Now that the rainbow-colored panels have been stripped away, revealing the original brick facade, the Studebaker Building is ready to find new tenants to lease its space along the burgeoning North Broad corridor.
Construction has been underway for months at what was once a Studebaker manufacturing plant and showroom, and developer Eric Blumenfeld has long had plans to transform the 43,400-square-foot property into another restaurant and retail hub.
In most recent years, it’s been home to Steven Starr’s Catering Group, which was bought by Trust House in 2015. EB Realty’s vice president Chris Cordaro says with the new acquisition, Trust House doubled their office size. "So we are expanding their offices and moving them to second floor because they are the bigger tenant."
Trust House is expected to move in by the end of this year, which is when the facade should be finished up, too.
Otherwise, the rest of the building is still looking for tenants to fill the 13,400 square feet of retail on the first floor and 30,000 square feet of space on the second and third floors. There’s also potential for a 20,000-square-foot roof deck.
The building is being marketed as the "New Design District of NoBo," but Cordaro says they’re looking for tenants with a bent toward education, daytime work, and the arts.
"Restaurants are our forte, and I think the ground level will be some sort of retail and or restaurant," he says. "Then, the upper level will be more traditional day-time use, either office space or education-based."
- Studebaker Building [CBRE]