Promethean Builders, AccuWeather Ink 17K SF In Deals at Chelsea Tower

A construction firm and a popular weather app have inked 16,783 square feet worth of new leases at GFP Real Estate’s Class B office tower at 322 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

In the largest deal, full-service general contractor and construction manager Promethean Builders signed a seven-year lease for all 10,200 square feet on the 13th floor of the 21-story office tower, which spans 185,000 square feet, according to the landlord. 

The firm will utilize the full-floor space for general, executive and administrative office uses, GFP said. Promethean, which advertises locations in Manhattan and Miami, relocated to 322 Eighth Avenue in March from its former office several blocks north at GFP’s 505 Eighth Avenue. The handy builders plan to complete their own tenant improvements.

GFP’s Allen Gurevich represented the landlord and the tenant in the direct lease transaction.

Meanwhile, popular weather forecaster AccuWeather Sales and Service, known simply as AccuWeather, took a new five-year lease for 6,583 square feet on the third floor of the building. Dan Appel of Newmark represented the company in the deal, and Gurevich represented the landlord. 

AccuWeather expects to take over its new space in the spring, according to GFP, following a buildout combining existing suites into a modernized office layout. It’s unclear whether the deal represents a relocation or a new location for AccuWeather, which currently lists its New York City offices at 80 Pine Street in the Financial District.

GFP has invested in recent capital improvements at its circa-1925 tower in Chelsea, part of a broader strategy to position Class B assets in competition with newer construction. Upgrades include a full-scale lobby renovation, including the restoration of a Thomas Hart Benton mural and the lobby’s vaulted ceilings, as well as the addition of a 2,260-square-foot rooftop workspace.

“322 Eighth Avenue is having a real moment,” Jeffrey Gural, chairman of GFP, said in a statement. “We’ve made a deliberate investment in repositioning the building — from the lobby and rooftop amenity to the overall tenant experience — and we’re seeing that translate directly into leasing momentum.”

322 Eighth Avenue sits at the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 26th Street. GFP announced in February that it leased 3,062 square feet there to college social events app DoorList. Other tenants in the building include nonprofit Asian American Foundation, legal practice Seiden Law and public relations firm Purple. 

Representatives for Promethean, AccuWeather and Newmark did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Emily Davis can be reached at edavis@commercialobserver.com.