Urbana Cafe & Gallery Signs 1K-SF Lease at MAG Partners’ Ruby

Urbana Cafe & Gallery has signed a 10-year lease for 983 square feet on the ground floor of MAG Partners’ 243 West 28th Street in Chelsea, the 480-unit residential tower known as Ruby, the landlord shared with Commercial Observer.

The new cafe is slated to open in 2026.

Cushman & Wakefield’s Alan Schmerzler, Sean Moran, Pat O’Rourke and Catherine Merck represented MAG Partners in the transaction. Brad Schwarz from Lee & Associates represented Urbana Cafe.

The asking rent was not disclosed. Available street-level retail spaces in Manhattan’s West 20s are currently advertised on LoopNet for annual rents ranging from $48 to $127 a square foot.

“We’re excited to welcome Urbana Cafe & Gallery as our newest tenant within Ruby,” MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and CEO of MAG Partners, said in a statement to CO. “We carefully curate our retail spaces to serve as an extended amenity to our residents, and look forward to a longtime partnership. The cafe is sure to be a beloved hot spot for our Ruby community and the neighborhood at large.”

This will be Urbana’s second New York City location, following its outpost at 144 10th Avenue. The company is hoping it will be the second of many.

“We’re proud to begin our partnership with MAG Partners and to expand our shop locations across the country,” Omar Emera, owner of Urbana Cafe, said in the statement. “Our newest location at Ruby in Chelsea will offer an exceptional experience to the tenants and neighborhood as we continue to grow and serve our communities.”

Other recently signed retail tenants at Ruby include the pet store Pet Evolution and wellness company Saint, as previously reported in CO. 

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Design Firm Ayers Saint Gross Inks 25K-SF Lease at Baltimore Peninsula

The lease deal is among the biggest signed at MAG Partners’ megadevelopment in recent months.

The Baltimore Peninsula office leasing team is on a roll, with the latest deal coming by way of employee-owned design firm Ayers Saint Gross.

The Baltimore-based firm inked a 25,000-square-foot lease at 2455 House Street, an eight-story property within the sprawling Baltimore Peninsula megadevelopment on the bank of the Patapsco River. MaryAnne Gilmartin’s MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners lead the development team alongside Sagamore Ventures and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. 

Cushman & Wakefield’s Courtenay Jenkins, Linn Worthington, Matt Melnick and Rich Thomas represented the landlords in the deal. Other tenants at Ayers Saint Gross’ new digs include CFG Bank, which took three floors there in 2024 for its new headquarters, as well as retailers Daily Grind and Molly’s Dog Care.

The Baltimore Peninsula landlords have been busily securing tenants lately, though mostly at the development’s Rye Street Market district. The University of Maryland (UMD) earlier this month, for instance, inked a 12,500-square-foot deal for its Robert H. Smith School of Business. 

UMD joined brokerage firms such as Newmark, which inked a 4,550-square-foot lease in June, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, which signed for 23,000 square feet in May, along with the Baltimore Ravens, design firm Chambers, and others.

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MAG Partners Announces Urbana Cafe & Gallery Retail Lease at Ruby in Chelsea 

Coffee Shop and Gallery Signs New 983-Square-Foot Lease At The Base of The Fully Occupied New Development Residential Tower In Chelsea 

 NEW YORK – (July 29, 2025) – High-profile woman-owned real estate company MAG Partners today announced the retail lease signing of Urbana Cafe & Gallery, a coffee shop known for its commitment to serving high-quality, ethically sourced coffee, at its 480-unit residential tower, Ruby. The approximately 1,000-square-foot ground floor lease is located at the base of the building — MAG Partners’ first New York City residential development at 243 West 28th Street. The cafe will open in 2026. 

“We’re excited to welcome Urbana Cafe and Gallery as our newest tenant within Ruby,” said MaryAnne Gilmartin, Founder and CEO of MAG Partners. “We carefully curate our retail spaces to serve as an extended amenity to our residents and look forward to a longtime partnership. The cafe is sure to be a beloved hot spot for our Ruby community and the neighborhood at large.” 

Founded in 2021, this is Urbana Cafe’s second location in New York City. In addition to coffee, the store will also offer baked good, goods such as pain au chocolat, rhubarb scones, avocado toast, and seasonal specials. 

Urbana Cafe joins other retail tenants at Ruby including pet store Pet Evolution and wellness company SAINT. 

