Crain's New York Business articles from June 2007

Crain's New York Business archives from June 2007

Taxis a hard-to-beat investment.(By the Numbers)
June 4, 2007... While new york taxis are yellow, the licenses to operate them are pure gold. Over the past 50 years, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has gone up an average of 8% per year; meanwhile, the cost of taxi medallions has risen 14% annually. Last...

Edgy rock returns. Is country next?(Viewpoint)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Valerie Block So, a little ripple of excitement ran through New York when CBS Radio pulled the plug on its failed Free-FM talk format and put Nirvana back on the airwaves. Good old hard-edged rock 'n' roll gives those college boys...

New York, New York.(Briefs)
June 4, 2007... Byline: edited by valerie block Rock-bottom room rates As far as bargains go, this one is a whopper! To promote its recent name change, the Tudor Hotel will offer a room rate of $19.31 per weekend night from July 7 through Aug. 26. ...

Co-op Upgrade.(Retail Report)(Newmark Knight Frank Retail's contract with Jacques Torres )(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Even existing buildings are trying to overhaul their image and cash in on the demand for trendy, attractive shops. In a co-op building on Amsterdam Avenue between West 78th and West 79th streets, gone are the pizza parlor and the deli that...

NY firms chasing Persian Gulf riches; Airlines ramp up flights as lawyers, builders head east.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Hilary Potkewitz When new york lawyers, bankers and builders talk about flying back and forth to the Gulf states these days, they're not talking about Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. They're talking about Abu Dhabi, Dubai and...

New way to tout tunes; Strategic marketing chief at BMG seeks ties to big brands to boost tumbling music sales.(Business Lives)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Matthew Flamm The worse things get in the music industry, the more important Donna Clower becomes. With compact disc sales in free fall, the partnerships she creates with brands like Verizon and L'Oreal provide an avenue of growth...

Best of Bob Lape.(Business Lives)(restaurants)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Following are other recently reviewed Mediterranean restaurants. Anthos (3 stars) 36 W. 52nd St. (between Fifth and Sixth avenues), Manhattan. (212)582-6900. It's Donatella Arpaia and chef Michael Psilakis (Dona) again as the...

Real Estate and More Online at Crain's Site.(Retail Report)
June 4, 2007... Tuesday e-mail Sign up today for Crain's Real Estate Insider, a new weekly e-mail newsletter featuring the latest deals, events and personnel moves in one of the hottest industries. To register, go to www.NewYorkBusiness.com/ signup. ...

Albany may move on big issues; Measures stymied for years now front and center in final weeks of Legislature.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Erik Engquist With less than three weeks remaining in the legislative session, lawmakers are plowing through a slew of thorny proposals and could reach compromises on measures that have been ensnared in Albany gridlock for years....

Born and bred in NY.(Retail Report)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Even as national retailers and big-box stores invade the city, homegrown New York chains are thriving. From nail salons to shampoo sellers, these mini empires are each carving out a unique niche, building a devoted customer base and staying...

Touro's breakeven plan; New medical school will rely on tuition income, no-frills approach to survive.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Gale Scott A long-vacant former department store in the heart of Harlem on 125th Street will house Manhattan's first new medical school in more than a century. The Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine starts operations in...

Enthralled by Harry; Adult fans risk scorn as they indulge in Pottermania.(Business Lives)
June 4, 2007... Byline: ELISABETH BUTLER After holing up in her agent's connecticut home for weeks to avoid distractions, novelist Lee Harrington has only one worry about finishing her second book, Nothing Keeps a Frenchman from His Lunch: She is afraid...

Music biz faces new realities; Execs focus on ring tones, ads to make up for falling CD sales; new deals.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Samantha Marshall When mark pitts goes into a recording studio, he has a lot more on his mind than coming up with a hit song. The president of urban music at the Zomba Label Group, a division of Sony BMG Music Entertainment,...

Former Hearst space nearly filled; Four tenants move into B'way offices; menswear company sews up expansion.(Real Estate)
June 4, 2007... Most of the 77,000 square feet at 1790 Broadway vacated last year when Hearst Corp. moved to its new headquarters on West 57th Street has been leased. In the past two months, four tenants have taken a total of 55,000 square feet at 1790...

