial uses, according to Commercial Observer. It hosts 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail space, of which a food café has already leased a portion. The floors above, with floor plates of 16,000 square feet, are geared towards office tenants and community facility uses. Joffrey Ballet Center, a dance school, has leased the fourth floor. Upgrades made to the building include renovations to the interior, a new roof, a revitalized façade with new windows, and a redesigned lobby. A rooftop lounge with landscaping is also being built and is expected to be complete in early 2017. The Vanbarton Group, which purchased the property for $7.7 million in 2015, is the developer. Montroy Andersen DeMarco is the architect.


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