“We’re proud to begin our partnership with MAG Partners and to expand our shop locations across the country,” said Omar Emera, Owner of Urbana Cafe said. “Our newest location at Ruby in Chelsea will offer an exceptional experience to the tenants and neighborhood as we continue to grow and serve our communities.” 

The news comes on the heels of MAG Partners’ dual leasing launch of two other new Manhattan multifamily projects. The first, located just one block from Ruby at 335 8th Avenue in the heart of Chelsea, is Mabel, a 188-unit luxury rental building that also includes a 23,000-square-foot ground floor Lidl grocery store. Simultaneously, MAG Partners also launched leasing at Anagram Turtle Bay, a 194-unit building located at the corner of 50th Street and Second Avenue. There, the beloved Serafina brand will open its first restaurant offshoot, Serafina Mare, within the ground floor retail space, with a special focus on seafood. 

Designed by COOKFOX, Ruby is a 480-unit luxury residential building that opened in 2023 and is fully occupied. The building features two towers with retail frontages on both 28th Street and 29th Streets, utilizing high-performance building systems to provide residents with an urban sanctuary. 

Located across the street from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, within New York City’s Garment District, Ruby is named after Ruby Bailey, an expressive visual and performance artist and master beader. The building’s architectural expression is inspired by the 

historic fabric of the turn-of-the-century Garment District neighboring buildings, incorporating biophilic elements throughout its amenities. 

Cushman & Wakefield’s Alan Schmerzler, Sean Moran, Pat O’Rourke, and Catherine Merck represented the landlord, MAG Partners, in the transactions. Brad Schwarz from Lee & Associates represented Urbana Cafe. 

### 

About MAG Partners 

MAG Partners is a woman-owned, urban real estate company with decades of experience developing impactful, iconic, large-scale projects throughout New York City. Led by MaryAnne Gilmartin, together the MAG Partners team has successfully designed, built and operated over 7 million square feet of office, residential and mixed-use projects, including over 2,000 units of housing, with a total value of over $4.5 billion. The firm believes and has proven that principles of beauty, diversity and sustainability create lasting value. 

About Cushman & Wakefield 

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for property owners and occupiers with approximately 52,000 employees in nearly 400 offices and 60 countries. In 2024, the firm reported revenue of $9.4 billion across its core service lines of Services, Leasing, Capital markets, and Valuation and other. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com. 

About Urbana Cafe & Gallery 

More information can be found at urbanacoffee.com. 

Media Contact: 

Ashley Cotton 212-339-3911 [email protected] 

5 new restaurants confirmed to open in Baltimore Peninsula

Five more new-to-Baltimore restaurant concepts, with more to come, are confirmed to be opening in the Baltimore Peninsula development formerly known as Port Covington.

According to multiple news releases from the development this summer, at its completion, Baltimore Peninsula will span 2.5 miles of restored waterfront; 40 acres of parks and green space; and 14 million square feet of mixed-use property — including restaurant spaces.

Preexisting national restaurant franchises, such as Jersey Mike’s and Ben & Jerry’s, as well as local chains like BK Lobster, Daily Grind and the coming-soon brunch spot Eggspectation, have already found homes in the development, along with new eateries, including Baltimore native Pinky Cole‘s popular plant-based burger shop Slutty Vegan, Cole’s tapas sister location Bar Vegan and Clyde’s Restaurant Group’s seafood-focused Rye Street Tavern.

The next, most recently confirmed crop of restaurants moving to the development will also be new to Baltimore — and, in some cases, new in general. Here’s what each of them will offer — and when to expect them.

Blü Cā

A Jamaican restaurant from the group behind Baltimore County’s KŌNŌKŌ and Harford County’s Island Spice is projected to open at 2450 Rye St. in early 2026.

Spearheaded by 10-year-old One Love Restaurant Group and located on the ground floor of residential building Rye House, the restaurant will offer guests “culture, escape, a vibe and da spice,” according to a January news release. Expect a colorful blue motif interior motif, as well as classic Jamaican bites, like oxtail stew, jerk chicken and pasta dishes, mixed with international influences — One Love’s co-owners call it “Reggae Fusion.”

“We had a vision for what would ultimately become Blü Cā for quite some time now, but when we found the perfect space at Baltimore Peninsula, that’s really when it came together,” One Love Restaurant Group co-owner Sandy Tucker said in the release. “The restaurant’s waterfront setting will perfectly align with the island vibe and mouthwatering dishes we’ll be serving.”

