Double Standards: Why Developers Yield the Spotlight

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The recent completion of the JFK Hilton conversion to affordable housing, now known as the Baisley Pond Park Residences, offers a clear case study in the optics of modern real estate. While the project was a private venture led by Slate Property Group and RiseBoro Community Partnership, mainstream media and official announcements focused almost exclusively on Governor Kathy Hochul. Despite the state’s financial contribution covering less than a third of the total cost, the narrative was framed as a direct achievement of the administration.

This dynamic exists because the interests ...

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IKEA is coming to Soho

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The Swedish furniture giant has purchased the six-story commercial building at 529 Broadway for $213 million from Wharton Properties, owned by Jeff Sutton, according to property records. Ingka Group, which operates most IKEA stores globally, plans to open a 25,000-square-foot location across the first two floors, a smaller-format store aimed at urban shoppers. The upper floors will be converted into offices managed by Ingka.

The property, currently leased to Nike, spans 58,000 square feet and sits at the corner of Broadway and Spring Street. Designed by BKSK Architects to echo a 19th-century hotel, the building was acquired by Sutton for $146.9 million in 2013. The ...

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Developers Race Against Time to Secure 421a Tax Break

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New York developers are rushing to complete their 421a projects before the June 2026 deadline, when the city’s long-standing tax exemption program officially ends.

The state’s extension gave developers extra time but demanded deeper affordability, eliminating the 130% AMI option that had made projects financially viable for many. Smaller firms now face tighter margins as rents for affordable units drop, reducing long-term income potential. Despite these challenges, developers are racing to finish, aware that losing 421a could slash project values by as much as 15%.

(source: The Real Deal, picture: Robert Bye)

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Manhattan Office Market Rebounds With Record Leasing Surge

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Manhattan’s office market is showing renewed strength, with major tenants driving a surge in activity. Deloitte, Guggenheim Partners and Salesforce led the way in the third quarter, pushing total leasing volume to 9.4 million square feet, 27 percent above the five-year average, according to Colliers. Year-to-date activity has already exceeded 30 million square feet, the strongest since 2002, and could surpass 40 million by year-end.

Deloitte’s 807,000-square-foot lease at 70 Hudson Yards was the largest of the quarter, followed by major renewals from Guggenheim and Salesforce. Availability has dropped to its lowest point ...

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Billionaires’ Row Condo Sells for $82.5M, NYC’s Priciest Deal of the Year

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A high-profile sale at 220 Central Park South has set the record for New York City’s most expensive deal of the year. Media executive Byron Allen sold his five-bedroom condo for $82.5 million just one year after purchasing it for $75 million. 

The buyer, connected to Huizenga Holdings, joins an elite group of owners in one of the city’s most exclusive addresses. Designed by Robert A.M. Stern, the limestone-clad tower is known for attracting billionaire buyers and ...

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