Ecko, whose brands include Ecko Unlimited, Mark Ecko Collection, Zoo York and the G-Unit Clothing Co., was headquartered in New Jersey and approximately 55,000 sf in various locations in the Garment District. That transaction is the largest direct lease in Midtown South so far this year.

In this most recent transaction, the company inked a 30,390 gross-sf lease arrangement with the New 42nd Street, a nonprofit organization responsible for seven historic theaters on 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues. According to C. Bradley Mendelson, EVP of CB Richard Ellis' retail services team who represented New 42nd Street, the asking price for the Times Square Theater site at 217 West 42nd St. was $2 million per year. Construction is expected to begin early next year. Ecko was represented in the transaction by PBS Realty Advisors LLC.

"Ecko had a vision for this space," Mendelson tells GlobeSt.com. The three-story space, expected to open in early 2006 and be a pull for the area heavily traveled by tourists and be a source for books, music and movies, to art, electronics and entertainment. Other potential business uses could include a hairstyling salon and a toy store. Mendelson explains the site will have approximately 20,000 sf to 25,000 sf of selling space. The rest of the space is currently basement space that would need to be excavated in order to be utilized. "It's going to be a compelling use of space." On the market for 10 to 12 years, numerous deals had been in the works over the years, Mendelson adds but it wasn't until the fashion company came in looking for office and retail space that a deal was completed.