“We can’t wait to welcome residents of Baltimore and visitors from all over to celebrate our Jamaican-rich culinary heritage and the entire One Love experience,” added co-owner Jazz Tucker.

LIVE-K Karaoke

After finding success in Washington‘s own mixed-use waterfront development The Wharf, LIVE-K Karaoke will open its first Baltimore location at 301 Mission Blvd. in late 2025.

According to a May news release, LIVE-K’s 7,500-square-foot space will feature 15 private karaoke rooms in “futuristic” digs, with hopes to differentiate itself from other karaoke spots with one public bar. Small bites at LIVE-K, like gyoza, takoyaki and Mongolian beef skewers, take center stage.

“After the success of our DC location, we can’t wait to bring LIVE-K to the heart of Baltimore Peninsula,” LIVE-K representative Chris Zhujan said in the release. “Our one-of-a-kind entertainment experience makes for the perfect date night, birthday party, corporate event and more.”

Shinkansen Sushi

Inspired by the ultra-fast “bullet trains” in Japan, Shinkansen Sushi will specialize in sushi delivered via conveyor belt. The spot will open at 2450 Rye St. in early 2026.

Based in Rye House, Shinkansen comes from restaurateur David Chen, who also owns Baltimore locations of Akira Ramen & Izakaya, IZAKAYA 68 and Volcano. Miniature bullet trains and robot servers will deliver food, like karaage and specialty maki, and beverages, like Japanese beers and sake, directly to tables. Murals featuring Japanese “natural scenery” and “décor and furniture inspired by Japanese culture” will span the 3,138-square-foot space.

“My family has been a part of the Baltimore community for decades, so we’re thrilled to bring our newest concept to Baltimore Peninsula,” Liang Weng, owner of Shinkansen Sushi, said in a February news release. “We’ve seen firsthand the incredible loyalty of Baltimore customers, and we’re excited to offer them a fresh and innovative sushi experience unlike anything else in the area.”

Slurp Noodle Bar

A neighbor to Shinkansen Sushi and Blü Cā, Slurp Noodle Bar will begin serving hand-pulled noodles at 2450 Rye St. late this year, after revising its opening date from the second quarter of 2025.

Slurp will feature iconic regional dishes — like sour-and-spicy noodles, Lanzhou lamian, and rice noodles in 12-hour bone broth — in the 1,375-square-foot space’s open kitchen. The concept comes from Washington’s Jerry Chan, whose family has been in the restaurant business for three generations.

“I’m incredibly excited to be opening a traditional, family-owned establishment,” Chan said in a news release last summer. “I have been looking to bring our business to Baltimore for some time, and Baltimore Peninsula is the perfect location to do so as it becomes the city’s newest dining destination.”

Urbano Tex-Mex

With locations in Annapolis and Bethesda, as well as two more in Virginia, Urbano Tex Mex is slated to open its new, 4,500-square-foot, 2425 Rye St. storefront in late 2025.

The restaurant chain’s culinary mission, according to its website, is to “blend the bold flavors of Mexico with the vibrant energy of modern American cuisine.” This mission takes the form of menu items like grilled oysters with chorizo butter, shredded beef enchiladas in red guajillo chile sauce and six flavors of margaritas.

“It’s special to place our footprint in Baltimore and offer our innovative concept in a place that is close to our roots,” said Chad Sparrow, managing partner and executive chef of Urbano’s owning group Common Plate Hospitality, in the May release. “The development and vision of Baltimore Peninsula perfectly align with our concept, passion and growth plan.”

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MAG Partners Brings Fire and Ice to Chelsea’s Ruby

Sauna and ice bath brand Saint sets up shop at new luxury complex

MAG Partners’ luxury rental complex Ruby just got a whole lot more luxurious.

Saint, a brand specializing in private sauna and ice bath facilities, signed a 10-year lease with MAG Partners for slightly over 1,100 square feet at Ruby, located at 242 West 29th Street in Chelsea.

The space, slated to open in the fall, will include “luxurious private sauna and cold plunge rooms for those seeking calm and solitude amidst the chaos of New York City,” according to MAG Partners. Bond, the New York-based architecture and interior design studio, was involved in the spot’s design, the developer said.

