Commercial Klutch: June Edition

Here’s the latest word on the street from our cloaked commercial correspondent… Competition for the Citypoint space has intensified, with more than two major retailers slugging it out. There just isn’t good large retail space in the area, especially new construction. Smashburger has opened at 80 DeKalb. Burgers way way better than Five Guys, fries are not. Menu much much better tho. As soon as Shake Shack opens, time for a Downtown Brooklyn Burger Open. Somebody please organize this…

Increasing activity in Court Street office buildings echos record-setting leasing volume this year in Manhattan. DUMBO is nearly sold out, maybe twenty decent spaces available. Never happened before. Thank god for creative tenants, who will soon have to do Court Street given what has happened in DUMBO.

Retail quite active again, so hot that a deal has been made for a new restaurant between the bridges in DUMBO, the hardest place to put a new resto. Watch this blog for more info. Fascinating thing about the area: Bros go to area around Fulton Landings (that’s the Bro-tocol) and hipsters go to Jay Street area (dat’s dope). New definition of “bridge and tunnel,” people – folks coming to BKLYN to party!
Meanwhile, what’s going on at 345 Adams?

Does the agent switch from Greenstone to Futterman at 345 Adams mean the latter has delivered a tenant? A switch is usual sign of that…… what could it be? Waiting breathlessly for Urban Market to open at DeKalb and Willoughby. One assumes DOB is the issue. Not so funny note – Deputy Mayor Goldsmith was told NOT to visit Brooklyn DOB when he did his rounds. Office is so gross.

Good news – City of New York has new program that has already helped 300 restaurants open, with one-stop regulatory shopping, bringing agencies together to streamline process. Retail Moshiach. City says all new restos go through the new system by the end of the year. VERY good news for new york city, as restos are our factories, employing the young, the fresh off the boat, the non-English speaking. We ain’t having new large-scale manufacturing at living wages; restos, retail and hotels are our factories.
Photo by justcooknyc.