Knakal says much of the interest in the sites is stemming from domestic purchasers, but international buyers are also scoping out the neighborhood. “We have another site on that same block, which is the site at the southeast corner of 38^th and 11^th Ave., and on that site we have a lot of foreign buyers that are interested,” he says. “That site on the avenue is little bit different because it is a corner site and it has avenue frontage, so the value commands a premium. But there’s been very excellent activity on both of those sites.”

The area is home to many ongoing developments, including Moynihan Station, Brookfield Office Properties’ 5.4 million-square-foot Manhattan West office project, Related Cos.’ Hudson Yards and the 7 subway train extension. “There is a tremendous jolt of adrenaline pumped into this market and there’s a lot of people very interested looking for sites over in Hudson Yards now,” Knakal says.

The Far West Side also made headlines when Governor Andrew Cuomo called to overhaul the nearby Javits Center into a mixed-use community. Knakal says whether the convention center stays or not, the announcement “shines a spotlight on the neighborhood.”

“It’s enough reason to be talking about the neighborhood,” he says. “It’s a very positive thing.”

The firm is also negotiating with an unnamed developer that is looking at the sites as a potential build-to-suit property for an office user. “There are all types of interest from all different demand drivers,” Knakal says. “Clearly there’s a lot of exciting things happening in that neighborhood over the next several years.”