Services at Saint will be available as individual sessions or through a membership. Details on either option, including prices, were not available.

MAG Partners was represented by Cushman & Wakefield’s Sean Moran, Catherine Merck, Alan Schmerzler and Patrick O’Rourke, and Saint was repped by CBRE’s Kristen Crossman Fox.

While the asking rent was undisclosed, available streetside retail spaces in Manhattan’s West 20s are currently advertised on LoopNet for annual rents ranging from $80 to $127 a square foot.

With an official address of 243 West 28th Street, Ruby, which was designed by COOKFOX Architects, includes 480 apartments, 30 percent of which are designated affordable. Pet services provider Pet Evolution will also be leasing retail space at the Ruby.

The pairing of Saint with Ruby is a key step in fulfilling MAG Partners’ ultimate desire for the complex.

“With the addition of Saint to Ruby, our vision for a residence that promotes health and well-being is further advanced,” MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and CEO of MAG Partners, said in an email to Commercial Observer. “Their services will be valuable additions to the Chelsea community and an ideal amenity to Ruby residents. We look forward to building on this momentum, following the lease with supermarket operator Lidl at 335 Eighth Avenue, and bringing additional conveniences to the neighborhood.”  

Saint and CBRE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

New York Business Journal was first to report news of the lease.

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Large architecture firm to move HQ to Baltimore Peninsula

Local architectural firm Ayers Saint Gross has inked a deal to move its headquarters across South Baltimore.

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Mabel’s Exterior Wraps Up at 335 Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, Manhattan

Construction is nearing completion on Mabel, a seven-story residential building at 335 Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, Manhattan. Designed by COOKFOX and developed by MAG Partners and Mutual Redevelopment Houses, Inc., the 200,000-square-foot structure will yield 188 rental units in studio to two-bedroom layouts. The project will also include a 23,000-square-foot Lidl supermarket and additional ground-floor retail space. Thirty percent of the homes will be reserved for affordable housing. The development is located at the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 26th Street within the Penn South affordable housing cooperative, officially known as Mutual Redevelopment Houses.

Exterior work on the upper levels has concluded since YIMBY’s last on-site update in January, when scaffolding still covered portions of the roof and seventh-story setbacks. This has since been removed and landscaping is now visible on the roof deck. The sidewalk shed remains standing around the property as work finishes up on the ground floor.

Promotional signage has also been added to columns of the brick exterior.

The main entrance to Mabel features a dark metal canopy bearing the name and address of the property. A screen of wooden louvers adjacent to the doors complements the vertical bond pattern of the surrounding brickwork.

The below rendering previews the entrance canopy topped with low greenery.

The rest of the ground-floor frontage will likely finish work in the coming months.

Ninety percent of the units at Mabel will come in studio and one-bedroom layouts, with two-bedrooms rounding out the remaining inventory. Amenities will include a fitness center, library, media lounge, a coworking lounge with private workspaces, a dining area with a catering kitchen, and outdoor rooftop gardens with dining areas and a grilling terrace.

The Lidl supermarket will feature a bakery, produce, a floral shop, meat and seafood, and other typical everyday essentials. The Germany-based company is also expected to partner with Hire NYC to offer employment to local residents with comprehensive benefits such as healthcare for all full- and part-time employees, regardless of hours worked per week.

JLL Capital Markets arranged a $151.4 million capitalization for the project with financing secured from Bank OZK and MetLife Investment Management.

The property is a short walk from the C and E trains at the 23rd Street station to the south.

Mabel’s anticipated completion date is slated for the third quarter of 2025, and is on track to receive Passive House and LEED Gold certifications.

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Serafina Mare Signs 5K-SF Lease at 300 East 50th Street

The restaurateurs behind the trattoria chain Serafina are launching a new concept known as Serafina Mare in Midtown East.

Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato signed a 5,000-square-foot lease at Global Holdings Management and MAG Partners’ 300 East 50th Street, on the corner of Second Avenue and East 50th Street. The New York Post first reported news of the lease. 

The landlords did not disclose the asking rent or the length of the lease. 

The average asking rent for the nearby retail corridor on Fifth Avenue between East 49th to 59th Streets in the first quarter of 2025 was $2,562 per square foot, according to a report from CBRE.

The seafood concept will be the 13th Serafina location in New York City It is expected to open at the base of the 23-story, 194-unit apartment building, known as Anagram Turtle Bay, in autumn of 2026, according to the landlords.

