Richards Barry Joyce & Partners Announces Four Leases In Downtown Boston Totaling More Than 140,000 SF

Richards Barry Joyce & Partners, LLC (RBJ), a full-service commercial real estate advisory firm, has brokered four leases in Downtown Boston totaling more than 140,000 square feet of office space. The leases are in buildings in Boston's Back Bay and Financial District.

- Online retailer CSN Stores LLC signed a new headquarters lease at 177 Huntington Avenue, in the Christian Science Plaza. CSN Stores will occupy 55,686 square feet of office space on seven floors in the building. The company is moving from the nearby Prudential Tower. Thomas Ashe of RBJ represented CSN Stores and FHO Partners represented the landlord, First Church of Christ, Scientist. Based in Boston, CSN Stores is a Top 3 U.S. online retailer of home furnishings and housewares with 200+ specialty sites.

- Equity Office Properties signed a lease with law firm Cooley Godward Kronish LLP at Five Hundred Boylston. The law firm is moving from the Prudential Tower to occupy 46,706 square feet of office space on the building's 14th and 15th floors. Michael Joyce and Thomas Ashe represented Equity Office Properties in the lease. RBJ is the exclusive leasing agent for the building. Cooley Godward Kronish was represented by Newmark Knight Frank.

- Gannett Welsh & Kotler, LLC (GW&K) renewed its headquarters lease for 25,000 square feet of office space at 222 Berkeley Street. The private asset management services firm leases space on the building's 15th and 16th floors. John Barry and Michael Joyce of RBJ represented GW&K. The sublandlord, Bank of New York Mellon, was represented by Jones Lang LaSalle in the transaction.

- Accounting firm CCR LLP signed a new lease at 125 High Street, relocating its Boston office from 60 State Street. The firm subleased 14,030 square feet of office space on the building's 21st floor. Michael Joyce and Thomas Ashe of RBJ represented CCR. CB Richard Ellis represented the sublandlord, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. CCR LLP provides assurance, tax and consulting services to privately-held businesses, public companies, not-for-profit and governmental organizations and individuals. With offices throughout New England and a staff of nearly 200 professionals, CCR is New England's leading independent certified public accounting and business advisory firm.

According to research by RBJ, the Downtown Boston submarket consists of 67,184,000 square feet of office space and was 10.5% vacant, as of the quarter ended September 30, 2009. [source: Richards Barry Joyce & Partners' "officeSTATus - Fall 2009"]

"The Greater Boston real estate market continues to go through a challenging economic environment, although there is certainly some leasing activity," said Thomas Ashe, senior vice president, RBJ. "At RBJ, we are focused on counseling tenant and landlord clients on how to negotiate this market and to be best positioned for when the situation improves."

Richards Barry Joyce & Partners is a full service commercial real estate firm providing market analysis, capital markets solutions, financial analysis, corporate services, portfolio review, and consulting services.