Manhattan, NY RKF has arranged a 12,346 s/f lease at 400 West 42nd St., with Pip’s Island, a new interactive entertainment experience for children. Situated on the southwest corner of Ninth Ave. and 42nd St., this will be Pip’s Island’s first permanent location.
RKF CEO and chairman Robert Futterman, vice president Ross Berkowitz, and senior associates Pierce Thompson and Scott Zinovoy represented the landlord, 400 Times Square Associates, LLC. Nicole Paris-Suozzi of Nicole Paris Realty, Inc. represented Pip’s Island.
Pip’s Island will open at the base of the Pod Hotel Times Sq., occupying 1,527 s/f on the ground floor and 10,819 s/f on the second floor. The space will feature 166 ft. of frontage. Major Food Group’s The Polynesian recently opened on the third floor, sky lobby of the 710-key Pod Hotel.
“Pip’s Island will be well-positioned at the convergence of three of NYC’s most dynamic, neighborhoods: Times Sq., Hudson Yards and Hell’s Kitchen,” said Thompson. “This is an incredible time in the area’s evolution, with scores of new retail, residential, office and mixed-use developments planned, underway or completed. Pip’s Island will be able to capture the area’s growing density of families, as well as tourists who come to NYC for unique family experiences.”
Launching this fall, Pip’s Island is a concept that was three years in the making. It boasts a combination of live actors, cutting-edge technology and animation, and it promises to take children’s storytelling to the next level.
“After revolutionizing experiential entertainment in 2016, we are back with the first truly immersive experience for families,” said Rania Ajami, co-founder of Pip’s Island, “Our permanent flagship will delight, surprise and inspire New Yorkers and visitors alike as they join a colorful cast of characters and embark on a thrilling adventure where they become the heroes of their journey.”
Pip’s Island will be surrounded by the increasing presence of experiential retail in the western portion of Times Sq., including the upcoming Lionsgate-branded indoor entertainment center at Eleven Times Sq. that was also arranged by RKF.
“The addition of Pip’s Island will further enhance The Pod 42nd St. by providing unparalleled children’s entertainment,” said Richard Born, principal of BD Hotels, owner of the Pod Hotel. “We already have the rooms, Pod pads and The Polynesian tiki bar for adult entertainment. This venue moves the Times Sq. center of gravity further west and makes the corner of 42nd and 9th Ave., a must-visit for anyone seeking adventure and fun in NY.