Mark Ravesloot, EVP of CB Richard Ellis, says in a release that "it is exciting to see a leading insurance company like Arch Insurance Group recommit to Downtown." Ravesloot represented the specialty insurer along with EVP Mike Monahan and SVP Scott Sloves of CBRE's New York office along with EVP Paul Jacobs and SVP Colin Reilly of CBRE's Stamford office. Brookfield provided in-house representation.

Arch took a 19,781-square-foot expansion at One Liberty, and also renewed its lease for 47,597 square feet on the 53rd floor and 3,909 square feet in the building's concourse. Built in 1973, the 54-story, 2.3-million-square-foot One Liberty is bordered by Broadway, Church Street, Cortland Street and Liberty Plaza. Its leading tenants include Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Zurich American Insurance and Royal Bank of Canada.

The Arch deal is the latest in a series of large-scale renewals or relocations by financial services and law firms that have enlivened the second half of 2009, following a dismal leasing environment in the first six months of the year. During the fourth quarter, Broadpoint Gleacher Securities and C.V. Starr & Co. consolidated their Manhattan offices, taking, respectively, 74,000 square feet at 1290 Ave. of the Americas and 141,000 square feet at 399 Park Ave.