New owner lurking for vacant Stamford office complex

Building and Land Technology apparent suitor

December 29, 2011 - By Richard Lee, Staff Writer - ctpost.com

Reprinted with permission from ctpost.com

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/New-owner-lurking-for-vacant-Stamford-office-2429783.php#ixzz1kOe6v2az

Preferred Brands keeps Stamford flavor

After extensive search: Tasty Bite parent moving to Landmark Square complex

December 18, 2011 - By Richard Lee, Staff Writer - The Advocate and Greenwich Time

A global prepared-foods company is staying in Stamford, moving its headquarters from a West Broad Street building to the Landmark Square complex.

Stamford-based Preferred Brands International LLC, parent of Tasty Bite, an international manufacturer Indian and Pan-Asian convenience specialty foods, is moving its headquarters from 9 W. Broad St. to a 5,765-square-foot space at 3 Landmark Square.

The new space will house 20 local staff supporting 130 other employees in the United States, India and Australia.

Founded in 1995, Preferred Brands was searching for a well-located building with top-flight amenities after its lease at the West Broad Street property expired, said Ashok Vasudevan, chief executive officer of Preferred Brands.

"The building required serious help, and we needed more space. We also wanted to have shuttle service to the train station," said Vasudevan, crediting Sandy Goldstein, president of the Downtown Special Services District, for suggesting that he consider Landmark Square.

The DSSD makes it home at the complex, Goldstein said, and is pleased with its space.

"I could have suggested four or five other buildings," said Goldstein, who met Vasudevan at his office to familiarize herself with his business. "I had never heard of Tasty Bite, but we had lunch there, and I love his brand. I love that his company decided to stay in Stamford."

Preferred Brands plans to add five people with experience in logistics, marketing, sales, distribution and social media within the next 90 days.

The Stamford office of Choyce Peterson represented the company in its search.

Choyce Peterson showed Vasudevan space in 10 buildings, but he liked Landmark Square, a seven-building office and retail complex with a fitness center, cafeteria and building conference room. Other amenities include valet parking, a concierge, private shuttle to the train station and direct connection to the Stamford Town Center mall.

"Our overriding concern always involves satisfying our clients by delivering bottom-line results," said John Hannigan, principal of Choyce Peterson. "We understand the unique needs of finding a new corporate headquarters."

Preferred Brands signed a seven-year lease with Landmark Square owner SL Green Realty Corp.

Reprinted with permision by The Advocate

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Preferred-Brands-likes-the-taste-of-Landmark-2408940.php#ixzz1kOXtKXzB

Hannigan of Choyce Peterson Negotiates Direct Wine’s Expansion

At 20 Marshall St. to 9,500 S/F and Extends Lease

May 20-26, 2011 - New England Real Estate Journal

Choyce Peterson, Inc., recently concluded negotiations for Direct Wines, a multi-branch organization devoted to wine discovery, to expand its current headquarters from 7,500 to 9,500 s/f and extend its lease at 20 Marshall St. John Hannigan was the broker for Choyce Peterson.

Hannigan had previously represented Direct Wines in the search and negotiation of a new lease for a relocation to the 20 Marshall St. site. The space consists of an open area with natural textures, red brick and a lofty atmosphere with interior wooden beams. It conveys the unique, characterful look Direct Wines had requested for its employees and business partners. The expanded section may be dedicated to meeting rooms or telemarketing.

Renaissance Capital relocates; Sticking close: Investment analyst firm likes what town has to offer

April 12, 2011 - By Richard Lee, Staff Writer, The Advocate

 

William Smith, president and chief executive officer of Renaissance Capital in Greenwich, is one of those bosses who wants to keep his employees happy -- particularly when his company is searching for a new home after a decade at Two Greenwich Plaza.

Smith spent a year looking at properties in Greenwich and Stamford before settling on a 5,000-square-foot space at 165 Mason St., in Greenwich.

 

"It's more open for our employees and slightly larger than our former space. It's only a five- or six-minute walk from the train station," he said, adding that he knows the value of his 14-person staff and the importance of holding onto them.

 

Smith, a Greenwich resident, retained Alan Peterson and John Hannigan, principals of Choyce Peterson Inc., in Stamford to find a location near the Greenwich or Stamford train stations.

In Stamford, Office Availability is Tightening

February 14, 2011 - By Alexander Soule, Fairfield County Business Journal

Even as Stamford’s official vacancy rate continues to top 20 percent, brokers say tenants are beginning to lose some of their leverage due to much of that space located in buildings not actively marketed for multi-tenant use -- not yet, anyway.

Many companies starting the hunt for new quarters do not realize the market has tightened over the past few months, according to James Fagan, senior managing director in the Stamford office of Cushman & Wakefield.

Bolstering that argument, Cushman & Wakefield reported that leasing activity in New York City in the fourth quarter was the highest in four years, with the suburban markets typically following Manhattan’s lead with varying degrees of lag. [Choyce Peterson coverage highlighted in yellow in the Read More section.]

Choyce Peterson study shows tenants making moves

Firm unveils second 'silhouette study"

January 28, 2010 - By Richard Lee, Staff Writer, The Advocate

Commercial real estate brokers say the market is improving in the region, and a Stamford firm's second "silhouette study" gives property owners and their prospective tenants an idea how Class A occupancy rates have changed since the unveiling of its first study in mid-2010.

The 24-by 36-inch glossy poster, which superimposes colored outlines of the major office buildings in Stamford, Greenwich and Norwalk over a color photo of Stamford's central business district, was well-received, prompting Choyce Peterson Inc. to update it for a second distribution.

"Now, this year-end revision gives area tenants a sense of how the market is evolving over time," said Alan Peterson, co-principal with John Hannigan at Choyce Peterson at 2001 W. Main St. "This information is extremely valuable in determining the timing of commercial real estate renewals and relocations, as well as the amount of leverage available in negotiations with a landlord."

Taxes Play Role in Cadent Move

October 19, 2010 - By Richard Lee, Staff Writer, The Advocate

Energy state: Oil sector private-equity firm to leave NY for High Ridge Park in Stamford next month as Vision Financial expands its operations.

Concerned about tax hikes and a growing budget crisis in New York state, coupled with a need for more space, a private-equity firm focused on the energy industry is moving from Rye Brook, N.Y., to the High Ridge Corporate Center in Stamford.

The nine-person staff at Cadent Energy Partners expects to move from their 4,300-square-foot space next month to 6,589 square feet at 4 High Ridge Park, a space formerly occupied by Synapse Group Inc., which moved to 225 High Ridge Road, in Stamford. [Choyce Peterson coverage highlighted in yellow in the Read More section.]

Poster Presents Bird's Eye View

October 12, 2010 - By Richard Lee, Staff Writer, The Advocate

Graphic depiction: Choyce Peterson, a commercial real estate firm, offers unique approach to lower Fairfield County office market for tenants, landlords

A Stamford commercial real estate firm has a motto -- "Space is money" -- and its principals said they believe they have found a way to help tenants and owners of Class A office buildings in Greenwich, Norwalk and Stamford see where to spend their money in the rental market.

Under direction of Alan Peterson and John Hannigan, co-founders and principals in Choyce Peterson, staff at the agency developed an eye-catching way to understand the market.