279 Church Street in Tribeca

Mulino a Vino, an Italian winery with another location in Italy, has signed a 15-year lease at 279 Church Street in Tribeca.

The wine bar will occupy a 4,000-square-foot unit with 3,000 square feet on the ground floor and 1,000 on the lower level and is set to open around the end of July or early August.

"They are doing renovations," said James Famularo, an executive vice president at New York Commercial Real Estate Services and a broker on the transaction. "The landlord recently gutted the place. It has beautiful exposed brick walls and high ceilings. [Mulino a Vino] will be getting down to the original floor."

"They will also have live acoustic music, so it's pretty exciting. While [the patrons] taste wine, there will be cellists and violinists." Mr. Famularo added. "It's very classy. They were approved by Community Board 1, too."

The board was hesitant to approve the winery, but after some concession, the board approved the bar on the basis that it closes at midnight during the week and 1 am on weekends, DNAInfo noted. Though the State Liquor Authority makes the decision, the board's Tribeca Committee graciously welcomed the liquor license with a unanimous vote.

James Famularo was joined by a fellow broker at NYCRS, Ravi Idnani, to represent the landlord, a private investor. The pair has worked together before on restaurant deals, including the recent signing of Forcella Eatery at 377 Park Avenue South. Emanuele Tosolini of EMT International Realty was on the opposite of the table representing the tenant.

The initial asking rent was $100 per square foot but the deal was finalized at the rate of $25,000 a month.

The building is about 10,000 square feet and was built in 1910. It has a diverse history of tenants including the Collective: Unconscious art gallery, Rubber Monkey restaurant, and a burlesque club.