Out of the money; Immigrant track workers at Belmont face poverty, isolation; education fund at risk.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Tom Fredrickson At the belmont stakes this Saturday, ladies in big hats and men in summer suits will arrive in Jaguars and Hummers ready to watch, and wager on, the Sport of Kings. Most of them won't notice Belmont Park's 2,000...

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)
June 4, 2007... Byline: kira bindrim WANTED: Chief financial officer COMPANY Pfizer Inc. JOB DESCRIPTION Managing the company's $49 billion financial operation MOST IMPORTANT TASK Streamlining operations and cutting costs to account for lost...

At Deadline.(News)
June 4, 2007... Fotolog.com, a photo-related social networking Web site, has retained investment bank UBS to explore a possible sale, says a source close to the company. Last week, similar sites were acquired by News Corp. and CBS. The Manhattan-based Fotolog,...

Classy shops bring cachet; Developers seek store tenants that will boost apartment prices.(Retail Report)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Judith Messina For years, the east side of West End Avenue between West 69th and West 70th streets housed a dreary strip of retailers, including a tired supermarket, a dry cleaner and a liquor store. In its next incarnation,...

A REPORTER'S TRANSFORMATION.(Business Lives)
June 4, 2007... Byline: elisabeth butler I tried to resist Harry Potter. My mother and sister, both avid readers, bugged me for years to check out "these great children's books,'' insisting that I would flip over them. Incredibly, two weeks before the...

Buying for Dad.(Business Lives)(retail store offerings)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: elisabeth butler New York retailers have stocked up for Father's Day on June 17. Here are some gift ideas for papas of various stripes. Handy Dad Pick up a clear-handle screwdriver with eight magnetic bits, packaged in a...

MARKETING ON THE RECORD.(News)
June 4, 2007... Advertisers are competing with record labels at their own game. Starbucks and video game maker Electronic Arts recently started up music labels; wireless company Boost Mobile is planning to launch a division for signing talent and releasing...

Coat maker G-III's shares heat up even as temperatures outside rise.(In the Markets)
June 4, 2007... Summer is almost here, but investors are thinking warm thoughts about coats. Last week, they snapped up shares of outerwear maker G-III Apparel, which are up 139% over the past year. The company added to the frenzy by announcing the acquisition...

Bag maker faces mass-market quandary; Purse designer tries to maintain exclusivity while building output level needed to grow.(Small Business)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Lisa Goff Most entrepreneurs would jump at the chance to increase their production runs. Not Anthony Luciano, founder of an eponymous handbag company. Last year, his firm made a dozen copies of a bag that was featured in the...

New attitude at old(er) Turk; Turkuaz offers full menu, unbeatable Sunday brunch deal; big wine markups.(Business Lives)
June 4, 2007... Something new and delicious is taking place behind the blue facade and red door of Turkuaz on Manhattan's Upper West Side. A new owner, new chef and new attitude endow this source of fine Turkish cuisine with considerable fresh appeal. It...

Yes on congestion pricing.(Viewpoint)
June 4, 2007... Mayor michael bloomberg's plan to charge a fee to drive in most parts of Manhattan on weekdays will accomplish two important goals: It will reduce the insufferable traffic in the city's main business district and generate billions of dollars...

Fossella pushes changes in regulatory overreaching; S.I. congressman heads task force on capital market competitiveness.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Nicholas Rummell As the chorus for preserving the competitiveness of U.S. capital markets grows, a new conductor will try to make sense of the cacophony: Staten Island Republican Rep. Vito Fossella. As newly appointed chairman...

Legal woes take new toll on Martha Stewart Living; Struggling company's stock looks overvalued; are best days behind it?(In the Markets)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Aaron Elstein Just when it seemed that Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. was finally gaining some ground, its founder's past legal woes staged a costly reappearance last week. The company reached a final settlement of a suit...

