RFR inks 18,038 s/f lease with SPORTFIVE at 477 Madison

Manhattan, NY RFR has signed an 18,038 s/f, full-floor lease with SPORTFIVE at 477 Madison Ave., a 24-story boutique office tower in Midtown. The firm will occupy a full-floor prebuilt space that had served as a model suite and, in part, helped drive more than 130,000 s/f of leasing over the past 12 months. 477 Madison is nearly 95% occupied with only one 8,000 s/f space with significant outdoor terrace space available for a build-to-suit opportunity.

An in-house team of AJ Camhi, Paul Milunec and Rob Weller alongside a CBRE team of Arkady Smolyansky and Alex D’Amario represented RFR in the transaction. SPORTFIVE was represented by Peter Van Duyne and Alex Lachmund of Cushman & Wakefield. 

SPORTFIVE, a Germany-based global sports marketing firm, has 1,200 employees in offices around the world. The firm’s United States headquarters will operate out of 477 Madison. The 18,038 s/f prebuilt suite – featuring custom white oak millwork, marble pantry finishes and contemporary lighting fixtures – was created by RFR together with Fogarty Finger Architects and served as a model for future buildouts before being leased by SPORTFIVE.

“We are excited to welcome another high-caliber tenant to 477 Madison and see SPORTFIVE commit to an outstanding space in a prime location,” said AJ Camhi, executive vice president and director of leasing of RFR. “RFR’s investment in 477 Madison, including a high-end pre-built program, has elevated the building with a curated package of timeless design and refined functionality and is representative of the exceptional quality that prominent firms demand.”

477 Madison was repositioned by RFR with upgrades including a newly tinted brick façade; redesigned amenity offerings and outdoor spaces; a new lobby entry along 51^st St.; new 15’ x 7’ windows that provide abundant natural light throughout the building; and new retail storefronts and awnings along the street frontage. The Clubhouse amenity space, features a fitness center with Pelotons and studio space, locker rooms and showers; multiple conference rooms, including a 30-person boardroom; and, a cafe, lounge and billiard room.

The building is situated at the corner of 51^st St. and Madison Ave., opposite St. Patrick’s Cathedral and within a five-block radius of five subway stations, providing convenient connectivity to nine subway lines and Grand Central Madison terminal. The surrounding landmarked buildings ensure protected views.