Rabina Closes On $540M Construction Financing Package For 520 Fifth Avenue

Rabina, a multi-generational, family-owned and operated real estate investment and development firm based in New York, announced today the closing of a half-billion-dollar construction financing package for 520 Fifth Avenue, the first post-pandemic – and tallest – building in Manhattan to weave together luxury residences, boutique commercial office space, world-class recreational facilities and ground floor retail all under one roof.  

With site work already underway, the approximately 450,000-square-foot mixed-use tower, located on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street in the heart of Manhattan’s Midtown neighborhood, will be the second tallest building on Fifth Avenue, after the Empire State Building.

JLL Capital Markets represented Rabina in arranging the $540 million financing package consisting of a $410 million senior mortgage provided by Bank OZK and $130 million mezzanine financing provided by Carlyle’s Global Credit business. The JLL Capital Markets team representing Rabina was led by Christopher Peck and Geoff Goldstein and included Evan Pariser, Marko Kazanjian, Alex Staikos, and Madison Warwick.

“We are thrilled to have the support of Bank OZK and Carlyle at this extraordinary time of reinvention in New York City,” said Josh Rabina, President of Rabina. “520 Fifth presented us with an opportunity to mobilize a world-class design team and to start with a clean canvas. We hope to deliver a building worthy of its place in the city’s skyline that will offer New Yorkers a new template for rebalancing work, life, and personal fulfillment.” 

“Bank OZK is very excited to provide construction financing for 520 Fifth Avenue. Rabina is developing a trophy asset that will maintain an important presence in the NY city skyline,” stated Richard Smith, Managing Director, Originations Real Estate Specialties Group of Bank OZK. “The combination of top tier sponsorship, marquee asset, and dominant location aligns perfectly with the OZK real estate lending platform strategy, and we are proud to be associated with it.”

“The successful capitalization of 520 Fifth Avenue demonstrates that Rabina and their partners designed a building that will truly re-imagine the built environment; one where we live, work, and collaborate well into the future,” Christopher Peck, Senior Managing Director, JLL Capital Markets said. “This vision is evidenced and supported by their ability to secure best-in-class financing through Bank OZK and Carlyle, who believe in this vision as well.”

Designed by world-renowned architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the soaring 1,000-foot tower will draw upon the legacy of its neighbors, including the New York Public Library, Grand Central Station, Rockefeller Center, and the Chrysler Building to create its own prestigious address. 

520 Fifth Avenue has been designed to draw people together and foster a new type of community within the urban fabric of Midtown Manhattan. The tower’s collection of private residences, boutique office workspaces, and public and private recreational spaces will provide venues for quiet retreat and spirited engagement. Built with the principles of sustainability, health, wellness, and connectivity at its central core, the project will achieve LEED, WELL, and WIREDSCORE certifications. 

Located one block from Grand Central Station, 520 Fifth Avenue will stand proudly among the city’s most prestigious office towers and provide ready access to premier parks, theaters, cultural institutions, and museums. 

Through restructuring and recapitalization in 2019, Rabina became the lead developer of 520 Fifth Avenue.

For more information on Rabina, please visit www.rabina.com. 

About Rabina:
Rabina is a real estate investment and development firm based in New York that has been family-owned and operated for three generations and more than 60 years. Through multiple business cycles, Rabina has owned more than 25 million square feet of residential, office, retail, mission critical and industrial assets throughout the United States and abroad. The Rabina portfolio continues to grow through a robust pipeline of ground-up development and opportunistic investments in institutional-quality assets.  Consistent leadership, a long-term vision and a commitment to integrity have allowed Rabina to thrive across the years as partner, developer, landlord, borrower and lender. Applying long-standing principles to present challenges, Rabina stands poised for continued growth in an ever-changing market.  For more information, please visit rabina.com.

About Bank OZK:
Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK), through its Real Estate Specialties Group (RESG), provides financing on commercial real estate projects throughout the nation. RESG is considered a preeminent, market-leading construction lender changing skylines across the United States. RESG focuses on senior secured commercial real estate construction financing for a variety of property types including mixed use, multifamily housing, condominiums, office, hotels, life sciences, industrial and retail.  During the five years ended December 31, 2021, RESG originated approximately $35 billion in new commercial real estate construction loans. For more information visit www.ozk.com.

About Carlyle:

Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Global Investment Solutions. With $301 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2021, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs nearly 1,850 people in 26 offices across five continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on Twitter @OneCarlyle.

About JLL: