Following the short-term 200,000 sf regional headquarters lease the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) signed recently at Muss Development LLC’s Forest Hills Tower in Queens in support of Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, FEMA has now leased 9,688 sf for short-term use at Muss’ 4434 Amboy Road in Staten Island.
FEMA will utilize space on the second floor. There will be no on-site access to the general public.
The two-story mixed-use property at 4434 Amboy Road — which was unaffected by the storm — is adjacent to the Eltingville Shopping Center, part of the main business district in Staten Island’s fast-growing South Shore community.
The building sits just one block from a major commercial intersection and the Staten Island Rapid Transit Eltingville train station.
Jason Muss, Principal of Muss Development, noted that FEMA needed immediate office space in close proximity to the extensive damage that occurred in Staten Island, one of the Tri-State region’s hardest hit areas in the wake of the storm.
The transaction was completed in just 24 hours.
“With so many families and businesses affected we were ready to move swiftly and did our best to keep the negotiations to a minimum,” Muss said. “Our goal was to help FEMA move into the space as quickly as possible so that they could begin serving the community right away.”
FEMA – which coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters – plans to occupy the 4434 Amboy Road space only in the short term.
Muss is actively marketing the space for longer-term use.
Future tenants also have the option of combining that space with an additional 1,500 square feet that is currently available in the building, totaling approximately 11,500 square feet for a single user.
Nicholas J. Forelli, a Vice President with Muss, represented the landlord in the FEMA transaction at 4434 Amboy Road.
The United States General Services Administration — acting on behalf of FEMA – represented the agency directly with the landlord.