Cosmetics firms offer lighter shade of pale; Whiteners revive sagging high-end skin care market.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Elisabeth Butler As beachgoers smear themselves with tanning oil and fry in the sun, a growing number of New Yorkers are heading in the opposite direction. They are lining up at cosmetics counters to buy products that promise a...

The Insider.(Briefs)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Erik Engquist and Anne Michaud Key tax break under review The city economic Development Corp. is keeping mum on its revamping of the Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program, or ICIP, because the reforms will be unpopular...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)
June 4, 2007... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events june 5 Crain's New York Business holds networking breakfast and program with Elliot Sander, chief executive of the MTA. 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Hilton New York, 1335 Sixth Ave. Fee:...

Beauty salon franchise nails customers' needs; Skillful promotions, focus on hygiene yield big revenues; coping in indie-minded market.(Retail Report)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Margaret Jaworski On a typical friday night, the Dashing Diva nail salon on Manhattan's Upper West Side looks like a G-rated version of Girls Gone Wild. In the Pink Pedicure Lounge, clients sip complimentary cosmos while...

Not-so-low prices are right at accessories chain; Laila Rowe finds women willing to pay more for throwaway fashion.(Retail Report)(Company overview)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Shira Boss-bicak Four years ago, when jewelry business veterans Judith Schwartz and Alexia Crawford decided to open a retail store on the Upper West Side, they did it by the seat of their pants. Not only did they eschew...

Lower East Side an uppermost target; Builders think area is next big thing; is it 10 years from greatness?(Retail Report)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Tommy Fernandez Three years ago, drummer Trish Naudon noticed that she was starting to see more business suits and khakis than leather and long hair when her punk band played hard-rocking gigs for Lower East Side audiences. ...

Cosmetics, costume shop goes corporate, organizes; 20-store Ricky's opens central office, hires executives; new growth strategy.(Retail Report)(Company overview)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Louise Kramer The owners of funky cosmetics and costume emporium Ricky's NYC used to rely on gut instinct to hire store managers. That habit got them, among other things, a manager who logged 10 years with the company despite the...

Snag over Hudson Yards; Council speaker seeks guarantees on public facilities, affordable housing.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Julie Satow City council speaker Christine Quinn is delaying a proposal to develop the valuable Hudson Yards rail yards, demanding new public facilities and guarantees on affordable housing. The speaker, whose district includes...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction notice)
June 4, 2007... The name of J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, was misspelled in an article about publisher Scholastic in the May 28 issue. Anthony Shorris is executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. His title was...

VOTING MACHINES Not even in '08.(Briefs)
June 4, 2007... Not only will New York City miss a federal deadline to have new voting machines in place for the 2007 elections, the machines may not be installed for the 2008 presidential election, says John Ravitz, executive director of the city Board of...

Executive Moves.(Business Lives)(briefs)
June 4, 2007... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Advertising & communications MRM Worldwide: Andy Jacobs, 48, was promoted to executive vice president and chief technology officer, North America, from senior vice president and director of technology. ...

Aqueduct good bet for development; Governor to offer plan for struggling raceway; industrial project in Brooklyn.(Neighborhood Journal)
June 4, 2007... People living in the shadow of Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, and its 500-plus workers are anxiously awaiting word from Gov. Eliot Spitzer on the 113-year-old track's future. The governor said recently that he is "considering...

WILL ROGER CLEMENS BE ABLE TO RESCUE THE YANKEES? CRAIN'S ONLINE POLL.(Viewpoint)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Most of the 469 respondents don't think adding Clemens to the roster will lift the Yankees out of their slump. Two-thirds say the team needs more than a fresh pitcher; 17% say Clemens is past his prime and won't help the cause. Meanwhile, 14%...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)
June 11, 2007... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events june 12 Action Coach New York holds workshop on accelerating business growth. 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., 989 Sixth Ave., fourth floor. Free. (646) 862-1710 or www.actioncoachnyc.com....

Executive Moves.(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Accounting & consulting Ernst & Young: Patricia Pruden, 50, joined as partner. She was formerly managing member and co-owner of Patterson Pruden. KPMG: Timothy P. Flynn, 50, was named chairman of KPMG...

