Central Plumbing Specialties expands key Manhattan location

Central Plumbing Specialties Grande Showroom co-owner Howard Frankel was presented with an opportunity too good to pass up.

The Central Plumbing Specialties Grande Showroom in the NoHo section of Manhattan. Photo courtesy of Central Plumbing Specialties Grande Showroom.

Central Plumbing Specialties Grande Showroom co-owner Howard Frankelwas presented with an opportunity too good to pass up.

Frankel and his brother and co-owner, Warren, were approached about leasing the recently vacated property adjacent to its 3,000-sq.-ft. showroom on Bond St., in the NoHo section of Manhattan.

“It was very tempting to us,” Howard Frankel told Supply House Times. “When we saw what was going on with the area we thought with a proper long-term lease we’d be interested in expanding and essentially doubling our property. I thought it was an interesting move and we have the ability to do it. We were affected less by the downturn than in other parts of the country. We’ve been trending up about 10% to 11% a year and this expansion will help along those lines.”

Frankel said upon completion the expansion will double the Grande footprint at that location to about 6,000 sq. ft. He noted the expansion is important in terms of space and location.

“New York City is always short on space,” he said. “This area probably has become the highest per-sq.-ft. space in the city or close to it. The stores and restaurants that moved in here are amazing and there are A-list stars clamoring to get space here. North of Houston is a hot area for designers and one of the busiest areas in the city for architects. We occupy other space in Manhattan, in midtown at 56th St., and uptown on Park Ave., and we see this as the biggest expansion area for high-end contemporary offerings probably anywhere in the country.”

Central currently has four showrooms in Manhattan and Yonkers. The company’s newest 4,500-sq.-ft. showroom in Rockland County was slated to open this month and will add another important geographic area to the mix.