New York RealEstateRama

NEW YORK CITY, NY - August 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Empire State Building and Walgreens have completed a transaction to benefit the building’s neighborhood, tenants, and visitors to its world-famous Observatories. Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain, has just renewed its lease on the ground floor of the building’s corner at Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street, and exchanged 10,000 square feet on the concourse level of the property for 10,000 square feet on the second floor.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - August 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Starbucks has taken the last remaining retail space at W&H Properties’ 1350 Broadway, completing the retail repositioning of the property, announces Anthony E. Malkin, president of Malkin Holdings, which supervises W&H Properties.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - August 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jackobin Consulting Services, Inc., a consultancy firm that provides project management, staffing, and web services for technical companies, has leased 6,500 square feet at 1150 Avenue of the Americas, according to Corey Abdo, executive vice president and principal of Winoker Realty.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - August 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The former home of Oceana restaurant at 55 East 54th Street off Madison Avenue has been leased on a long-term basis to a partnership that – after a nearly two-year search – plans to turn the 8,300-square-foot space into a striking new four-level Mediterranean food destination. Sierra Realty Corp.’s Executive Vice President Peter Braus and Managing Director Brad Schwarz represented the landlord, and Gregory Tannor of CBRE represented the tenant

NEW YORK CITY, NY - August 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sierra Realty Corp. has increased its focus on the property management segment of its business of late, and results have been fruitful in both Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs, according to Sierra President James Wacht.

NEW YORK, NY - August 16, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- This morning, Justice John M. Galasso of the Nassau County Supreme Court issued a sweeping order shutting down one of New York’s largest mortgage scam operations pending trial. The order is the most substantial victory to date in a year-long legal campaign against “loan modification scams” in New York and nationwide.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Finance Commissioner David M. Frankel and Small Business Services Commissioner Robert W. Walsh today announced a new program aimed at granting business and residential tenants access to information about refunds that they could be entitled to.

New York, NY - August 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Paramount Group, Inc., New York’s largest privately held international real estate investment and management firm, has recapitalized a 49 percent interest in its 1633 Broadway office tower. Affiliates of Morgan Stanley and Bank of America have exited the partnership and have been replaced by affiliates of Beacon Capital Partners, LLC and Paramount Group Real Estate Fund IV. SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE:SLG) acquired a preferred equity interest as well. Paramount Group Real Estate Fund I retains its 51 percent controlling interest in the 2.5 million- square-foot Class A office tower where Paramount Group is headquartered. The prestigious tenant roster includes, Allianz, Time Warner, Deloitte LLP, Morgan Stanley, Dickstein Shapiro and Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Freedman LLP

August 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICAH MEYERS was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 60 months in prison for his role in a sub-prime mortgage fraud scheme involving dozens of residential mortgages that totaled more than $10 million. MEYERS previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud on May 27, 2010. His sentence was imposed by United States District Judge DEBORAH A. BATTS

Washington, DC - July 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today announced that the Poughkeepsie Housing Authority has been awarded $212,520 in federal funds to provide permanent housing for homeless veterans in the Mid Hudson Valley. The funds were awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program of which Hinchey is a steadfast supporter

NEW YORK, NY - July 21, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A broker survey conducted by the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) for the second quarter of 2011 found that 77 percent believe next quarter’s values and sales will be better than or the same as this quarter. Also, 10 percent more brokers reported closing sales at or above asking price compared to what brokers reported in the second quarter of 2010

New York, NY - July 20, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel, Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Marc Jahr announced todaythe City has reached a major milestone in its affordable housing plan, the New Housing Marketplace Plan.

New York , NY - July 19, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today appointed Victor A. Gonzalez as the first public housing resident to be named a member of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Board. In April 2011, the City announced it would add a new seat on the Board, creating a new Resident Board Member position. More than 600 residents from all five boroughs applied. Gonzalez’s appointment is effective July 20, 2011, when he will join NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea, Vice Chair Emily Youssouf and Board Member Margarita López at his first board meeting. NYCHA board members form the Authority’s governing body and are responsible for voting on contracts, resolutions, policies, motions, rules and regulations and administrative matters.

