The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) has announced the outstanding sales deals of 2021 that will compete for its coveted Sales Brokers Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Awards. Following virtual events over the last two years, winners will once again be announced at an in-person ceremony and cocktail party on April 13th at Convene(117 West 46th Street).
Conceived in 1944, the member contest honors resourcefulness and ingenuity in solving difficult problems in property negotiation. Winners are selected from Sales, Finance and Leasing disciplines, each proving that brokers are not just intermediaries but driving forces that shape the trajectory of the city. Each discipline must have a minimum of three competing deals for recognition in their respective discipline that were completed by December 31 of the previous year. Submissions are then judged based upon ingenuity, creativity and professional skill. Judges include prominent real estate lenders, real estate lawyers, property owners and the two current Chairpersons of the Sales Brokers Committee. If one or both Chairpersons are conflicted, they may select a prior Chairperson to take their place.
“This year’s Sales Deal of the Year contestants are building economic momentum for New York City at a critical phase in the path to long-term recovery,” said REBNY President James Whelan. “These creative and resourceful deals are yet another reminder that when real estate professionals succeed, the entire city benefits from their ingenuity. We applaud all the submitting brokers and look forward to gathering in-person to celebrate their accomplishments.”
Over the years the Sales Brokers Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Awards have been named to memorialize several past recipients and legendary commercial brokers. The first place award honors Henry Hart Rice, who won on five occasions; second place commemorates Robert T. Lawrence and third place pays tribute to Edward S. Gordon.
Sales Brokers Committee co-chairs Michael Rudder of Rudder Property Group and Woody Heller of Branton Realty Services will lead the event. Tickets to attend the ceremony can be purchased here. The event will begin at 6:00pm, Wednesday, April 13th. REBNY also offers sponsorship opportunities to help support this iconic competition and showcase your organization at the ceremony. More information on sponsorship opportunities can be found here.
The contestants for this year’s competition in each discipline are:
Finance
• “5Pointz, a $700 Million Residential Work of Art in Long Island City”- 22-44 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101
Submitting Brokers: Andrew J. Singer and Kathleen McSharry (Avison Young)
• “A Union Dream Team: $204 Million Leasehold Construction Loan for 311 West 42nd Street” – 311 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036
Submitting Brokers Andrew J. Singer and Kathleen McSharry (Avison Young)
• “Terminal Warehouse ($1.25 Billion)” – 261 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Submitting Brokers: James Millon and Tom Traynor (CBRE Capital Markets)
Lease
• “A ‘Gem’ of a Formula – Keeping an Industry In Place at 608 Fifth Avenue” – 608 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10020
Submitting Brokers: Jarod Stern (Savills) and Michael Affronti (CBRE)
• “Broadway Show Starring Signature Bank” – 1400 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
Submitting Brokers: Scott Klau, Erik Harris and Neil Rubin (Newmark); Michael Cohen, Andrew Roos and Howard Japlowitz (Colliers)
• “Can You Hear Me Now? – How Verizon Made a Loud Statement by Signing an Anchor Tenant Lease During the Covid-19 Pandemic”– 155 Delancey Street, New York, NY 10002
Submitting Broker: Josh Kuriloff (Cushman & Wakefield)
• “Chubb’s Belief in New York City Manifests with HQ Commitment at 550 Madison” – 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Submitting Brokers: John G. Nugent and Christopher W. Mansfield (CBRE)
• “Creating New York City’s New ‘Hub of Justice’ at 49 Thomas Street” – 49 Thomas Street, New York, NY 10013
Submitting Brokers: Craig L. Reicher and Christopher W. Mansfield (CBRE) • “How to Sublease Space During a Pandemic – Create Your Own Co-Working Operation” – 437 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 Submitting Broker: Ruth Colp-Haber (Wharton Property Advisors, Inc.)
• “I’ll Drink to That: Navigating Pandemic Shutdowns, Haunted Offices, A Surprise Election in Japan and An Eleventh-Hour Rival, David Kleinhandler and Joe Cybulski Secure 100,000 Square Feet for Spirits Company Beam Suntory at 11 Madison Avenue” – 11 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010
Submitting Brokers: David M. Kleinhandler and Joseph R. Cybulski (CBRE)
• “If We Build It, They Will Come” – 17 West 60th Street, New York, NY 10023
Submitting Brokers: Matthew Astrachan, Mitchell Konsker and Daniel Posy (JLL) • “It’s Not Brain Surgery, But…” – 403 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075
Submitting Brokers: Mitti Libersohn and Arthur Mirante (Avison Young)
• “Rescued From the Brink: How JLL Structured and Resuscitated the Mount Sinai Deal” – 787 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10019 Submitting Brokers: Rob Martin and Barbara Winter (JLL)
• “Streaming Into the Future: CBRE Activates Roku’s Vision of Growth in Manhattan, Helping the Firm Quadruple Its Space, Add World-Class Amenities, and Splash Its Logo at the Crossroads of the World” – 5 Times Square, New York, NY 10036
Submitting Brokers: Sacha Zarba and Frederick Fackelmayer (CBRE)
• “Wharton Property Advisors Breaks Protocol to Secure Largest Sublet of the Pandemic” – 55 Water Street, New York, NY 10041
Submitting Broker: Ruth Colp-Haber (Wharton Property Advisors, Inc.)
• “Wharton Property Advisors Relocates a Pillar of East Harlem Health Care That No Landlord Wanted” – 35 East 110th Street, New York, NY 10029
Submitting Broker: Ruth Colp-Haber (Wharton Property Advisors, Inc.)
Sale
• “576 Fifth Avenue” – 576 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Submitting Broker: Zach Redding (B6 Real Estate Advisors)
• “Cap Gains, Maturing Debt, and COVID 731 Flushing Avenue: A Transaction in Three Ingenious Acts” – 731 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Submitting Broker: Benn Tapper (Lee & Associates)
• “How to Bring an Opposing Family and Their Seven Attorneys Together to Close a Complex Multifamily Portfolio Sale” – 12 Buildings on the Upper East Side
Submitting Brokers: James Nelson and Brandon Polakoff (Avison Young)
• “Into the Wild: Savills Navigates Chaos to Find School Sites in the Bronx” – 75 Canal Street West, Bronx, NY 10451 and 501 Gerard Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451
Submitting Broker: David Carlos (Savills)
• “Sale of a Long Island City Development Site” – 2-33 50th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101
Submitting Broker: Bob Knakal (JLL)
• “The Bronx 2k Portfolio” – 48 Buildings in the Bronx*, Bronx, NY
Submitting Brokers: Shimon Shkury and Victor Sozio (Ariel Property Advisors) • “The Denizen” –54 Noll Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206; 123 Melrose Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Submitting Broker: Helen Hwang (Meridian Capital Group LLC)
• “The Orthodox Union: Certifiably Confident in the Future of New York City” – 40 Rector Street, New York, NY 10006
Submitting Brokers: Mark S. Weiss and Alan Wildes (Cushman & Wakefield)
• “Trust, Ping Pong, and Homemade Honey” – 1260 Broadway, New York, NY 10001
Submitting Brokers: Eric Anton and Nelson Lee (Marcus & Millichap)
• “Young Adult Institute/ iHope School at 825 Seventh Avenue”- 825 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Submitting Broker: Matthew Astrachan (JLL)
