“We have had a ton of good feedback,” CB Richard Ellis broker Zach Freeman told The Observer recently. “Right now we are seeing a lot of interest from law firms, financial services and hedge funds.”

The Observer reported in late May that a block of space totaling 184,000 square feet on floors 27 through 34 of the LeFrak-owned skyscraper had gone on the market. CBRE broker Howard Fiddle noted then that the minimum taking-rents for the lower floors would be $125 per square foot, and that floors 33 and 34 would go for a whopping $140 per square foot.

And it seems those prices have not changed.

“That is still holding, if not tending upward,” Mr. Freeman said.

The seller was the Usdan family, which had owned the buildings for decades, according to a source familiar with the deal.

The deed listed the buyer, 71 Laight Street, LLC, as having an address in Burgos, Spain, a city renowned for its Gothic cathedrals and monasteries, not its budding real estate development.

While little more is known about the buyer, a high price tag for property like this is usually indicative of one thing: development. What’s more: A source told The Observer that famed conversion architect Joseph Pell Lombardi is associated with the project.

Over the past 40 years, Mr. Lombardi has made a name for himself in New York City real estate for taking manufacturing and industrial buildings and converting them into residential developments.

Although he is probably best known for 55 Liberty Street, an iconic 33-story skyscraper that he transformed for residential use, much of his work is in Tribeca.

The Fairchild and Foster Atelier at 415 Washington Street and the Pearline Soap Atelier at 414 Washington Street are two Tribeca properties that Mr. Lombardi is currently changing into high-end residential units. The buildings at 401 Washington Street and 422 Greenwich Street fit the bill for a similar Lombardi project, not only in terms of building type, but also location.

The architect, whose city offices are conveniently located at 401 Washington Street, was polite but reticent when reached for comment: “I wish I could say something, but I have no comment at this point.”

In August, the company brokered the sale of the Alcoma Portfolio, a package of six Manhattan apartment buildings, for $80.15 million, according to Massey Knakal’s co-founder Bob Knakal.

The seller was the Alcoma Corporation, a nonprofit organization that has ties to the Heckscher Foundation, which spearheaded a well-known project to raise $133 million to preserve the city’s athletic fields.

The buyer, listed as Fairline Associates, does not have any immediate plans for the properties, according to Mr. Knakal.

“They are going to keep the buildings as rentals,” he told The Observer.

For a summer that started out strong for the real estate market, but has since been plagued by credit and subprime mortgage woes, the deal was impressive.

All told, the transaction included 207 residential units, 11 commercial units and approximately 160,500 square feet.

There are four properties with elevators: 113-115 East 72nd Street; 200 East 26th Street; 210 East 38th Street; and 328-330 East 52nd Street; and two walk-up properties: 210-216 West 79th Street and 701-703 Ninth Avenue.

The price per square foot was not too shabby either, coming in at $499, solidly within the averages for the current investment-sales market. Mr. Knakal was not all that surprised.

“Multifamily properties of this nature are the most sought-after property in the city these days,” he said.

In 2004, Massey Knakal brokered the $179 million sale of seven apartment buildings throughout Midtown West and the Upper East Side. The package, owned by the Macklowe family, became known as the Macklowe Portfolio. The transaction consisted of 362 residential and commercial units and comprised almost 375,000 square feet.

“Wednesday is the day,” Cushman & Wakefield’s Richard Baxter told The Observer on Monday. “And there is a lot of interest.”

The anticipation for this date has been building in the New York real estate community for over a month, and it looks like the 83-year-old building could pull in present-day Manhattan rates.

“We are looking in the $1,000-per-square-foot range,” Mr. Baxter said.

On July 20, Forbes made headlines when it announced that it had “outgrown” 60 Fifth Avenue and that it would be selling the eight-story, 145,000-square-foot building that has served as its headquarters since 1965. Forbes also noted that it was working with a developer to find a location for its new headquarters.

Mr. Baxter, along with the rest of Cushman’s fearsome New York investment sales foursome of Scott Latham, Jon Caplan and Ron Cohen, are representing the financial publication in the sale.

While he could not provide specifics, Mr. Latham said last week that the activity surrounding the property had been “robust,” and that a variety of investors from different industries already expressed interest.

A question that has been on people’s minds, though, is how this property will compare with the August sale of 100-104 Fifth Avenue up the street.

Last month, the folks over at Atlas Capital picked up the 240,000-square-foot, 19-story property for $110 million, according to both real property transfer tax and real estate transfer tax forms. The deal works out to about $458 per square foot.

However, apparently that deal happened back when office space in Manhattan was actually reasonably priced.

“That deal was done a long time ago,” Mr. Baxter said.

