Deals coming fast and furious at NYT building.

Forest City Ratner Companies is quickly filling up The New York Times Building with an impressive roster of prestigious tenants.

Just days before the topping-out ceremony today (Wednesday) which marks completion of the building's steel frame, Forest City announced its third tenant: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, one of Canada's leading business law firms.

On Thursday, June 22, Osler agreed to a 15-year lease for 64,000 s/f of space on floors 36 and 37.

With the signing of Osler, nearly one-half of the 700,000 s/f of space owned by FCRC in the building now has been leased. In the last month, FCRC has signed agreements with the international law firm Covington & Burling for 160,000 s/f on five floors and with national law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP for 100,000 s/f on three floors.

Bruce Ratner, President and CEO of FCRC, "We are delighted by the strong interest in our new building by such excellent tenants. Over a few weeks, we have been able to lease out just about half of the available space. This is a reflection of the strength of the New York economy combined with Renzo Piano's outstanding architecture."

Donald Ross, Osler's senior New York partner, said, "In Canada, all our offices are located in prime office space. We wanted to obtain permanent office space in New York of comparable stature. The New York Times Building is an ideal choice."

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP advises many of Canada's corporate leaders as well as U.S. and international parties with extensive interests in Canada. Established in 1862, Osler is Canada's pre-eminent law firm and has offices in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary. In New York, Osler is currently located at 1221 Avenue of the Americas. Occupancy at the Renzo Piano-designed building will take place in the second quarter of 2007.

FCRC was represented by a team led by Mary Ann Tighe, including Howard Fiddle, Tim Dempsey, Pete Turchin, Matt Preotle and Jason Pollen of CB Richard Ellis. Osler was represented by Osier attorneys Norman Loveland and Neil Bindman, and was advised by Mark Weiss of Newmark Knight Frank.

The 52-story New York Times Building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano in association with FXFOWLE Architects. The building is located at 620 Eighth Avenue between West 40th and 4st Streets, and features a dramatic curtain wall skin of clear glass covered with a screen of ceramic rods. FCRC will own floors 29 through 52. The New York Times Company will own and occupy the remaining floors, which will serve as their corporate headquarters.