CBRE selected to lease 7WTC.

CB Richard Ellis added another trophy property to its client roaster last week, when Silverstein Properties named CBRE's Steven Siegel and Howard Fiddle as exclusive leasing agents for 7 World Trade Center.

The 1.7 million s/f office property, scheduled for completion in 2006, will be the first part of the World Trade Center complex to be reconstructed after the 2001 terror attacks.

"We are thrilled that CB Richard Ellis will be spearheading the leasing efforts for 7 World Trade Center and are confident that all of New York City's real estate brokerage and tenant rep firms will cooperate with the team of CB Richard Ellis to lease 7 World Trade Center as quickly as possible," said Larry Silverstein, president of Silverstein Properties and the leaseholder to the entire World Trade Center site.

According to Steven Siegel, CBRE's chairman of global brokerage, he and his partner have already identified several service sector firms which can end up as anchor tenants at 7 World Trade Center. "We certainly feel that we will get a large tenant before the building's opening next year, if not several large tenants," he said. "The building's floor plans are ideal for just about any tenancy. We are already talking to a variety of firms, but obviously we can't say who they are."

Siegel, who has handled leasing assignments for such properties as 9 W. 57th St. and the former IBM headquarters at 57th Street and Madison Avenue, said CB Richard Ellis plans to be aggressive in its marketing campaign.

"We will make sure that we get this in front of people on a personal basis," he said. "7 World Trade Center is by far the finest building in the city of New York. From a technological standpoint and from the fire safety standpoint, this building is really 21st century."

CB Richard Ellis was competing for the leasing assignment at 7 World Trade Center with Cushman & Wakefield. Executives from Cushman & Wakefield would not comment on Silverstein's decision.

In an official statement from CB Richard Ellis, Mary Ann Tighe, chief executive officer for the firm's New York tri-state region, said that "It is a tremendous honor to work with Larry Silverstein and to be a part of a distinguished team that is leading the rebirth of World Trade Center. We are excited to be handling the leasing effort at 7 World Trade Center. This historic property will forever be linked with the revitalization of downtown Manhattan. It will provide tenants with the most advanced technological, environmental and life safety features available anywhere in the world."

Located between Barclay and Vescey Streets, the new 7 World Trade Center has been designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP. The building will house a Con Edison substation at its base and office tenants on its upper floors.