MKDA caters to landlords, sees workload increase

According to MKDA, a leading space planning and interior design firm, which will celebrate its 50th Anniversary later this year, it is creating 30% more prebuilt and turnkey spaces for New York's commercial landlords than it was prior to September 2008. The firm is currently working with four of the city's major landlords and has completed work for many others. "Landlords are turning to MKDA to create space that will attract fickle tenants in a soft office market, and by creating "built" space, we are not only able to match a tenant's particular space need, but also to assist landlords in leasing space that might otherwise sit on the market due to tenants who are currently unwilling to incur the expense of a built out," said MKDA president Michael Kleinberg, who noted that the design firm has recently created prebuilt space for Blackstone Group at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, which recently underwent a major repositioning and exterior rehab. "The building, which is now almost fully leased, is already benefiting from the MKDA prebuilt program, which was created to appeal to a wide variety of companies, from financial firms with trading desks to law firms. The space has already attracted premier tenants to the building," said CB Richard Ellis first vice president Zach Freeman. According to Kleinberg, whose firm has designed turnkey spaces at a handful of Vornado Realty Trust's buildings, as well as prebuilt spaces for Silverstein Properties at 7 World Trade and Capstone Equities at 14 Wall St., the prebuilt units at 1095 Avenue of the Americas capitalizes on the building's floor-to-ceiling windows, which provide an unparalleled views of Bryant Park and the surrounding area. Ranging from 3,500 to 12,000 s/f on various floors at the building, the prebuilt was designed with elegant finishes that enhance the open and airy quality of the space, including classic, woven carpets in neutral beige tones and light wooden door frames. The modern space also features sleek, linear ceiling lights and stone flooring in the elevator banks and reception areas, which were also designed with textured upholstery wall coverings in neutral shades. Pantries were outfitted with stone countertops, and restrooms were outfitted with stone finishes and high-quality porcelain tile in a mosaic pattern. MKDA is also currently creating its in-demand prebuilt spaces at 444 Madison Ave. on behalf of Westbrook Partners, 650 Madison Ave. on behalf of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., and 850 Third Ave. on behalf of Shorenstein Properties. Working with the building's exclusive leasing agent, CB Richard Ellis, MKDA has created prebuilt spaces ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 s/f on various floors at 444 Madison Ave. on behalf of Westbrook Partners. The 42-story Art Deco building, which had previously been both the Newsweek building and the New York magazine building, had recently undergone a major repositioning, but there were remaining leasing opportunities to be absorbed. In addition to creating high-end prebuilt space of varying layouts that feature glass and wood frame office fronts, MKDA is creating design build space for two tenants that have leased space at the building as a result of the prebuilt design. "Once a tenant leases a space based on our prebuilt design, we will then often work directly with that company to create a space that suits its particular space and design needs," said Kleinberg. "That way, the tenant doesn't have to deal with the hassle of securing a design firm that is unfamiliar with the building's standards." At 650 Madison Ave. in the Plaza District, MKDA is working with Cushman & Wakefield, that building's exclusive leasing agent, to create two 12,000 s/f prebuilt office suites on the 19th and 20th floors. Completing this portion of an ongoing prebuilt program in just 12 weeks, MKDA created a variety of layouts that could accommodate trading, financial and legal companies, among others. The space was designed with Italian metal and glass office fronts that allow natural light to penetrate the interior core of the space for an open and bright environment, as well as stone in the reception area and back-painted glass panels in the elevator lobby. Each prebuilt features a copy room with built in millwork, fully equipped IT closets, two conference rooms and executive offices that overlook Central Park. At Shorenstein Properties' 850 Third Ave., exclusively represented by Cushman & Wakefield, MKDA created prebuilts on the 10th and 21st floors. Shorenstein Properties tapped MKDA to create prebuilt spaces that would attract quality tenants that would remain in the building long after the market improves. Perimeter offices on the 21st floor include 10-foot ceilings, and each office space includes conference rooms and glass offices that allow natural light to span the entire space. MKDA is a leading corporate space planning and interior design firm with offices in New York City and Stamford, Conn. Since its inception in 1959, the firm has earned a reputation as one of New York's most respected and renowned interior architectural design firms. Its success is largely due to its intimate knowledge of the real estate market and long-running experience working with landlords and brokers throughout New York. Clients have included Silverstein Properties, Vornado Realty Trust, Capstone, Westbrook, Durst Organization, Rockefeller Philanthropy, Eze Castle, Heineken, GE Monogram, Harvest Partners, AICPA, Prudential Douglas Elliman, Lowenstein Sandler, and Wachovia, among many others. MKDA was named a 2008 Interior Design Giant by Interior Design magazine.