COSTAR SEEKS INFO ON REAL ESTATE DEALS; TOP LEASES, SALES.(Briefs)
June 11, 2007... COSTAR GROUP INC. is compiling data for two lists covering the New York real estate market in the first half of 2007. The first is a list of the largest office leasing deals in Manhattan, ranked by square feet; the second is a list of the...

Best of Bob Lape.(Business Lives)(Restaurant review)
June 11, 2007... Following are other suburban restaurants reviewed recently. Bengal Tiger (3 stars) 144 East Post Road (between Court Street and Mamaroneck Avenue), White Plains. (914) 948-5191. Simson Kalathara's 31-year romance with White Plains...

Reaching New Heights.(News)
June 11, 2007... new york city construction spending rose 18.3% last year from 2005, led by sharp gains in commercial building. But government projects still account for half of all spending.

The swindle on Staten Island; How a gang of wannabe traders duped investors; fraud in foreign-exchange futures on the rise.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: AARON ELSTEIN Growing up on staten island, Joseph Pappalardo would look across the bay at the gleaming towers of Manhattan's financial district and think that one day he would make it on Wall Street. "I was seeing people who...

MATTERS OF INTERPRETATION.(Business Lives)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Having in-laws who don't speak English can be a burden. "I'm embarrassed to admit it, but it's hard for me to communicate with my in-laws,'' says Charles Massimo, whose wife, Stella, does a lot for her Greek parents. But Mr. Massimo, a...

REGULATOR DOES MORE WITH LESS.(News)
June 11, 2007... With more investors dabbling in the futures markets, the industry's chief regulator is overmatched as it tries to police its fast-growing beat. Staffing levels at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's enforcement division have...

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... Byline: kira bindrim WANTED: chief financial officer COMPANY Jefferies Group Inc. JOB DESCRIPTION Managing the more than $3 billion that the company oversees for its clients MOST IMPORTANT TASKS Maintaining financial stability...

Columbia fireworks set to begin; Foes mobilize as university prepares to submit expansion plan for approval.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Anne Michaud After a three-year drumroll, Columbia University's plan to develop 17 acres in West Harlem as a satellite campus will go before city officials next week. Now the fight begins. Many in the neighborhood are worried...

Bird's-eye view.(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... Byline: hilary potkewitz Yvetta Pokorny, 54, is a senior wild-animal keeper at the Bronx Zoo, in charge of large birds. She prepares their food, designs their exhibits and helps keep them healthy. Where the buffalo roam In the late...

Bravo for opera's new innovator.(Viewpoint)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Alair Townsend While checking out a winery recently near Avignon, France, I bumped into Mike and Marie of Scranton, Pa. When they learned I was vacationing from New York, they had an earnest favor to ask. Would I please shake the...

MTA CHIEF SPEAKS Project alert.(Briefs)(Metropolitan Transportation Authority)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Tensions between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Bloomberg administration over two crucial projects are easing as top officials work on compromises. MTA Chief Executive Elliot "Lee'' Sander (below) told more than 350...

The Insider.(Briefs)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Erik Engquist and Anne Michaud Real estate group moves on 421-a legislation The real estate board of New York is trying to derail proposals that would dramatically overhaul the city's 421-a property tax abatement program....

At Deadline.(Briefs)
June 11, 2007... Nearly 100 business leaders will join Chief Judge Judith Kaye Tuesday at a breakfast rally designed to win pay raises for judges. Scheduled speakers include Viacom general counsel Michael Fricklas, Partnership for New York City President...

Smaller is beautiful; Cosmetics veteran developing disparate brands for tiny firm, with budget to match.(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Elisabeth Butler The resume of Jill Scalamandre reads like a who's who of the beauty business. During a nearly 30-year career with Revlon, Prada and Avon, she has managed some of the best-known cosmetic and skin care lines. ...

ESPN Radio gets in game; Sports station gains with hit morning show as Imus' absence hurts rival WFAN.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Matthew Flamm Espn has long been the Yankees of sports media--the old Yankees, that is--with its powerhouse cable networks and dominant Web site. Its radio division, however, has tended to look like the old, last-place Mets. ...

