Content area
Full Text
Tommy Hilfiger, the designer who can't seem to consummate a property deal in Manhattan, has let another one get away.
Last week, he jilted 103 Prince St., a sought-after site in SoHo and his latest prospect for a New York City flagship. He now continues his five-year search for the retail equivalent of eye candy, an odyssey that until a month ago had been centered on Madison Avenue.
The fashion mogul was the leading contender to rent the Prince Streetbuilding, a classic yellow-brick property that houses a U.S. Postal Service branch. It is on the same desirable block as merchant J. Crew.
Wrong place, wrong time
Now Mr. Hilfiger's people say that the deal is off. "It wasn't the right location," says a spokeswoman for Tommy Hilfiger Corp., his Manhattan-based retail empire.
Building co-owner Ted Berk says that his brokers learned of the pullout midday on Friday. "We're going to continue talks with other interested parties," he says.
Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel are said to be among several contenders for the property.
Chance to reach broad base
Many real estate brokers say that the high-traffic location, on the corner of Greene Street, would have been perfect for drawing Mr. Hilfiger's broad customer base, which ranges from...