"Retail rents are a good indicator of the health of our city's economy," Spinola continues. "When demand for retail space translates to rising asking rents, we know that retailers want to be in New York."

The Third Avenue corridor between 60th and 72nd streets saw asking rents for ground floor space surge by 32% to $248 per sf compared to last year. Retail rents in Lower Manhattan also escalated. Broadway between Houston and Broome streets in SoHo jumped 27% to $228 per sf, while on Hudson Street between Chambers and Canal in TriBeCa, retail rents climbed 21% to $68 per sf. Moving uptown, Fifth Avenue between 49th and 59th streets, had retail rents that were up 15% to $817 per sf and the 125th Street corridor retail rents increased 13%.

Spinola notes that there has been continued demand for retail shops in tourist destination such as SoHo, the Meatpacking District and the 125th Street corridor.The average asking rent for all retail space in Manhattan rose 5% to $102 per sf.