NEW YORK CITY-Cowtan & Tout, the UK creator of upholstery and fabrics, re-upped its lease in 111 Eighth Ave. for 10 years and expanded it for an additional 10,000 sf.

NEW YORK CITY-The new 113,143-sf Utopia Center, which will be anchored by Barnes & Noble and Citibank, is being developed by Utopia Properties I LLC. Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP arranged the construction loan.

NEW YORK CITY-The two retail shops plan to stay on at the combined 9,000 sf of space set on the ground floor of a 31-story office tower at 485 Lexington Ave here.

NEW YORK CITY-Secured from an off-shore bank, the construction loan will add a new 10-story residential tower to this elite neighborhood. The project is a part of a joint venture between Oaktree Capital Management and Tamarkin Co.

NEW YORK-During a meeting here for the Building Owners and Managers Association, Cushman & Wakefield president and CEO Arthur J. Mirante II reported that while demand in the office and industrial sectors has declined for eight consecutive quarters, a turnaround may be expected for 2003.

NEW YORK-The newly appointed board of directors are part of the recent takeover of Julien J. Studley Inc. by Mitch Steir. The 14-member board will include 11 existing directors and three new appointees.

NEW YORK CITY-Despite inking a lease for nearly 60,000 sf in Times Square's 1500 Broadway this past spring, the electronic stock exchange is planning to keep its headquarters at One Liberty Plaza in Lower Manhattan.

NEW YORK CITY-During the NYSSCPA/FAE Real Estate Conference held here recently, CB Richard Ellis EVP Darcy Stacom noted that while sublet and vacancy rates are still high, the city's prime class A buildings are going strong-- fetching high prices from high-profile tenants.