Vornado Realty Trust has landed its biggest fish yet in its quest to turn the Penn District into a foodie mecca.
Avra Estiatorio, the wildly popular Greek seafood restaurant, has just signed a lease for a Homeric-sized restaurant in the landmark Farley Building at Ninth Avenue and West 33rd Street. It would be a potentially transformative step in Penn District’s evolution into a premier office destination. recreational destination.
The new eatery marks a remarkable expansion for Avra Group owners Nick Tsoulos and Nick Pashalis, who own three other thriving Avra’s in Manhattan. It’s also a big leap forward for Vornado’s ambitions in the West 30s, near Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, where “seafood” once meant Arthur Treacher’s fish and chips.
Vornado Chairman Steve Ross said his Penn District properties needed a food-centric component to attract office workers and compete with neighboring Manhattan West and Hudson Yards, which have top-notch dining options. I was aware that it was.
The new Avra, which opens next year, will span 20,000 square feet, including more than 6,000 square feet of outdoor space on the northwest corner of the Farley Building. This facility will be designed by Sean Sullivan, a partner in Rockwell’s group. He also designed the ever-bustling Abra Madison on East 60th Street. It’s popular not only for its sparkling fresh fish, but also for its open views, perfect for people-watching.
Ed Hogan, Executive Vice President of Vornado, said: We are confident that Avra will embody the standards of Penn State. ”
Avra will have an adjacent 730,000 square foot campus in Meta’s Farley Building, which it leases from Vornado. The building also houses the Moynihan Food Hall, which houses Vornado’s 120,000 square foot store and restaurant.
Ross’ dining efforts in the Penn District include Blue Ribbon Sushi & Steak, Bar Primi, Roberta’s Pizza in the adjacent office building Penn 1, and soon a new “concept” by Café Chelsea creator Sunday Hospitality opens in pen 2.
Vornado’s Penn District property between 6th and 9th streets is 10 million square feet. Vornado has invested more than $2 billion of his money in the area, including his $450 million redesign of Penn 1 (the tower formerly known as Penn Plaza).
Capital upgrades helped attract more than 700,000 square feet of new office leases.
Vornado also created a new pedestrian plaza and other public amenities in a district with easy access to Amtrak, 15 subway lines, LIRR, NJTransit, and PATH.
Mr. Ross’ publicly traded giant recently demolished the Pennsylvania Hotel, and Mr. Vornado hopes to one day build a skyscraper there. Until then, as the Post reported last week, Vornado has some interesting preliminary ideas for the site, including an outdoor tennis court and pickleball court.