Size matters in Carroll Gardens. [Brownstoner]

Out of growlers, Whole Foods starts selling PBR. [EastVillageIdiot]

The mortgage crisis is bad: Brokers are turning to prostitution. [Gothamist]

That gem is from a press release The Observer received this morning announcing the opening of The Randolph at Broome, a new bar set for 354 Broome Street.

According to the release, a motley assortment of friends--including a hedge fund manager, a bartender, a jazz musician and a real estate contractor--came up with the idea after tiring of the “B&T packed super club.” The site for their new venture is the former M Bar.

The bar will apparently have a “West Indies speakeasy” feel, and whether you like it or not, chances are you will be sauced by the time you head out to catch that cab back to the Upper East Side. The Randolph features a signature drink that sounds like it was made up during Sigma Chi’s Rush Week. The beverage, called the “Michael Derry” consists of “lemon concentrate, imported beer and vodka.” Awesome.

The full release is below.

The Randolph at Broome

A Nightlife Solution

354 Broome Street

For Immediate Release – September, 2007 Every now and then there is a moment when dissatisfaction meets opportunity and someone does something about it: in this case the result is The Randolph at Broome. A short while ago, a crew of friends made up of local New Yorkers - a hedge fund manager, a mixologist/bartender, a jazz musician and a real estate contractor - had a night out with a bevy of beauties and found themselves bored by the usual consorts of the B&T packed super club and the unnecessary goon attitudes that were often accompanied by an over-hyped yet underserved empty room. A few short weeks later they had bought Mbar, a local watering hole, and have transformed it into The Randolph at Broome; a spot where music, décor, and most importantly, real people meet and party.

The space calls on the charm of an old West Indies speakeasy featuring warm woods in reds, dark greens and burgundy closed in by an imported mahogany door and custom designed mahogany shutters. This private space is 1,500 square feet comfortably fitting about 120 people that will be made up of creative downtown types, sweet young night crawlers, and the occasional banker who goes to work with his guitar strapped to his back. There are 6 tables surrounding an intricate mosaic designed by Evan Sarki, son of poet M. Sarki. Antique Edison light bulbs light up the space and the scruffy, tattooed cuties serve well priced drinks in rolled up plaid button downs and black bow ties. Mike Cannady, NYC DJ and music entrepreneur is the music curator behind the space. Mike’s selections will feature an eclectic mix of new wave, classic 80’s, Indie and electro selections.

Domestic draft beers are selling for $5 while domestic bottled beer and imported drafts go for $6. Wine and imported bottled beer is $7 and mixed drinks are $9. Classic cocktails such as the Dark and Stormy and Goesling’s Cube Libre are $10; specialty cocktails such as the Pimms Cup and the Randolph’s own “Michael Derry” (a delicious concoction of lemon concentrate, imported beer and vodka) are served in pitchers for $30-$40. Located at 354 Broome Street between Elizabeth and Bowery, The Randolph is the equal and opposite reaction to GoldBar which resides on the other end of the block in every regard. This Randolph is bringing some balance back to the block and ensuring New Yorkers get the vibe they want and the nightly dance party they deserve. Weekends will be devoured by upscale professionals who love to get down. Weeknights include a Tuesday night Funk Dance party, Thursday 80’s party, and a Sunday tribute to Prince Party. The Randolph at Broome is a nightlife solution for Downtown NYC’ers wary of the weekend run-around.

City Council approves rezoning plan for Queens. [NY Times]

Downtown is back. [NY Post]

Effort to keep Merrill Lynch downtown continues. [NY Post]

Protests continue against Ivan Kane’s burlesque club. [Daily News]

A press release was sent out in late August announcing that the 25-story office building had been sold. The seller is listed as Ceres Real Estate.

The email accompanying the press release described the 390,000-square-foot property as a “Class A+ midtown office building,” a designation that had yet to be bestowed on a commercial property in Manhattan. So, um, congratulations.

Georgia-based Wells Real Estate manages mores than 47 million square feet in 231 buildings across the United States, according to its Web site.

Silverstein wins! Silverstein wins! [Gawker]

DUMBO is in dire need of another condo development. [DumboNYC]

Maybe Blue Seats should’ve delayed their opening… again. [Eater]

Eleven units have closed at Ian Schrager and Aby Rosen’s highly anticipated condominium project, according to city records. The seller on these deals has been listed as 40 Bond Street Partners, LLC, and the closing prices range from $2.8 million to $10.5 million.

The development has 28 units total, but four have been combined into two mega-units, according to the sales office. The residences went on the market in early 2006.

Bond Street is rapidly becoming a condo haven. Accompanying 40 Bond on the same cobblestone block is the Deborah Berke-designed project at 48 Bond Street. And, as The Observer reported in June, self-storage king Adam Gordon purchased 41-43 Bond Street and has plans to develop a nine-story Steven Harris-designed condominium at the location.