Amid grim news of declining retail
sales and store closings,
the Lansco Corporation added two directors to its retail services
group at the end of 2008, the company announced yesterday. Lisa
Rosenthal and Daniel Wolf came to Lansco from Ripco Real Estate.
Lansco executives are trying to stay
upbeat, preparing now for the end of the downturn, said Howard Dolch, co-founder and principal of Lansco, a New
York-based firm handling office and retail leasing and sales.
“You have to think long-term,”
he said. “There’s a lot of forward planning going on right now”
at Lansco.
Lansco has 40 brokers, 23 of whom work
in retail.
Rosenthal has worked for Harry
Macklowe, doing residential sales and marketing, and commercial
leasing, and has worked for two Manhattan business improvement
districts. She will represent landlords and retailers at Lansco.
At Lansco, Wolf is the exclusive U.S.
and Canada representative of L.T.J. Arthur, a French apparel
designer, and also represents several other luxury retailers.
When the retail real estate market
starts improving, Dolch said he thinks the excess real estate now
available
as the federal government has taken over ailing financial
institutions
will be the first to move. “I think those will be the first to
go in terms of leasing, he said.”
Dolch said lower rents will also lead
retailers to seek out higher-quality locations.
The retailers Lansco represents include
Calvin Klein, Clark Shoes, Cole Haan, J. Crew and Timberland.