The deal to bring Avra Estiatorio to Midtown’s 6th Street location took two years to complete, due in large part to disruptions caused by the pandemic. But the popular Greek seafood empire’s journey to 390 Ninth Avenue happened at relative warp speed, said Gary Truck of CBRE, who brokered the deal with Avra.
“Negotiating the lease didn’t take long, just about six months,” Truck said.
We reported last week that the new Avra will occupy more than 20,000 square feet, including 6,000 square feet outdoors, at the corner of the Farley Building at 9th Avenue and West 33rd Street.
The currently vacant space is next to Meta’s 750,000-square-foot office and close to the building’s Moynihan Train Hall and food court.
Truck, who also handled the lease for Abra Madison on East 60th Street, said the restaurant’s owners also considered Hudson Yards. However, “we walked through the Farley space. Vornado chairman Steve Ross understood us and it quickly became a love fest.”
“He wanted a restaurant that would energize the entire Penn District market,” Truck said.
He declined to comment on the terms.
“The negotiations were all very friendly,” he said. But perhaps Mr. Ross was keen to make this deal happen in order to establish his Penn District as a major culinary mecca.
