Kushner Companies Turns to NKF to Finish Dumbo Heights Office, Retail Leasing
The assignments span 100,000 square feet of office space and 18,525 square feet of retail space
By Lauren Elkies Schram August 10, 2017 4:15 pm
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Early last year, Kushner Companies tapped a CBRE (CBRE) team to lease up the remaining 350,000 square feet of office space at the 1.2-million-square-foot, five-building Dumbo Heights campus along the Brooklyn waterfront. Now, with 100,000 square feet remaining in two of the buildings, Kushner has replaced CBRE with Newmark (NMRK) Knight Frank, Commercial Observer has learned.
The largest available block, 75,000 square feet, is in 77 Sands Street, according to information provided by NKF, with the remainder at 55 Prospect Street. Leases will be for two years or longer.
“It is clear why Dumbo Heights is rapidly becoming the area’s most sought-after destination,” NKF’s Whitten Morris, who will head the leasing efforts with colleague Joseph Sipala, said in prepared remarks. “This campus offers exciting conveniences with its office, retail and lifestyle amenities while offering a collaborative work environment that cutting-edge companies are seeking. With the added benefit of its modern amenities, any tenant would thrive in this environment.”
Office tenants in the Dumbo complex, which Kushner owns with LIVWRK and RFR Realty, include WeWork (WE), 2U, etsy, Prolific Interactive and Frog Design.
In February 2016, Kushner hired CBRE’s Sacha Zarba and Jeffrey Fischer to lease up 350,000 square feet of office space at the property, as CO reported at the time, while RKF was elected to market the retail portion.
Retail tenants include Yoga Vida, Shadowbox, Bluestone Lane, Untamed Sandwiches, Taco Dumbo and Randolph Beer.
NKF’s Harrison Abramowitz is now assuming the retail assignment, which includes 18,525 square feet, according to a spokesman for the landlords, who declined to comment on the retail brokerage change. A spokeswoman for RKF confirmed the retail-focused brokerage was no longer on the project, but didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry for a comment beyond that.
“CBRE did a great job of helping to establish Dumbo Heights as a thriving, collaborative office campus that some of New York City’s most cutting-edge creative firms now call home,” Asher Abehsera, the chief executive officer and founder of LIVWRK, said in a statement provided to CO. “The NKF team currently occupies space on the campus and represents a new iteration for the project, bringing a fresh, on-the-ground perspective and understanding of tenant needs.” (NKF occupies space at 55 Prospect Street for a full-service office dedicated to the Brooklyn commercial market.)
Spokesmen for the owners and NKF declined to provide asking rents. A spokeswoman for CBRE said the brokers declined to comment.
