From left: Lansco Corp. agents Robin Abrams, Howard Dolch and Lisa RosenthalFrom the July issue: Trying to squeeze into a size that’s too small doesn’t usually work — whether it’s a person dressing for a night on the town, or a retailer looking for its flagship site. Yet with a creative tweak, clothing retailer Syms managed to wriggle into a new Fifth Avenue storefront it badly wanted.
The apparel company liked the retail space at 530 Fifth Avenue, but thought it was just too petite. To get around that, Syms’ brokers, along with landlord Joseph Moinian, arrived at the idea of also leasing a piece of second-floor office space.
Unfortunately, the office space on the second floor did not connect with the available retail space. “It was kind of far-fetched. We had people punching through bathrooms,” said Robin Abrams, executive vice president at Lansco Corp., which represented Syms and won the top retail award from the Real Estate Board of New York last month for orchestrating the tricky deal. [more]

Spa Belles is looking to expand in Chelsea, Soho, Tribeca and the Upper East Side

From the May issue: It seems New Yorkers still want their mani-pedis. Although nail salons have felt the pinch of the downturn, they have continued to grab retail space, and landlords have helped by offering them concessions, at both new and existing locations, brokers say. Like discount stores, nail salons have proven nimble enough to survive, and some have even picked up the pace of expansion, given the bargain rents. “[Nail salons] provide a service that is an affordable luxury that a woman can afford even in today’s economy,” said Robin Abrams, executive vice president of Lansco Corp. “It’s an inexpensive way to make them feel good.” Still, the concessions have often been short-term rent reductions, meaning a painful rent increase could be looming for these salons. [more]

From left: David Arena, Elizabeth Stribling, David Schlamm and Barak Dunayer

In the wake of the financial crisis that ripped through the country, real estate pros did their best to keep their heads above water in 2009. As 2010 commences, The Real Deal asked a number of New Yorkers hailing from different parts of the real estate industry why they are glad 2009 is over. Click here to see what they said is their top reason. TRD

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ASA Institute, a two-year, state-accredited college, is more than
doubling its space in Midtown South. The college just leased 57,200
square feet at 2 Herald Square. ASA already has 25,000 square feet at
nearby 1 Herald Square, 20,000 square feet at 875 Sixth Avenue, and
100,000 square feet at its Brooklyn campus. The asking rent for the new
space, which ASA says will be used for classrooms, was $60 per square
foot. Lansco represented the school and Sitt Leasing represented the
landlord. [more]