Charles Cohen’s distressed office sale irritates Fortress

January 9, 2026 / no comments

Charles Cohen can’t do right by his creditor, Fortress Investment Group. This week, Cohen sold the office building at 3 East 54th Street in the Plaza District to Vornado Realty Trust for $141 million, Bisnow reported. Steven Roth’s firm applied the $107 million debt it bought against the property over the last two years towards the purchase of the building, which it plans to raze. The sale would seem to be good news for Cohen, who is scrambling to raise cash after a New York judge ordered him to repay $187 million personally guaranteed to Fortress.  But the final sale […]

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

Dan Garodnick out at City Planning Commission

January 9, 2026 / no comments

Wanted: a City Planning commissioner after Dan Garodnick decided to step away from city government. New York City’s top planning official informed his staff on Thursday that he was leaving his role, the New York Daily News reported. The decision came after Garodnick was seemingly passed over for a deputy mayor post with Zohran Mamdani’s administration. In an email to his staff, Garodnick said that “the time is right for me to move on.” He plans on staying on to support the transition to whoever takes his place. “I do not take my departure lightly,” Garodnick added. A spokesperson for […]

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

Why New York’s new dev fell flat in 2025

January 9, 2026 / no comments

Buyers looking for new condos in 2025 faced a steep climb.  New development contract signings were down 11 percent compared to 2024, according to Marketproof data covering deals closed in 2025.  The culprit for the lackluster contract numbers was not a lack of demand, according to Marketproof CEO Kael Goodman, but a dearth of desirable buildings.  “It’s all a function of the product,” he said. “If the product is good, people will buy it. If the product is less desirable, even in this type of market, it just sits there.  That phenomenon was seen in the strong sales figures a […]

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