BY THE EDITORS

Since 2008, when The New York Observer launched its annual Power 100 rankings of real estate professionals, the responsibility of selecting, promoting and demoting the city’s top brokers and developers laid solely on our editorial staff. But in a twist this year, we’re asking you, our online readers, to make the tough calls.

Between today and Friday, we’re asking you to rank the professionals of your choice to let us know where they truly belong. To help in the task, we’ve included a list of suggested professionals for you to drag to the right side of the screen. But if someone you support isn’t included, be they from the residential or commercial sectors, simply write them in and click submit. Feel free to select as many, or as few, people as you desire, and make sure to get out the vote.

We’ll be unveiling the final results of the poll on Monday, April 29 and releasing our official Power 100 rankings in print and online on Tuesday April 30.

To vote, click here.

BY GUS DELAPORTE

Central Medical Services of Westrock (CMSW), a medical practice specializing in workers’ compensation cases, has signed a 10-year, 4,150-square-foot lease on the ninth floor of Forest Hills Tower in Forest Hills, Queens, The Commercial Observer has learned. Asking rent for the building is in the mid-$30s per square foot.

CMSW will occupy the space in the Muss Development property at 118-35 Queens Boulevard beginning in May. Currently, the practice is headquartered in Brooklyn with satellite offices in Jamaica, the Bronx, Syosset and White Plains.

Forest Hills Tower entered the spotlight last year when FEMA signed a temporary lease for 200,000 square feet in the building as headquarters for its Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The lease was for floors one through eight, 10 and 12, The Commercial Observer reported at the time, for a term of several months.

To read the full story, click here.

BY AL BARBARINO

International investment advisory firm Metropolitan Real Estate is moving its New York headquarters from 135 East 57th Street to 650 Fifth Avenue, The Commercial Observer has learned.

The firm signed an 11-year lease for 11,289 square feet, taking the entire 29th floor of the 36-story, 38,500-square-foot office building located in the Plaza District on 52nd Street, on the northern edge of Rockefeller Center.

“We are excited to add Metropolitan Real Estate to the growing list of excellent tenants at 650 Fifth Avenue,” said Dr. Houshang Ahmadi, president of the not-for-profit Alavi Foundation, the majority owner and managing partner of 650 Fifth Avenue Company.

To read the full story, click here.

BY MICHAEL EWING

The Real Estate Board of New York will host its Sales Brokers Deal of the Year Cocktail Party tonight. The 69th annual event will reveal winners of the organization’s annual “Most Ingenious Deal of the Year” award.
Real Estate Board of New York Sales Brokers Deal of the Year Cocktail Party, 101 Club, 101 Park Avenue; 5:30-7:30pm, contact Desiree Jones at djones@rebny.com for more information.