NY economy booms, defying U.S. trend; Self-employed push city to new heights; widespread job gains.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Tom Fredrickson New york city's economy is turning in a star performance in 2007. The city should add about 30,000 new jobs in the first six months, Crain's New York Business estimates, and is on track to gain about 50,000 for...

High Line tab at $117M; Report for Durst says railway would stymie development.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Julie Satow Restoring the northern portion of the High Line, the elevated railway that runs along the rail yards on Manhattan's West Side, will cost $117 million, according to a new report that is likely to embolden developers...

To pay or not to pay.(Small Business Report)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Though interns may be more interested in learning than earning, more and more small businesses are paying at least minimum wage. Even if interns are getting college credit, rewarding them for their work boosts morale and offers more real-world...

Speaking for the parents; Immigrants' adult children handle the details of life.(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... Byline: AMANDA FUNG "Hello'' and "how are you?'' That's the extent of the English spoken by Richard Rodriguez's mother, Marcolina, who emigrated from Cuba more than three decades ago. As a boy in New York, Mr. Rodriguez was her translator....

Hedge fund named Goldman Sachs gets a quick clipping in the market.(In the Markets)
June 11, 2007... These are tricky times to bet on the markets. Just ask Goldman Sachs, which until recently did so very well wagering pots of its own money that the firm was said to be more hedge fund than investment bank. That identity got Goldman into trouble...

Traditional cereal gets spiced up.(Small Business Report)
June 11, 2007... Four years ago, Gaby Sherrow had an organic baker's dream job, running the baking department at the Chelsea outpost of an upscale grocery chain. But the dream soured when Ms. Sherrow lost control of her cookie recipes because she misunderstood...

All-in-the-family condo living; Adjacent apartments a must for close siblings; will share terrace space.(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Margaret Jaworski Ever since they graduated from college, Evan Bailyn, 26, and his brother, Bradley, 28, have lived next door to each other. The siblings, who grew up on Long Island, will remain connected by real estate when they...

CORRECTIONS.
June 11, 2007... Alain Ducasse's new restaurant will be called Adour. The name was misstated in a June 4 "New York, New York'' item. Connecticut congressional candidate Jim Himes was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. His former employer was...

New York, New York.(Briefs)
June 11, 2007... Byline: edited by Valerie Block A taste of Tavern online Consumers can finally get a taste of Tavern on the Green without leaving home. The popular tourist destination will announce today that it's selling a line of sauces, oils and...

Bank's N.J. move sparks leasing; Will vacate large space on Third Ave.; Japanese retailer expands downtown.(Real Estate)
June 11, 2007... The decision by European bank BNP Paribas to expand its offices in New Jersey has opened the floodgates for several leasing deals at one of its Manhattan locations. In January, BNP Paribas leased nearly 150,000 square feet at 525...

2 entrepreneurs aiming to find riches in a bottle; One tries to make a market, one to roil sedate category; rough slog either way.(Small Business Report)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Steve Garmhausen At first glance, the freshly minted entrepreneurs appear to be clones. Both are 28, worked as investment bankers at J.P. Morgan and are betting that imported spirits cleverly marketed as hip alternatives to vodka...

Fixing up the House; Lagging Essex House looks to join its elite rivals.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: LISA FICKENSCHER The plaza hotel's exorbitant renovation has dominated headlines, but it isn't the only New York grande dame planning to unveil a new look this fall. The Jumeirah Essex House will step out after completing the...

How can I get a cheap car rental?(Business Lives)
June 11, 2007... New york city prices are absurd. Take the PATH train out of the city and rent in Hoboken. Or try a local agency like New York Rent-A-Car, which is less expensive because it has older vehicles. You can also save by bidding on Priceline or...

Suburban spot for all seasons; L.I.'s Four Food Studio offers new menu, decor for each time of year; voices carry.(Business Lives)(Restaurant review)
June 11, 2007... Byline: bob lape Four food studio and Cocktail Salon conjures up boxcar numbers. One of the flashiest and splashiest eating and drinking spots to open on Long Island in years, the modernist restaurant and lounge in Melville cost $4...

