Vacancies up in Class A and B buildings, Tommy Hilfiger opens East Hampton store … and more

1. Vacancies rise in both Class A and B office buildings [NYT]
2. Stocks rise with home sales data that may point to a healthier economy later in the year [Reuters via Metro]
3. Staten Island is getting a large share of the city’s stimulus funds [WNYC]
4. Potential buyers encouraged to make “crazy offers” on 225 Fifth Avenue unit [Curbed]
5. More luxury rentals on the Far West Side [Curbed]
6. Tommy Hilfiger opens first East Hampton store [WWD]
7. Where to find good deals on homes in Park Slope [OTBKB]
8. Accused Long Island mortgage scammer’s property auctioned [Post]
9. Center for the Urban Environment closes [OTBKB]
10. Hotel Z will rise in Long Island City with a restaurant, club in the basement and bar on the roof [Curbed]
11. Kelly Bensimon of the Bravo TV show “Real Housewives of New York City” is selling her East Hampton home [Real Estalker]
12. Baruch conference discusses issues facing REITs [Green Pearl]
13. Condo coming to St. Marks Avenue in Brooklyn [Brownstoner]
14. What real estate you can buy for $485,000 [NYT]
15. Broker claims New York City real estate market won’t collapse other cities’ [Business Insider]
16. New York City real estate could fall another 47 percent [The Business Insider]
17. Retail stores to become smaller and more targeted by 2015 [GlobeSt]
18. How the real estate industry could change [Clean Slate]
19. Mortgage applications rise slightly [The Truth About Mortgage.com]
20. Real estate experts see bottom of the housing market [CNBC]