Rotante, Cohen and Roos of FirstService Williams arrange 82,551 s/f lease

FirstService Williams represented Holland & Knight LLP in a long-term, 82,551 s/f lease at 31 West 52nd St. The international law firm is subleasing floors 11-13 and the partial second floor from law firm Clifford Chance LLP, which is vacating the space. Paramount Group is the building owner. The FirstService Williams leasing team of Ted Rotante, senior managing director, Michael Cohen, president, and Andrew Roos, vice chairman, represented Holland & Knight. The law firm initially considered either a short-term renewal, or relocating within downtown, as a solution to its upcoming lease expiration. Stu Eisenkraft, Andrew Sussman, Brad Needleman and Laurence Briody, of CB Richard Ellis, represented Clifford Chance. "Our due diligence in evaluating the entire Manhattan market yielded an extraordinary opportunity to relocate Holland & Knight to Midtown, taking Clifford Chance sublease space at a premier location for a law firm," Rotante said. "With the growth options we obtained as part of the lease agreement, Holland & Knight will be well positioned for years to come." The space was also attractive to Holland & Knight because it had already been built to meet the particular requirements of a large law firm, with efficient perimeter offices, conference rooms and case rooms. The fully furnished floors are ready for immediate occupancy, although Holland & Knight plans to build a new reception area and conference center. The space's extremely efficient layout will help keep operating costs down by maximizing attorney occupancy. Located between Fifth and Sixth Aves. in immediate proximity to transportation, dining and retail, the 30-story, 729,011 s/f West 52nd St. was originally built for the sole occupancy of famed stock brokerage E.F. Hutton. Because of the original tenant's high prestige, the building owner designed the entire space to industry-leading levels, including an unusual design feature providing each floor with a dozen corner offices. Holland & Knight will take possession of the space in January 2010.