MKDA cites 30% increase in landlord work

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 pre-built 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, including Blackstone Group, Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation (AAC), Shorenstein Properties and Westbrook Partners, 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. "Adaptable layouts and smaller spaces are a necessity in this market." According to Kleinberg - whose firm has designed turnkey spaces at a handful of Vornado Realty Trust's buildings, as well as pre-built spaces for Silverstein Properties at 7 World Trade and Capstone Equities at 14 Wall Street - the pre-built 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 pre-built 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 Corporation (AAC), and 850 Third Ave. on behalf of Shorenstein Properties.