JAMAICA,NY - July 18, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-6), senior member of the Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, along with community organizations, including Neighborhood Works America, will hold a press conference on Monday, July 18, 11:00 am to urge eligible homeowners to act quickly to apply for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP). Congressman Meeks will be joined by Adolfo Carrion, HUD Regional Administrator, Region II. Mr. Carrion is a former Bronx Borough President and director of the White House Office on Urban Policy.

New York, NY - July 15, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- It may be summer vacation season, but that doesn’t mean you should take a break from your home energy responsibilities. In fact, getting the whole family involved in making better choices regarding energy efficiency is a great way to teach your household how to conserve resources and save money.

NEW YORK, NY - July 12, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Cushman & Wakefield today announced it has been retained as the exclusive retail leasing agent for “The Corner at Wall Street,” a 178,000-square-foot block of prime retail space located at 23 and 35 Wall Street and 15 Broad Street in downtown Manhattan’s Financial District.

New York, NY - July 11, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) announced today the signing of agreements with SENA and CAMACOL Bogotá and Cundinamarca (CAMACOL B&C) that establish the first on-site job training and certification program for construction workers in Colombia. CGSGI will develop a portable, on-site training facility in the Ciudad Verde ("Green City") low-income housing development in Soacha, Cundinamarca, near Bogotá, the capital of Colombia to offer free training and certification for 5,000 construction workers. The on-site training program will utilize courses developed by SENA, the National Learning Service of Colombia, and trainees will be evaluated by CAMACOL B&C, the Colombian Chamber of Construction. Workers will receive certifications from SENA for the competencies in which they have been trained.

Washington, DC - July 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today secured approval from a key U.S. House panel of a $6.38 million increase in funding for two critical federal programs that support the Susquehanna Flood Forecast and Warning System (SFFWS). The funding increase will boost the efforts of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Streamflow Information Program and The Cooperative Water Program. Both programs offer support to the SFFWS network of rain and stream gages by offsetting operation and maintenance costs of the network

NEW YORK, NY - July 7, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two justices of the New York State Supreme Court have issued sweeping orders to restrain the activities of alleged “loan modification” scammers, providing major victories for financially vulnerable homeowners. On July 5, 2011, Justice Thomas A. Adams of the Nassau County Supreme Court extended a temporary restraining order that restrains the activities and freezes the assets of a group of companies operating under the names “Express Home Solutions” and “Home Preserve Law Group.” The ruling complements a similar order issued on June 28, 2011 by Justice John M. Galasso, also of the Nassau County Supreme Court, which enjoins a group of individuals operating a separate business under the name “Homesafe America.”

Albany, NY - July 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today traveled to Monroe County to sign New York's first property tax cap.. The tax cap, a hallmark of Governor Cuomo's campaign and a priority of his administration's first year, will finally deliver relief to millions of homeowners and business owners across the state who for too long have been burdened by out-of-control property taxes.

Albany, NY - July 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today traveled to Erie County to sign New York's first property tax cap. The tax cap, a hallmark of Governor Cuomo's campaign and a priority of his administration's first year, will finally deliver relief to millions of homeowners and business owners across the state who for too long have been burdened by out-of-control property taxes.

New York, NY - July 1 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Governor signed the law passed by the Senate on June 24, 2011, and sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos. The law caps school and local government taxes to less than two percent or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower. The new law also includes $127 million in mandate relief savings to local governments, in addition to the creation of a Mandate Relief Council to identify and repeal unsound, unduly burdensome laws and regulations

Albany, NY - July 1 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today traveled to Westchester County to sign New York's first property tax cap. The tax cap, a hallmark of Governor Cuomo's campaign and a priority of his administration's first year, will finally deliver relief to millions of homeowners and business owners across the state who for too long have been burdened by out-of-control property taxes

New York, NY - June 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Housing Committee Chair Vito Lopez today announced passage of legislation to extend the rent laws and expand rent protections for tenants for the first time since 1993.

New York, NY - June 30, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver announced today the passage of the Affordable Housing Act (A.8518) that would provide relief for working families across the state by capping growth in local property tax levies at two percent. The legislation also includes significant mandate relief for local government and school districts.