Halegua of EVO Realty and Jonis Realty negotiates 3,000 s/f retail lease to Parm restaurant

Josh Halegua, a principal of both EVO Real Estate Group and Jonis Realty, has negotiated a long-term retail lease for the restaurant Parm to take nearly 3,000 s/f at 235-239 Columbus Ave. on the Upper West Side. The Upper West Side location will be the fourth in New York City. The other three restaurants are located on Mulberry Street in Nolita, at Brookfield Place in the Financial District, and in Yankee Stadium. "Parm is an extremely popular restaurant that has been successful at its current locations," said Halegua. "Expanding to the Upper West Side makes sense, as there is a demand for high-quality casual dining from that area's residents, workers, tourists, and visitors to Lincoln Center." Indeed, other well-known casual eateries have been flocking to that area, including Shake Shack and the Meatball Shop. Rafe Evans of Walker Malloy represented the landlord, Aywid Realty Inc., in the lease negotiations. Parm is owned by Major Food Group (MFG), a New York-based restaurant and hospitality company founded by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick. Other restaurants under the MFG umbrella are Torrisi Italian Specialties, Carbone and ZZ Clam Bar. Halegua has represented the landlord and tenant in lease transactions involving the latter two.