Andrea R. Gendel

Much of Andrea’s practice is concentrated in the commercial leasing arena, and she brings particular experience and depth in the complex New York City market to clients of all types. Representing landlords and tenants alike, she advises on all aspects of transactions involving office, retail, industrial and ground leases of Class A properties, including leases, guaranties, management agreements, brokerage and agency agreements, sublease and license agreements, assignments, surrender agreements, letters of intent, and construction agreements, among other things.

In addition, she trains her corporate clients’ staff in the legal issues critical to managing retail site development and leasing operations.

Andrea stays abreast of local, regional, and national leasing trends and leading practices, which is especially valuable to her clients that are looking to solidify deals in dynamic markets where demand for prime property is extremely competitive.

Using In-Depth Retail Knowledge to Close Deals

Experience gained from years of working with retailers has enabled Andrea to appreciate the nuances of retail operations. Her understanding of what is most important both to landlords and tenants enhances her ability to focus on negotiations. She moves deals forward in a constructive way by strongly advocating her client’s positions in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Several of Andrea’s deals have made a significant impact on New York City-area neighborhoods, business districts, and residents. For example, Andrea represented a major transportation authority on master leases of properties that have the potential to turn transit hubs into thriving retail destinations offering shopping as well as transportation options. She also negotiated a purchase-option lease that consolidated a college’s Manhattan campus and enabled it to continue to operate in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Most recently, her current work and negotiation skills during the COVID-19 pandemic have enabled her clients to both survive and thrive under unprecedented circumstances in the market.

Landlord Representation

As landlord’s counsel, Andrea negotiates the best lease terms for her clients, increasing property values, and providing greater leverage for owners. She works closely with clients and their in-house counsel to facilitate transactions, always with an eye on controlling costs. Andrea represents owners of many Class A office and mixed-use buildings in New York and across the country, offering deep experience in office, retail, showroom, and flagship leasing, as well as streetscape retail and restaurant deals, ghost kitchens, and mall and lifestyle center transactions for all retail types.

Representative recent deals include:

Tenant Representation

On the tenant side, Andrea scrutinizes lease arrangements and negotiates modifications needed to protect tenants and their interests so they can focus on their business operations. She has facilitated retail rollouts for various major brands in malls, lifestyle centers, and stand-alone stores on busy urban streets. Having successfully closed a multitude of office leasing transactions, Andrea brings significant experience in both large corporate headquarter transactions and smaller-space deals for startups and established companies.

On the tenant side, Andrea has worked with:

• Bonhams & Butterfields, the world-renowned auction house, in connection with a lease to relocate its New York City showroom to premises consisting of 42,000 square feet on West 57th Street.
• CBRE in connection with a 64,000 square foot lease at Lever House to establish its global financial headquarters in New York. 
• Kering Group, an international luxury group based in France, and its various brands (including Gucci, Gabriela Hearst, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, and others), in connection with leases across the U.S., including numerous headquarters and flagship stores for these brands in Manhattan and in other locations.
• Urban Revivo, a Chinese fast fashion company, in connection with a lease in SoHo for its first flagship location in New York City.
• Richemont Brands, a Swiss luxury goods group, and their various brands in connection with retail and office leases throughout the U.S.
• Pop Mart, a Chinese pop culture, toy, and entertainment company, in connection with leases for its first New York City locations, including a SoHo storefront and a U.S. flagship store in Times Square.
• Cathay Bank in connection with negotiating leases for properties throughout New York City.
• Chopard, a luxury jewelry company, in connection with leasing it’s Chopard Mansion on 67th St to Lalique, a French luxury glassmaker.
• Fast Retailing USA, Inc., a public Japanese retail holding company, in connection with leasing its flagship brand (Uniqlo, Theory, JBrand) locations across the U.S., including in Manhattan.
• Hill Country BBQ, a traditional barbeque style restaurant, in connection with their retail leasings in New York and Washington, D.C.
• Lenny’s Group (Lenwich by Lenny’s), a gourmet delicatessen and sandwich brand, in negotiating real estate leases for more than 20 locations throughout Manhattan.
• Los Tacos no. 1, a popular taqueria, in connection with ten of its locations in New York City, including at Chelsea Marketing and Time Square.
• Numerous apparel, media, and technology companies in connection with leasing matters in midtown Manhattan.
• Nyack College in connection with various leasing matters for its college campus and student/residential housing in NY and NJ, as well as the sale of its 100+ acre Nyack, NY campus.
• Sarge’s Deli in New York City in a license with Zuul to enable them to operate a ghost kitchen.
• sbe Entertainment in various deals, including the Umami Burger lease at Le Meridien, and another to permit them to operate a ghost kitchen as part of their operations at Manhattan West, among others.
• Supreme, a skateboarding shop and clothing company, in retail, office, showroom, and distribution leases throughout the U.S.
• Trademango Solutions (d/b/a Article), a furniture retailer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, in connection with their leases in the U.S., including key properties in New Jersey and in California.
• Various restaurants within the TWA Hotel at LaGuardia Airport, including negotiating lease deals with Blue Bottle, Intelligentsia, and Taste on the Fly, among others.
• Various service organizations, including the League of American Orchestras as well as the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, in connection with leases in Manhattan.
• Village Super Market in connection with a New York City-based lease for its brand, Gourmet Garage, as well as with an NYC-based lease it took over from Fairway as part of Fairway’s bankruptcy.
• Zabar’s and its affiliates in connection with negotiating various real estate holdings in New York City.