Plaza in, car park out in Dumbo; Brooklyn site will host markets, parties; housing rises near Yankee Stadium.(News)
June 11, 2007... In its long and largely successful shift from gritty industrial area to up-and-coming office and residential community, Dumbo has received little investment from the government. No wonder, then, that the city Department of Transportation's plan...

3 measures good for business.(Viewpoint)
June 11, 2007... There is a new sheriff in albany, and it is just possible that he will force action on three important issues that have languished because of the Byzantine ways of state government. All three went nowhere in the Pataki era, but Gov. Eliot...

Hovnanian gets crushed by slumping home sales; Steer clear of shares; no sign of a bottom for debt-heavy builder.(In the Markets)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Aaron Elstein An old wall street axiom warns investors against trying to catch a falling knife. If a stock is in free fall, stand back. Do not grab it. That wisdom applies in spades to shares of home builder Hovnanian...

B&Bs become inn thing; Brooklyn homeowners become hoteliers to seize on tourist boom.(Small Business Report)(bed-and-breakfast)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Wendy Davis With a shuttered pizza parlor, a supersized Popeyes chicken outlet and a handful of tiny local shops, the retail landscape near the intersection of Fulton Street and Franklin Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant seems an...

Hits & Misses.(Small Business Report)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Lisa Goff Discovering love in the laundry Miguel zabludovsky was recovering after the end of a long-term relationship when his laundry came back from the cleaners wrinkled, discolored and wrapped in brown paper emblazoned with...

Cork flooring gets new bounce; Globus uses Web to gain customers across nation; tiles in dozens of hues.(Small Business Report)(Carrara Marble and Mosaics Inc.)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Victoria Rivkin Many high-end flooring stores sell tiles made of everything from Carrara marble to Portuguese ceramics, and that's the problem. Competition is intense. No wonder Kenneth Bollella was so excited when he...

Tips for making internships work; Summer programs pay big dividends; small firms face tough competition.(Small Business Report)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Tina Traster Five years ago, Mushi Bhuiyan hired college interns to help out with some computer programming. It was a disaster. "The learning curve for that kind of work was too steep,'' says Mr. Bhuiyan, president of...

Korean music mogul sets up shop in NYC; Creates "Gateway to Asia'' to develop talent here, but China is real prize.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Samantha Marshall When music-label owner Jin-Young Park first started sending demo tapes of his songs to hip-hop artists in the United States, he called himself "JYP.'' "I didn't want them to know I was Asian, and Park was a...

DO YOU SUPPORT PAID-LEAVE LEGISLATION IN NEW YORK? CRAIN'S ONLINE POLL.(Viewpoint)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Most of the 625 respondents back legislation that would grant workers paid leave for up to 12 weeks to care for ill family members or newborns. Nearly half say it would benefit employees who couldn't afford to take unpaid time off under federal...

Topps this: the battle for an icon; 2 firms vie for big-name company; can either save sinking business?(News)(Topps Company Inc.)
June 18, 2007... Byline: AARON ELSTEIN Growing up, Ben Henry spent whatever money he had on baseball cards, accumulating 160,000 of them until he stopped collecting in 1995. One of his favorites is the 1985 card of Eddie Murray, because he thinks the Hall...

Sky-high rents at midtown trophies; Average hits $104 per square foot; vacation-services store books space.(Real Estate)
June 18, 2007... The average asking rent for a trophy building in midtown Manhattan has reached $104 a square foot, according to a market report issued last week by brokerage firm Jones Lang LaSalle. The survey, based on leasing activity during the first four...

TRANSPORTATION Shifting gears.(Briefs)
June 18, 2007... Janette Sadik-Khan (below), the city's new transportation commissioner, politely says she's building on the foundation left by her predecessors. In fact, she is shaking it. A month into her job, she's advancing ideas that the department has...

At Deadline.(Late News)
June 18, 2007... The Roundabout Theatre Company will open a 65-seat theater in October to present experimental work. The theater, to be located in Roundabout's Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre on West 46th Street, will be the company's fourth...