Yunis and Winkler of National Retail Group at Newmark Knight Frank broker 14,798 s/f

Urban Outfitters, the eclectic apparel and household products retailer, has leased space on the Upper West Side for its seventh area location, due to open this summer. The retailer has signed a 10-year lease for 14,798 s/f at 2625 Broadway. The leased space comprises 6,090 s/f on the ground floor, with an additional 8,708 s/f in the selling lower level. Amira Yunis, executive vice president and principal of the National Retail Group at Newmark Knight Frank (NKF), was assisted by associate Zach Winkler in representing the landlord, Hudson Island, LLC. The tenant was represented by Stephen Plourde and Keith Fencl of the McDevitt Co. "I have always been a fan of Urban Outfitters' stores," said Yunis. "We all think this is a great space for them, one that will help transform this stretch of Broadway into a powerful shopping corridor. I am very excited to see the completed store since the space allows them to be very creative with their buildout." Although Urban Outfitters had originally planned to occupy space at the former Metro Theater space across the street, it has since been released from its lease obligation. "2625 Broadway is an ideal fit for Urban Outfitters as, unlike the former Metro Theater, it is not a landmarked property, offering Urban Outfitters the ability to create an original store design. The benefit of this creative flexibility makes the property an ideal choice for Urban Outfitters," said Yunis. 2625 Broadway is located at the base of The Extell Development Company's Ariel West tower, which, along with its sister building the Ariel East, was the subject of a great deal of community discussions in regards to the buildings' height. These discussions eventually led to a rezoning of 51 blocks between 96th and 110th Streets, where building heights were limited to 145 feet on Broadway and the transfer of air rights from side streets was forbidden. NKF has also completed a lease for Milan Luxury Inc. The retailer signed a 4,600 s/f, 10-year lease at 482 Broome St. at the corner of Wooster Street. The new location, comprising 2,300 s/f on the ground, with 2,300 s/f on the lower level, will replace the current temporary flagship outlet in Soho at 57 Greene St. Landlord T.F. Halom, LTD., was represented by Michelle Ball of Rudd Realty. "Milan Luxury brings some of Italy's finest to the New York City market," says Amira Yunis, executive vice president and principal of Newmark Knight Frank National Retail Group, who along with title Lyle Trued represented Milan Luxury in the transaction. "In addition to the fine linens and housewares, Milan Luxury also plans to open a cafe to bring a true Italian shopping experience to SoHo." NKF Retail has also secured a new lease for BRGR at 1026 Third Ave. between 60th and 61st Streets. The NYC-based burger concept took 1,700 s/f on the ground floor plus 1,100 s/f in the basement, across the street from Dylan's Candy Bar. This will be the second location for BRGR, which already has a restaurant on 7th Ave. in Chelsea. BRGR was represented by NKF's Paul Berkman and Davie Berke, who are working with the company to find additional sites across the city. Brad Mendelson and Chris Schwart from Cushman & Wakefield represented the landlord. "BRGR serves only 100% grass-fed beef and locally produced ingredients, and has a very child-friendly atmosphere. In 2007, New York magazine voted BRGR best milkshake in NYC. Its location adjacent to Bloomingdale's and near Dylan's Candy Bar is the ideal match for the concept," commented Davie Berke. "In addition, the dense residential population is perfect for its repeat business and deliveries." BRGR plans to open multiple stores in 2010 and is aggressively seeking more locations with the help of Newmark Knight Frank Retail. It is looking in areas with strong seven-day traffic and a good mix of residential and commercial—specifically Upper West Side, Union Square, Hell's Kitchen, Flatiron, Midtown East, Soho, and parts of Chelsea. Sites can range from 1,500 square feet to 2,000 square feet. Newmark Knight Frank is one of the largest independent real estate service firms in the world. Headquartered in New York, Newmark Knight Frank and London-based partner Knight Frank operate from over 200 offices in established and emerging property markets on six continents. Last year, transactions were valued at more than $32 billion with annual revenues of over $811 million. With a combined staff of more than 6,300, this major force in real estate is meeting the local and global needs of owners, tenants, investors and developers worldwide.