BY CARL GAINES

Eric Gelber is a senior vice president in CBRE's Retail Services Group and has worked on some of the city's most buzzed about deals. When he isn't running to raise money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, which he did last week, the broker is negotiating on behalf of package pasta giant Barilla, which, the broker revealed, is currently seeking space for a restaurant and bar component of the successful brand. Below, a snippet of today's interivew with Mr. Gelber, which appears in full on our website after the jump.

What kind of mix of tenants are you representing? Currently we’re working with a large theater company out of Chicago. They’re the newest concept in high-end theaters—VIP seating, state-of-the art sound systems and viewing screens, and a restaurant/bar component. It’s a 90,000-square-foot concept, and they’re looking for their first location in New York. And then I’m working with Barilla, which is the pasta company. They’re looking to open up a chain of cafes, starting in New York. We’re looking for five locations right now.

Where is Barilla looking to open in the city? Midtown, Union Square—those are the two focused markets right now—maybe Flatiron. But those are the primary markets right now. We’d probably consider the Upper West Side if we found the perfect spot. I’m not sure we’re ready yet for Downtown, but eventually.

What are their requirements, size-wise, and also in terms of the location’s demographics? 2,500 to 3,500 square feet, high traffic… We’re not looking for the high-street locations, so it’s your high-traffic Midtown area. Something in the Sixth Avenue corridor would be great, or the 42nd-Lexington corridor would be great. Also around Union Square—Union Square proper is probably going to be a little expensive for us. Find where Shake Shack and Chipotle are, and that’s where we want to be.

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BY DANIEL GEIGER

Legislation allowing oversees investors to fund job-creating real estate projects in exhange for green cards is set to expire at the end of September and proponents of the financing mechanism fear that a stalled deal to renew the law could strand hundreds of millions of dollars of development in the city.

Several large projects, including a $77 million plan to redevelop the Battery Maritime Building (pictured), a $200 million mixed use development in Downtown Brooklyn called City Point and a roughly $70 million deal to redo the retail at the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, have tapped what is called the The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program for funding.

“If you had a 60 to 90 day hiatus that would be bad but it wouldn’t be as bad if it went into the New Year and congress still hadn’t renewed it,” said Steve Polivy, a partner at the firm Akerman Senterfitt who oversees its real estate department and has structured several major EB-5 transactions. “You would have projects that were partially funded that can’t proceed and suddenly they have to go out and find alternative financing and they’re scrambling.”

EB-5 visa recipients may also be forced out of the country, Mr. Polivy said.

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BY DANIEL EDWARD ROSEN

The pink construction helmets, three of which are proudly displayed in Alicia Popper’s office, collectively serve as touching reminder to the PBC USA Real Estate broker that construction workers and tenants alike appreciate her for her work.

“I’m accepted, I’m embraced,” said Ms. Popper, a senior vice president of leasing and construction. Standing inside her temporary office at 452 Lexington Avenue, a building she helped transform from the former HSBC headquarters into a multi-tenant building, Ms. Popper showed off a bright-pink helmet that bears the logo of the Otis Elevator Company. The helmet was, like Ms. Popper, attractive yet tough.

“They go out of their way to get me pink hardhats,” Ms. Popper said.

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BY DANIEL EDWARD ROSEN

A pair of young, tech-savvy brokers have signed a slew of new tenants at 1407 Broadway, a 1.1 million-square-foot Garment District building.

Yvonne Chang and Jessica Kosaric, both of The Kaufman Organization, have brokered six new leases for a cumulative tally of 10,182 square feet, the company announced yesterday.

Among the companies taking space at the building are Athel Textile, Newco Apparel Group, Inc., and 12K Apparel Inc.

The duo said they have leased out 60,000 square feet in the past year.

"When we took over the building, we wanted to start a whole new marketing campaign, primairly let the industry see the neighborhood while reaching out to people outside of New York," said Ms. Kosaric.

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