Opportunity to plunder: COPA’s scandal risk

June 9, 2026 / no comments

Critics of COPA call it the Community “Obstruction” to Purchase Act. Here’s another alternative: The Corruption Opportunity to Plunder Act. Errol Louis just penned a New York magazine column warning that the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act would attract immoral and criminal operators. The NY1 anchor and former Democratic City Council candidate cited the long history of nonprofits exploiting city-funded programs. Louis mentioned the recently jailed nonprofit landlord Malcolm Punter, scandals involving homeless shelters and Covid services and other examples of malfeasance. That list should include cluster housing — a program that the de Blasio administration ended in part by […]

This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.

Chelsea Piers Fitness inks NYC’s biggest retail deal in May

June 9, 2026 / no comments

April showers brought May retail deals to New York City.  The largest retail leases signed last month include fitness, fashion and offbeat collectibles chains scooping up significant space in the five boroughs. 1) Chelsea Piers Fitness | 250 Water Street | Seaport | 76,000 sf The gym has preleased a large new space in the Seaport development, owned by Tavros. 2) Marshalls | 850 3rd Avenue | Sunset Park | 31,500 sf The retailer signed a new 10-year lease in the Sunset Park building, fully leasing the retail space of the building. Esther Bukai of Ripco Real Estate represented the […]

This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.

NYC’s top deals: Jeffrey Lam sells Garment District hotel for $40M

June 9, 2026 / no comments

There were 232 transactions totaling $687 million filed in New York City records from 4 p.m. on Friday, June 5 through 4 p.m. on Monday, June 8. 🏆 Commercial: The Garment District logged the priciest commercial deal to hit records in the Big Apple, with the sale of a 17-story hotel, Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue, at 21 West 37th Street for $39.9 million. The seller was an LLC tied to Jeffrey Lam’s Lam Group. The buyer was an LLC linked to Ohio-based Omni Lifestyle Living. The building spans nearly 34,600 square feet and dates to 2007. […]

This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.

AI Is Filling Office Towers. It’s Also Likely To Empty Them

June 9, 2026 / no comments

The tech sector is driving a curious rebound in office leasing that’s far from widespread, instead mostly playing out in a handful of the highest-quality properties in just a few U.S. markets.
While firms of all stripes — especially companies focused on artificial intelligence — sign new deals to pile into the best buildings, the tech giants are cutting headcounts, potentially presaging a white-collar job landscape primed for layoffs. The seeming paradox reflects the fast-evolving world of AI at work that is set to define the post-pandemic positioning of the U.S. office market. 
“In the office market, what we’re seeing is a…