TIMES TWO: Nordstrom is making tracks to build a Rack in about 50,000 square feet of 1095 Avenue of the Americas (pictured), while H&M clothing has designs on the former ESPN Zone space. (Jon Hyde)
Nordstrom Rack, the off-price division of the Seattle-based department store chain, is said to be in preliminary discussions to dig into about 50,000 square feet — mostly underground — at Blackstone’s 1095 Ave. of the Americas.
A pedestrian plaza running south to West 41st Street lies between that tower and Blackstone’s 120 W. 42nd St., a newly developed glass retail box, with all of the retail connecting underground.
In April, The Post’s Steve Cuozzo reported that a Nordstrom Rack was sniffing around the area.
Sources said Nordstrom is thinking about a “small entrance,” which would then spread out into the lower levels with high ceilings. The rent would be about $4 million a year.
The store could also benefit from large Times Square zone signage, which is only applicable to the No. 120 structure. All of these items are under discussions now, sources said.
Stephan Stephanou of Crown Acquisitions has been repping Nordstrom, with Cushman & Wakefield’s C. Bradley Mendelson and David Green on the Blackstone front. None of the parties returned calls yesterday, so we can’t guarantee a thing. No returns and no money back.
This news follows on the heels of Nordstrom’s announcement that it is finally bringing a full-fledged flagship store to Manhattan. The company has signed a development deal to own 285,000 square feet in the base of Extell’s upcoming tower at 225 W. 57th St. And if another Rack were part of the mix, it would be right at home near neighboring TJ Maxx. Just sayin’.
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Law firm Akerman Senterfitt has leased 48,000 square feet at 666 Fifth Ave. in the first major deal since Kushner Cos., run by Jared Kushner, recapitalized the building with Vornado Realty Trust.
Akerman will move to the 19th and 20th floors that were previously occupied by the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
Akerman currently occupies 40,355 square feet at 335 Madison Ave. — where Facebook is located — and needed the elbow room. According to CoStar Group, that space is currently on the market for sublease through Akerman broker Frederick K. Marek of The Vortex Group.
While the new 666 floors have nice law-firm layouts, they do need an “aesthetic facelift,” said one person.
Akerman, a Miami firm that merged here with “dirt” lawyers David Stadtmauer and Michael Bialkin, is expected to move during the first quarter of 2013 after the reconstruction.
Tom Costanzo, Jared Solomon and Glen Weiss represented Vornado in-house. Sources said rents in the building are in the mid-$80s per foot.
Last December, Vornado bought 49.5 percent of the office portion with an $80 million cash infusion. After taking all the space off the market, it installed lots of new mechanicals and bathrooms along with other improvements.
No one returned calls or e-mails for comment, but we hear there are big smiles all around.
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Starbucks is brewing up a storm in Manhattan after signing leases for four more shops last month.
SCG Retail’s David Firestein, who represented Starbucks in the transactions, could not be reached for comment.
Starting downtown, Starbucks will move into 1,100 square feet with a mezzanine and basement at 135 John St. by Water St. Rockrose Development’s Patricia Dunphy represented the ownership in-house.
At 219 First Ave. at East 13th Street, the coffee purveyor will move into 1,050 feet, also with a basement. Jason Pruger at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank represented the building.
Across from Baruch College, Starbucks will move into nearly 1,400 square feet at 50 Lexington Ave. The Hakimian Organization was represented by Sal Ferrigno at RKF.
Finally, a 1,200-square-foot store with outdoor seating at 1301 Ave. of the Americas will open on West 53rd Street across from the Hilton. Eric Gelber of CBRE repped the Paramount Group ownership.