New space for Soros groups

Lois Weiss

BETWEEN THE BRICKS

The George Soros- founded Open Society Foundations, which support worldwide human-rights programs including the Open Space Institute, signed a letter of intent for 160,000 square feet at the Argonaut Building at 224 W. 57th St., sources said.

The deal would include the retail space of nearly 30,000 feet, the penthouse and all the rest of the available space in the building. Brokers James Coleman and Steve Kaufman of Hanley Advisors have been representing OSF, with Colliers International the agents on the building. Colliers declined comment, and Coleman did not return a call.

Last July, we exclusively reported that a Middle Eastern group that had been operating the building under a long-term lease for the former Hearst-owned building, was converting it to an ownership position, which they did in September for $85 million.

They have since continued a substantial capital improvement program and obtained a LEED gold certification.

According to CoStar data, OSF is currently located at 400 W. 59th St., aka One Columbus Place Tower, in about 77,000 square feet.

Media reps for OSF did not return calls and e-mails for comment.

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Our sources are deep-sixing other reports that had Sirius as the big tenant signing at SL Green's 100 Church St.

"Too many columns and the ceilings aren't high enough for studio space," one source said.

The building's brokers, with Newmark Knight Frank, declined comment while Michael Goldman of Studley was out of the country and unaware of the sudden interest in his radio client, which broadcasts from just over 90,000 square feet at 1221 Ave. of the Americas. A source familiar with Sirius noted that they have three huge satellite discs on the roof of 1221 and it would cost "crazy money" to duplicate.

City and state agencies are touring the Downtown building, however, as are other big tenants. Among them is Continuum Health Care, whose search is being led by Frank Cento of Cushman & Wakefield. Along with 100 Church, he has been seen touring 125 Broad and 55 Water for the 120,000-square-foot requirement.

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Horizon Media is expanding in Hudson Square to total 150,000 square feet. The company just added 33,000 square feet to its space at 1 Hudson Square after consolidating there just last June.

Moshe Sukenik, Chris Mongeluzo and Brian Cohen of Newmark Knight Frank represented Horizon. Andrew Peretz and Robert Constable of Cushman & Wakefield represented Trinity Real Estate along with Jason Pizer and Marc Packman, who oversee real estate for Trinity in-house. Horizon Media employs about 600 people, with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego and Amsterdam. NKF also just completed a relocation deal for them in Los Angeles to 1888 Century Park East.

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FINRA has completed its lease to consolidate into 204,000 square feet at One World Financial Center.

Back in February, Post colleague Steve Cuozzo reported the deal was on the front burner.

It's a long-term sublease from Dow Jones and allows FINRA to consolidate its operations from 14 Wall St. and 20 Broad St. Cushman & Wakefield's John Cefaly and Rob Lowe repped FINRA.

Ken Rapp, Zac Freeman, Mary Ann Tighe, Chris Mansfield, Mike Rizzo and Lauren Crow ley of CB Richard Ellis represented Dow Jones in the sub lease of the 9th to 12th floors through 2020. Dow Jones was purchased by the Post's parent, News Corp., and moved to Midtown.

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The Real Estate Board of New York's President Steven Spinola is being honored by the Realty Foundation at its lunch today at the Waldorf-Astoria, while Billy Macklowe comes out of hiding to speak at the Young Men's/Women's Real Estate Association luncheon.

On Thursday night, real estate's own rock n' roll cover band, Square Feeet, led by NKF's Jimmy Kuhn, will perform at Marc Grossich's Empire Room on the 33rd St. side of the Empire State Building.