Did company from Turkey gobble up GCT, 30 Rock?
Through a decade-old clerical error, a little-known Turkish candy company is the unwitting “owner” of several of the Big Apple’s most prominent buildings — including 30 Rock and Grand Central Terminal. Say what? Well, back in 2008, when Campbell Soup sold its Godiva chocolate company to Istanbul’s Yildiz Holdings, lawyers for the soup maker filed tax paperwork for every Godiva store.
Unfortunately, some clerical errors were made by both New York City and Campbell’s legal eagles — and instead of the exact store location within 30 Rock and Grand Central being specified, the entire building was named, an investigation by Between the Bricks found.
Since the tax documents are also used by the Department of Finance’s City Register to recognize ownership transfers for billing purposes, Yildiz became the “owner” of both world-famous buildings, plus others.
Because large property owners pay their property tax bills electronically, and typically hold the buildings in separate LLCs, their bookkeepers have been duly paying all the bills — even though the “owner” entity on the bills is Yildiz.
But bills for the Fire Department’s building inspection of Grand Central are being mailed to Yildiz — at GCT.
Grand Central is net leased by the MTA, which knew nothing about the bills that now add up to over $4,800. An MTA spokesman was looking into these bills.
A Finance spokeswoman acknowledged that while the name was incorrect in the billing system, it was correct in ACRIS, the official ownership record.
“Moving forward, the correct owner will receive the bill,” she e-mailed. Godiva could not be reached after business hours.
Nestle’s Nespresso will consolidate its US headquarters in 41,800 square feet, the fifth floor of 111 W. 33rd St. Scott Panzer and Justin Haber of JLL repped Nespresso in a deal that will shift staff from 100 Park Ave. and Long Island City.
Keith Cody, in house at Empire State Realty Trust along with Newmark Knight Frank’s Scott Klau, Erik Harris and Neil Rubin, represented the ownership, which had an asking rent of $64 per square foot.