Vacated by a former home furnishings company, Straight from the Crate, the corner space on 1114 First Avenue at 61st Street and First Avenue has been earmarked for a retail opportunity by brokers.
With 3,400 square feet on the ground floor and 2,000 square feet on the lower level, the space has plenty of potential. Due to a dearth of banks in the neighborhood, the space could be uniquely suited for a retail banking branch. Or it could once again become of a home furnishings store, though the location of the space and nearby competition from Bed, Bath and Beyond complicates that possibility.
Attempting to draw the attention of the community and potential tenants, brokers for the space have worked with Barbara Paley of Art Assets to create a window art installation by Aakasah. “It was designed to catch the eye of anybody walking or driving in that neighborhood,” she said. “We wanted to create a little bit of a sensation, [so] that people started to say, ‘What is this?’ And then to think, ‘This is a space I could use.’”
Last week, Ms. Paley and Mark Stein of landlord Meringoff Properties spoke to The Commercial Observer about the art installation and the unique features of the space.
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