LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. — Blackstone Mortgage Trust has provided a nearly $200 million loan for the acquisition of the historic Falchi Building in Long Island City, Queens. Savanna, a New York City-based real estate investment manager, purchased the mixed-use building from Jamestown LP. The five-story, 711,194-square-foot building occupies a full city block bounded by 47th and 48th avenues. Originally constructed in 1922, the building at one time served as a warehouse and distribution facility for Gimbels department store. The Gimbels chain of stores closed in 1987. Falchi is currently 90 percent leased to tenants such as City of New York, Uber, Lyft, Spaces (Regus), Juice Press and Doughnut Planet. Savanna will implement a $35 million capital improvement plan at Falchi. The improvements will focus on building amenities and infrastructure work for the office tenants, such as upgrading building systems, modernizing elevators, renovating common corridors and bathrooms and developing new ground-floor retail. Mitch Arkin, Joe Grotto Jr., Haley Fisher, Dan D’Agnes and Kelli Berke of Cushman & Wakefield will work closely with Savanna to lease the property’s office space. David Tricarico, also of Cushman & Wakefield, will handle retail leasing. Eastdil Secured brokered the sale and arranged acquisition financing. Savanna …
