By Daniel Geiger

Epic LLC, a real estate company that invests in London and New York properties, is acquiring the newly developed Meatpacking District office building 15 Little West 12th Street for more than $70 million, Steven Elghanayan, one of the firm’s principals, has confirmed. “We love the area and the neighborhood,” said Elghanayan, who operates Epic LLC with his brother Michael Elghanayan. Read more...

By Roland Li

After standing for almost 200 years, 35 Cooper Square’s fate has been sealed. Developer Arun Bhatia will demolish the Federal-style building as part of a new development on the site, which is sandwiched between the gleaming Cooper Square Hotel and Cooper Union Building. (Bhatia’s ownership of the building was first reported by Real Estate Weekly.) Read more...

By Roland Li

Joseph Swingle, executive managing director and head of Grubb & Ellis’ New York office, sees opportunities for the firm in the wake of an $18 million investment from Colony Capital. “I’m very excited,” said Swingle, from the brokerage’s new office atop 1301 Sixth Avenue. “We’re full speed ahead, locally.” Read more...

By Daniel Geiger

Newmark Knight Frank’s merger with BGC Partners, a spin-off of the brokerage and financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald, is expected to propel the company’s ambitions to become one of the dominant real estate services firms in the city and beyond. “It’s a good opportunity for us to grow the business,” said Jeffrey Gural, chairman of Newmark in a conversation on Monday with Real Estate Weekly. “[In] management and leasing today, it’s important to have a big, global platform. In order to grow you need access to capital, that’s what being part of a public company provides, that pipeline [of money].” Read more...