Bank of America eyes 200,000 s/f at 6th Ave.

Eager to move some of its offices from 9 West 57th Street because of a feud with building owner Sheldon Solow, and also wanting to shift its operations closer to where its new tower at One Bryant Park will be, Bank of America is considering a 200,000 s/f block of space available at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, sources say.

Bank of America wouldn't be the only big firm interested in the space. Last week REW reported that insurance giant St. Paul's Travelers may strike a deal to move into the 1.6 million s/f building.

Bank of America's interest comes after a period of strong leasing activity by financial firms in midtown. In recent months, Citigroup completed two massive lease transactions, a 500,000 s/f deal at SL Green's 485 Lexington Avenue and a 250,000 s/f lease at Equitable owned 787 Seventh Avenue.

Bank of America was close to taking a considerable chunk of space at the Bloomberg building months ago when Citigroup swooped in and, save for Bloomberg's space, gobbled up nearly all of the building's remaining vacancy. "They got boxed out of the Bloomberg building," a source said.

Bank of America responded by quietly taking much of the space in Rockefeller Center formerly occupied by the Associated Press. "Their goals is to get everyone out of 9 West 57th Street," the source said.

Insurance and consulting firm, Marsh & McLennan, owns roughly two thirds of 1166 Avenue of the Americas and it is their 200,000 s/f that is available. Edward J. Minskoff Equities owns the other portion, which is entirely leased to JP Morgan Chase. Two weeks ago, JP Morgan Chase subleased 120,000 s/f to publishing firm, Advanced Publications, in a deal brokered by CB Richard Ellis's John Nugent. JP Morgan Chase also exited from a considerable chunk of space at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, paving the way for a 250,000 s/f lease taken there by law firm Ropes & Gray two weeks ago. Cushman & Wakefield broker Mitch Arkin repped the building's owner, Jamestown, in that deal while Ropes & Gray was repped by Newmark's Barry Gosin and Mark Weiss.

C&W brokers Andy Sacks and Timmy Gibson are the landlord reps for Marsh & McLennan's space.