The Winklevoss twins may believe that the cloud is the next big thing, but the duo is starting out small when it comes to their venture capital company.
Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss — who famously battled Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg over the founding of the social network and walked away with $60 million — are leasing an office outpost for their new company.
While a website for Winklevoss Capital has yet to launch, the twins have landed at 30 W. 24th St. in the NoMad/Flatiron area.
The five-year lease for the building’s entire 5,625-square-foot fourth floor had an asking rent of $39 per square foot — low for that neck of the Chelsea woods — because the twins will pay for their own installation, said James Buslik of Adams & Co., who represented the building along with colleague Alan Bonett.
Michael Blum and Ross Zimbalist of CBRE represented the Winklevosses in the transaction.
The three-building complex has expansion capabilities, allowing Winklevoss Capital to provide office space, along with funding and operational services for startups.
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Numerous sources tell us the 20,000 square-foot red brick Bank of New York Mellon building at 706 Madison Ave. is in contract for north of $140 million, or more than $7,000 a square foot, to Friedland Properties.
The 1920s corner building is a mere two stories but stretches 88 feet along Madison and 80 feet along East 63rd Street. The Italian design company Domenico Vacca has a short-term lease for a slice of the Madison frontage.
The dramatic pricing was driven by interest from numerous companies chasing city retail sites and the nice-to-want possibility of redeveloping up to 70,000 square feet.
That’s a proposition likely to be swatted back to reality by ready-to-battle area residents, as all changes in the Upper East Side landmark district have to be approved by the Landmarks Commission.
It is far more likely that the developer would seek a moderate renovation to make larger windows and more sales areas.
Friedland owns numerous properties along Madison and recently completed the renovation of the red-bricked 748 Madison, where Loro Piana has a duplex store.
The 706 Madison building was marketed by Jones Lang LaSalle’s fearless foursome of Richard Baxter, Ron Cohen, Scott Latham and Jon Caplan. The company declined comment and William Friedland did not return calls.
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The US arm of UK-based investment firm NM Rothschild & Sons will move within 1251 Ave. of the Americas after signing a new 10-year, 69,418 square-foot lease.
The firm, known here as Rothschild North America, will relocate from the 51st and 44th floors to the entire 34th floor and part of the 33rd floor.
Michael Goldman of Studley represented the tenant. David Falk, Peter Shimkin and Nick Berger of Newmark Grubb Knight Franks represented the building owner, Mitsui Fudosan America, which had an asking rent of $92 per square foot. Mitsui’s in-house exec, Christopher Perez, also labored on the deal.
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An ugly duckling at 272-274 Canal St., on the northwest corner of Cortlandt Alley and next to the new TriBeCa Blu Hotel is waiting to be transformed into a swan once a lease for $800,000 per year is signed for the entire property.
Melinda Miller of Winick Realty Group is marketing the four-story building with 1,800 square feet per floor on behalf of the ownership, which intends to install a new glass façade and significant signage for the next retailer.