Cushman & Wakefields 101 Park Ave. at 98% after three new leases

Three new signings at H.J.Kalikow’s 101 Park Ave.

totaling 77,400 square feet have brought the tower at East 40th Street near Grand Central Terminal to 98% leased.In something of a coup, Peter Kalikow and his Cushman & Wakefield leasing team of John Cefaly and Nicholas Dysenchuk snared a former One Vanderbilt tenant — Cipher Digital, which took the entire top floor’s 26,400 square feet for its relocated headquarters.Kalikow said, “The top floor of 101 Park is a very special place with expansive views in an efficient, column-free environment.”Meanwhile, wealth-management firm Corient expanded by  24,600 square feet, bringing its footprint in the tower to nearly 100,000 sf.And law firm Sills Cummis & Gross took 26,400  for a relocation within the building.We don’t know what Gary Barnett has in mind for the former Friars Club building at 57 East 55th St., which his Extell Development Corp.

bought for $19 million, the Commercial Observer reported on Friday.But it can only be good even though the tiny  limestone building’s treasure-trove of show business artifacts was sold at auction a few weeks ago.

Like the Church of Sweden on East 48th Street and the former home of La Grenouille on East 52nd Street, it evokes a long-gone, more gracious  New York era. The Friars exterior is a designated city landmark, so Extell can’t make changes without Landmarks Preservation Commission approval.The property is sandwiched between two tall towers and too narrow to support a large redevelopment.

We look forward to the next chapter, whatever it is....