New York City-based commercial real estate firm George Comfort & Sons, with an office in Stamford, announced its first lease signing at 290 Harbor Drive, the newly renovated, five-story, 185,000-square-foot office building within the 17-acre Shippan Landing waterfront office park in Stamford.
The property”™s first tenant is Workpoint, a provider of co-working environments geared to the needs of media firms. Comfort said “independents and professionals” would also be prospective tenants.
Launched by network television director Jeffrey Kay and his partner Lea Ann Miller, a former Olympic figure skater, Workpoint will include a 1,000-square-foot multicamera studio with green screen, control room and editing facilities. In addition to video production, the studio is designed for photo shoots, videoconferencing, webcasts and satellite media tours.
Workpoint, whose offices will occupy a portion of the building”™s second floor, expects to be operative by midsummer.
Dana Pike of George Comfort & Sons represented the development”™s ownership in the long-term office leasing transaction.
Since being acquired in 2012 by George Comfort & Sons in a partnership venture with New York City-based investment firm Angelo Gordon & Co., the six-building, 758,000-square-foot office park, formerly known as Harbor Plaza, has undergone what Comfort terms “an extensive repositioning and modernization program, which is now nearing completion.”
At 290 Harbor Drive, capital improvements included a new lobby and glass entryway, new windows, new HVAC, new elevator cabs, new restrooms, upgraded covered parking and new landscaping.
“We were determined to bring the most efficient, best-in-class office facilities to an historic Stamford business center that already boasted breathtaking water views and easy access to transit,” said Peter Duncan, George Comfort & Sons president, in a statement. “I think we”™ve not only accomplished our goal, but, in the process, brought an important waterfront development back to its former glory.”
Duncan noted Vineyard Vines moved into its new 90,000-square-foot headquarters space at 181 Harbor Drive last month and the Beer Garden at Shippan Landing will be opening for the summer season around Memorial Day.
At Workpoint, members will be able to customize their spaces with “simple farm table seating, semiprivate permanent desks or glass walled offices,” the company said in a statement. All memberships include IT with WiFi and social spaces for networking, seminars and events. A courtesy shuttle operates from the Stamford Metro-North station.
“We plan to target media and creative professionals, as well as startups from any field who want a distinctive and productive workspace in a highly collaborative environment, with spectacular views of Stamford Harbor and the Long Island Sound,” Kay said in a statement. “Video is now an established component of modern business communication and we want to offer content producers top rate facilities with global connectivity via both Web and broadcast.”
