With all eyes on Times Square before the New Year’s Eve ball drop, we’ll give a shout-out to the Times Square Alliance led by Tom Harris — the prime mover behind ridding the district of a dozen illegal pot shops and taking more steps to civilize the tourist-trampled Bowtie.
We checked in on three other situations in the area.
No. 1: One Times Square, the once vacant ball-drop tower, was re-clad by owner Jamestown and converted into a “21st century visitor center for New York City” including a “museum experience,” technology-enabled brand activations, and a viewing deck.
But although “New Year’s Eve Ball Experiences” start this month — offering access to the 19th floor observation level — the $550 million project’s other major features, including what’s billed as an “interactive adventure through Times Square’s history, “ won’t open until 2026.
Meanwhile, at the Brill Building a few blocks north, interactive-experience outfit The Escape Game spent $5 million to launch two separate attractions it owns and will operate under a long-term lease — Escape Game and Great Big Game Show. The 5,000 square-foot space includes six “escape” rooms and two studios for the game show.
Both of the “immersive” competitions have prominent, sidewalk-level entrances. Participants can sign up now for the fun competitions starting Dec. 15.
The Brill Building at 1619 Broadway, famously the former home of major American songwriters and recording artists, is owned by Mack Real Estate Group.
What about Central Perk, the “Friends”-themed coffee shop opening any day at 701 Seventh Ave. at the West 47th Street corner?
We first reported the deal to fill the long-vacant retail space in September. We called it a pop-up. Others claimed it was permanent.
Cushman & Wakefield’s Steven Soutendijk, who made the deal for the tower’s asset and property managers, GreenBarn Investment Group and Newbond Holdings, clarified:
The landlord “has the ability to take it back when we secure a long-term tenant,” he explained. The Central Perk cafe “is not a long-term deal.” He expressed hope that Central Perk would be such a hit that regular retailers would soon come.
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