Chocolatier La Maison du Chocolat has opened a store at the Empire State Building, according to Fred Posniak, senior VP of W&H Properties. The Paris-based retailer, known around the world for its rich confections and pastries, leased a 463 s/f shop at the entrance to the Observatory in the Fifth Ave. lobby, where more than 3.7 million Observatory visitors pass by each year. "La Maison du Chocolat is an ideal neighbor for the other high-end retailers in the building, and this lease fits perfectly into our plan to reposition the ground-floor retail at the property," said Posniak. "The timing is good, too," he said. "We recently unveiled the totally transformed, renovated lobby as part of our $550 million ReBuilding program, and the Empire Room, a luxury cocktail lounge operated by Hospitality Holdings, is opening soon." Founded in 1955 and headquartered in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, La Maison du Chocolat has been "long worshipped as one of the premier Paris chocolatiers thanks to its combination of luxe ingredients and decadent but never cloying chocolate," according to New York Magazine. Boutiques are located in Paris, Cannes, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong, in addition to New York. Christine Emery of The Lansco Corp. represented La Maison du Chocolat in the lease negotiations. Andrew Goldberg, Eric Gelber and Matthew Chmielecki of CB Richard Ellis represented the landlord. Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown, the Empire State Building is one of the world's most famous office buildings. With new investments in infrastructure, public areas and amenities totaling $550 million, the Empire State Building has attracted and continues to attract corporate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the world. The Empire State Building is partnering with the Clinton Climate Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute, Johnson Controls and Jones Lang LaSalle to develop an innovative process for comprehensive retrofit and environmental sustainability that will reduce building total energy consumption by 38%. When the work is completed, the building is projected to have an "Energy Star" rating of 90, placing it in the top 10% of energy efficiency under the Energy Star program, and to qualify for LEED gold certification. Upgrades - planned and completed - include a comprehensive restoration of the Empire State Building's Art Deco lobby and ceiling, along with the creation of a dedicated 34th Street tenant entrance, visitor desk and access control, messenger center, new restrooms, air-conditioned public corridors, new marble elevator cabs, 6,500 new windows, improvements to the building-wide mechanical and electrical systems, and improved security systems. The Empire State Building is operated by Empire State Building Company, a partnership of Peter L. Malkin and the estate of Leona Helmsley, and it is part of the W&H Properties Pre-War Trophy office portfolio, one of New York City's most financially stable ownerships. Available office space at the Empire State Building includes full floors of 25,000 to 50,000 square feet, build-to-suit space from 10,000 square feet, and W&H portfolio standard high-end pre-built suites from 2,500 to 10,000 square feet. Three ground floor retail spaces are also available ranging from 463 to 1,801 square feet. Broker commissions are paid in full at lease signing.