CPA firm leases at 622 Third.

Another major tenant has signed up at 622 Third Avenue, the former Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield headquarters building that real estate developer Charles S. Cohen, president and CEO of Cohen Brothers Realty Corp., is transforming into Grand Central Plaza.

The new tenant is the certified public accounting firm of Marks Paneth & Sharon LLP, which will be formed when Paneth, Haber & Zimmerman LLP merges on January 1st with Marks, Shron and Company LLP. It has leased 60,000 square feet of space comprising the entire 6th and 7th floors of the 39-story tower.

The combined firm, which will have 220 employees, expects to take occupancy of its new facilities early next year. It will provide a full range of accounting, tax, financial and management advisory services for a broad range of real estate, media and entertainment, non-profit and technology clients.

William Weinbaum of William Towne Associates represented the accounting firm, while Cohen Brothers Senior Vice President David B. Nevins represented the landlord in the long-term leasing transaction.

"This lease signing represents another important step in repositioning this building as one of the important Grand Central properties of the new millennium," asserted Cohen, who recently announced a number of signings, including major space commitments by Shandwick USA Inc., a division of Interpublic Corporation, and ICAST Corporation, a part of CMCI, the giant Internet group.

Located between 40th and 41st streets, Grand Central Plaza is presently undergoing a dramatic upgrading, including major improvements to its outdoor plaza, lobby and public spaces. Helping to realize a new vision for the building is noted architectural firm Moed de Armas & Shannon, whose concept calls for a variety of striking interior and exterior changes. Thomas Balsley & Associates is serving as landscape architect for the outside public spaces.