Michael Azarian of Cushman & Wakefield represented the tenant while MAG Partners brokered the deal in-house. C&W did not immediately provide a comment.

Let’s hope the residents of Midtown East like Italian cuisine, because just across the street to the north sits the Midtown location of La Pecora Bianca, a rapidly expanding chain leased space at the Irvine Company’s 200 Park Avenue, as Commercial Observer reported in October.

Mark Hallum can be reached at [email protected].

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Serafina to open trattoria at latest Anagram apartment tower

The developers of Anagram luxury rental apartment towers are expanding the brand in Manhattan. Popular Italian trattoria brand Serafina is growing at even faster pace. The two will come together at 300 E. 50th St. at Second Avenue, where Serafina owners Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato will launch their first seafood-driven venue, Serafina Mare, next year.

The latest Anagram, which will begin receiving tenants in August, is a joint venture project of the development teams of Global Holdings and MAG Partners.

Global Holdings’ senior vice president Josh Feder said, “Each of our Anagram projects in the city is uniquely designed to fit into the neighborhood.

The new spot is the perfect match for Serafina’s first spinoff restaurant. Their team saw our vision and approached us, securing a full-floor lease before apartment leasing even began.”  

Granato said the location has special meaning for him because, “When I first came to the States, I lived in the building that was torn down for the Anagram. There’s a lot of energy in the neighborhood but no Serafina presence.”

The off-market transaction hasn’t been reported previously. Serafina Mare, with 5,000 square feet in the entire ground-floor retail space, will be the Serafina brand’s 13th Manhattan location in addition to others in the suburbs and around the US.

The new Serafina will do battle with La Pecora Bianca across the street. The latter is part of another growing Italian chain in the mid-priced field, a category that also  includes Felice, which recently signed a lease to open in Trump Plaza on Third Avenue at East 61st Street…

Granato wouldn’t discuss terms other than that the landlord provided a tenant-improvement allowance. “The rest is  all up to us,” he said. Serafina will get the space on Jan. 1, and will take nine months for design and construction.

The 194-unit Anagram Turtle Bay follows those at Columbus Circle, in Nomad, and in Gramercy. The new project by Eyal Ofer’s Global Holdings and MaryAnne Gilmartin’s MAG Partners began leasing in June and will be completed when move-ins start  in August.

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Housing Lottery Launches for Anagram Turtle Bay at 300 East 50th Street in Midtown East, Manhattan

Anagram Turtle Bay at 300 East 50th Street in Midtown East, Manhattan via NYC Housing Connect

The affordable housing lottery has launched for Anagram Turtle Bay, a 23-story mixed-use building at 300 East 50th Street in Midtown East, Manhattan. Designed by BKSK Architects and developed by MAG Partners in collaboration with Global Holdings, KRW Realty Advisors, Krown Point, and Safanad, the structure yields 194 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 72 units for residents at 70 to 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $60,172 to $227,500.

Anagram Turtle Bay at 300 East 50th Street in Midtown East, Manhattan via NYC Housing Connect

Amenities include pet-friendly policies, bike storage lockers, a shared laundry room, common area Wi-Fi, gym, media room, party room, community events and classes, recreation room, business center, concierge, and a rooftop terrace. Units are equipped with washers and dryers, air conditioning, hardwood floors, patios or balconies, intercoms, and name-brand kitchen appliances, countertops, and finishes. Tenants are responsible for household electricity, including electric stove and cooling.

At 70 percent of the AMI, there is one studio with a monthly rent of $1,644 for incomes ranging from $60,172 to $90,720; five studios with a monthly rent of $1,817 for incomes ranging from $66,103 to $90,720; five one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,756 for incomes ranging from $64,560 to $102,060; five one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,945 for incomes ranging from $70,903 to $102,060; two two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,095 for incomes ranging from $77,658 to $122,500; one two-bedroom with a monthly rent of $2,318 for incomes ranging from $85,303 to $122,500; and one three-bedroom with a monthly rent of $2,408 for incomes ranging from $89,829 to $140,630.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are ten studios with a monthly rent of $3,447 for incomes ranging from $121,989 to $168,480; 22 one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $3,689 for incomes ranging from $130,835 to $189,540; and seven two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $4,415 for incomes ranging from $157,200 to $227,500.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than August 21, 2025.

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