ANEW York-based company backed by Israeli shekels is ready to make its first, Class A solo splash.
Capital Real Estate is now in contract to buy the glamorous green glass 1, 2 and 3 U.N. Plaza from the United Nations Development Corp. for approximately $161 million.
The title transfer is awaiting signoffs from the new mayoral administration and the U.N. but could take place this quarter.
Capital has been a quiet city investor for the last eight years with Stellar’s Larry Gluck at 150 E. 85th St.; Steve Witkoff in 220 E. 42nd St., 10 Hanover Square and 100 Wall; and with Fisher Bros. on the Chartwell apartment house. Darcy Stacom of Cushman & Wakefield acted as broker on the highly secretive sale that The Post exclusively revealed on Feb. 19, 2001. She did not return calls for comment.
Led by Moshe Dan-Azogui, Capital RE is the U.S. affiliate of VSP Capital Holdings, which is traded on the Tel Aviv stock market and had to report the pending deal in Jerusalem.
“Moshe doesn’t want to be Donald Trump, but be more like Jerry Speyer and develop a quality portfolio,” said a real estate source familiar with the trio.
The purchase includes the 85 percent occupied 1.15 million square feet consisting of the garage and office condos under the Asian-owned hotel at Nos. 1 and 2 – with the right to buy the land under Two from the Bishop family in 20 years – and No. 3, which UNICEF leases and can buy for $1 in 25 years.
Dan-Azogui, who did not return calls, expects to upgrade the management for the restricted U.N. tenancy in the 39-story towers and never flinched at the idea of keeping the high profile, U.N.-filled towers safe and secure, sources said.
Gil Robinov, a high level honcho with GVA Williams who handles a lot of transactions in the U.N. area, including the sale of 809 First Ave., says it is not affected by the U.S. or New York City economy. “As long as the U.N. is across the street, it will be 100 percent rented,” he said. “They don’t have choices and have to pay what they pay.”
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We’re always wild about Harry Macklowe because he has a great crystal ball and invests where no one else sees the potential. Lately, Macklowe has been wavering about starting the 30-story, 200-unit rental at 300 E. 53rd St. But at the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association meeting yesterday, the developer at first hesitated and then declared, “The decision should be ‘yes,’ and I am going to move forward with the building and plan to start in the next four weeks.”
First, Macklowe has to complete the MTA easements for the future Second Avenue subway stop. It will take 14 months to open for the first residents.
Designed by the architecture-savvy Macklowe with architect Peter Claman, the rental units will have innovative, loft-like open kitchens with upscale cabinetry. “Every building I build, I make it better,” he told us. “My taste really drives me there.”
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The city’s Olympic bid committee is ratcheting up its worldwide profile as it follows its former leader to new Downtown offices. Even as Dan Doctoroff takes up the reins at City Hall as the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, the group the Oakhill Partners financier founded to bring the Olympics to the Big Apple moved on Monday from 230 Park Ave. into donated offices overlooking ground zero.
The 5,000 square-foot space on the 47th floor of 140 Broadway – coincidentally owned by trade center lessor Silverstein Properties – was donated to NYC2012 by American Capital Access. The diversified insurance company occupies 40,000 square feet comprising the entire 47th and 48th floors of the 51-story building.
“Providing support for NYC2012 is a way of moving forward [from the destruction of the Trade Center] by reaffirming the continued vitality of New York, and ultimately, affording New York the way to demonstrate what is best about the city on a global stage,” said ACA Chairman and CEO Michael Satz.
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