Nontraditional tenants like charter schools, private clubs and trampoline parks inked some of Brooklyn and Queens’ largest leases of 2025. Brooklyn Prospect Charter School claimed the top spot, with its massive 150,000-square-foot deal at Tishman Speyer’s Wheeler office development in Downtown Brooklyn. Fitness followed close behind, from Life Time’s 80,000-square-foot outpost at the Brooklyn Tower to a pair of deals by trampoline park chain Sky Zone. Meanwhile, two new family-oriented private clubs inked deals in Brooklyn Heights.
Here is the breakdown.
1. Brooklyn Prospect Charter School | Downtown Brooklyn | 150,000 square feet
Brooklyn Prospect Charter School inked a 150,000-square-foot lease at the Wheeler, Tishman Speyer’s Downtown Brooklyn office development on top of the original Abraham & Straus department store. The charter school network inked a 35-year lease for the ninth through 11th floors at 422 Fulton Street and plans to open a high school there next fall. Newmark’s Ross Kaplan and Justin DiMare represented the tenant and Tishman was represented in-house by Megan Sheehan and by a CBRE team including Mary Ann Tighe, Gerry Miovskia and Joseph Cirone.
2. Life Time | Downtown Brooklyn | 80,000 square feet
Life Time signed a five-year lease for an 80,000-square-foot lease at Silverstein Properties’ Brooklyn Tower. The upscale gym will occupy seven floors of the massive 74-story, 550-unit tower at 9 Dekalb Avenue. Asking rent was $115 per square foot, according to Commercial Observer. The space will feature a rooftop pool, cold-plunge pool, steam room and coworking and training spaces. Atlantic Retail’s Joe Mastromonaco and Colleen Morrissey represented Life Time and Newmark’s Jackie Totolo, Peter Whitenack and Pierce Thompson represented Silverstein in the deal.
3/4. Sky Zone | Bergen Beach | 52,000 square feet
Sky Zone inked a 52,000-square-foot lease at Turnbridge Equities’ two-story warehouse at 2350 East 69th Street in Bergen Beach. The Utah-based trampoline park chain is slated to open locations in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens in 2026, its first New York City locations, Crain’s reported. Newmark’s Josh Gosin and Jordan Gosin represented Sky Zone in the deal. Turnbridge represented itself in-house.
3/4. East Gate Investors and SC Holdings | Brooklyn Heights | 52,000 square feet
East Gate Investors and SC Holdings signed a 29-year lease for 52,000 square feet at the converted co-op St. George Tower at 111 Hicks Street. The private equity firms plan to open Kings Athletic Club, a private racquet and wellness club with a pool, two tennis courts, a squash court, pickleball, golf simulators and a bar and restaurant, per Curbed. Helmsley Spear’s Michael Dubin represented the co-op board in the negotiations, alongside DL Partners’ Bruce Lederman and Grace Betancourt.
5. Sky Zone | Flushing | 50,000 square feet
Sky Zone signed a 50,000-square-foot lease at The Shops at Skyview, the Flushing mall that Blackstone subsidiary ShopCore Properties is in contract to sell. The Utah-based trampoline park chain will occupy the fifth floor of the shopping center at 40-24 College Point Boulevard. The space is set to open in summer 2026, per Commercial Observer. Charter Realty’s William Cafero represented Sky Zone. Ripco Real Estate’s Jeremy Isaacs represented the landlord.
6. Little Big Hospitality | Brooklyn Heights | 45,000 square feet
Little Big Hospitality inked a 45,000-square-foot lease at CIM Group’s 50 Columbia Heights. The company plans to open a family-oriented membership club at the long-vacant office property called The Beginning Clubhouse next summer that will have activities for children, a restaurant and coworking spaces, along with fitness and wellness amenities. Savitt Partners’ Marc Schoen represented Little Big Hospitality. Newmark’s Peter Whitenack, Mai Shachi, and Andrew Connolly represented CIM Group.
7. Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School | Flatbush | 44,000 square feet
Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School signed a 10-year lease for 44,000 square feet at 2520 Church Avenue in Flatbush. The charter school plans to open its first location at the former Catholic school next fall and will have 21 classrooms, conference space and administrative offices, per Commercial Observer. Open Impact Real Estate’s Jake Cinti, Lindsay Ornstein and Kate Whitman represented the charter school. William O’Brien of M.C. O’Brien represented the landlord, Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church.
8. Burlington Stores | Jackson Heights | 43,000 square feet
Burlington Stores inked a 43,000-square-foot lease at 72-22 Broadway in Jackson Heights, where landlord Werber Real Estate plans to build a 13-story mixed-use building. The store is slated to open in 2028 at the new development, which is slated for 60,000 square feet of retail on three levels, two floors of office and the rest multifamily, per Commercial Observer. Heller Organization’s Adam Heller, Stephen Weber and Joshua Singer represented the landlord. CNS Real Estate’s Clifford Simon, David Rosen and Jake Simon represented Burlington.
9. Lidl | East Williamsburg | 27,000 square feet
Grocery store Lidl signed a long-term lease for 27,000 square feet at Goose Property Management’s at 597 Grand Street in East Williamsburg. Lidl will anchor the 185-unit apartment building, which was completed last year. Schuckman Realty’s Kenneth Schuckman and Jessica Vilmenay represented Lidl. Jacob Katz represented the landlord in-house.
10. Jongro BBQ | Flushing | 24,000
Jongro BBQ signed a lease for 24,000 square feet on the sixth floor of The Shops at Skyview, the Flushing mall that Blackstone subsidiary ShopCore Properties is in contract to sell (and where Sky Zone also inked a large lease this year). The Korean barbecue restaurant chain will open a restaurant and food hall in the space, per Commercial Observer. Ripco Real Estate’s Jeremy Isaacs represented the landlord.
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