Deutsche Bank AG

It seems the Deutsche Bank-owned building at 31 West 52nd Street sold to Albert Behler’s Paramount Group for just shy of $600 million, according to SL Green, the city's biggest office landlord.

Last month, we reported that the building went for more than $500 million, though SL Green today released a slideshow from its investor conference that had a list of recent deals including 31 West 52nd Street (even though, to our knowledge, SL Green wasn't involved in this particular one). The price: $595 million, or $812 a foot for the 723,000-square-foot building.

We have a call out to Paramount to confirm, but haven’t yet heard back.

Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau announced today that his office has opened an investigation into the Aug. 18 fire at the Deutsche Bank building near Ground Zero "to determine whether any criminal violations occurred in connection with the fire."

There's a lot to go on.

Did a construction worker's lit cigarette spark the fire? Bloomberg reports:  read more »

Tomorrow shareholders in the Tribune Company meet to approve an $8.2 billion deal to sell the company--publishers of The Los Angeles Times, Newsday and The Chicago Tribune--to billionaire real-estate developer Sam Zell.

Or do they? The New York Times this morning examines whether the precipitous slump in the newspaper industry (even since the Zell deal was announced in April) might be enough to kill the deal.  read more »

Harry and Billy Macklowe are so busy.  read more »

• Feds announce $2.6B for LIRR-Grand Central link.
[Crain's]
• Feds give money for 2nd Avenue subway, too.
[NY Times]
• Work resumes on Deutsche Bank building demolition.
[NY Times]
• ESDC refuses to reveal Ratner's Atlantic Yards profit.
[NY Post]
• Toy Center buildings staying office, not going condo.
[NY Post]
• Pressure on Silver to delay Atlantic Yards OK.
[NY Sun]

Did we miss any New York City real estate news this morning? Please send along tips and links.

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• Ratner to Atlantic Yards foes: Sue or leave.
[NY Post]
• Delays for Cortlandt Street subway reopening.
[NY Post]
• Mayor promises park, playground in every neighborhood.
[NY Post]
• Century Club mulling air rights sale to Aby Rosen.
[NY Post]
• Midtown rental building sells for $130 million. [2nd item]
[NY Post]
• Jersey leaders: More time on property tax cuts.
[NY Times]
• Fed holds steady on short-term rates.
[NY Times]
• Human remains put hold on Trump Soho condo-hotel.
[NY Sun]
• Pay dispute halts Deutsche Bank tower demolition.
[Daily News]
• Chelsea tenant sues over ignoring pets ban.
[Daily News]

Did we miss any New York City real estate news this morning? Please send along tips and links.

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• The call to postpone the demolition of the Deutsche Bank Building, after more human remains were found in the building. (The Real Deal)
• An ill wind blows on 13th Street. (The New York Sun)
• Seems like one assistant at Revlon went a little nuts on the perks when she stole $2 million from her boss to buy a house in Southampton. (The New York Post)
• In coming years, your retired aunt just may be in Panama or Malaysia instead of Boca. (Real Estate Journal)
• What happens to that bored Whirlpool repairman's doodles? Designs for coffee tables that actually produce hot coffee. (The Walk-Through)
• Phone it in this Easter and explore London's St. Paul's Cathedral on a virtual tour.

- Tom McGeveran

The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation announced today that it had surpassed the $100 million mark—the first indication of how much progress it has made towards its $500 million private fundraising goal. Biggest single donor ($25 million): AIG’s Starr Foundation, which is still chaired by Hank Greenberg even though he no longer runs the insurance company. Also, Deutsche Bank ($15 million) and Bank of New York ($10 million) pitched in, but no word yet from American Express or any of the other corporations that are looking down into that bathtub, waiting for it to be filled. -Matthew Schuerman  read more »

From The Times: Looks like the former Deutsche Bank building opposite ground zero will finally be torn down. The Environmental Protection Agency gave the nod to its demolition, nearly a year after Governor Pataki said he was "pleased to announce that demolition will begin next month." Also in the article: The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation approved a $150,000 grant to the Drawing Center to find another home.

In other Freedom Center News: The New York Post reports that a mediator, a former special master for the Sept. 11 victims-compensation fund, will try to iron out differences between victims' families and Freedom Center officials. As with the Drawing Center above, people are up in arms that exhibits in the cultural space might criticize the U.S.A. As if there's anything to criticize.

Has the bubble burst? The Post says that average Manhattan condo prices have dropped by more than 14 percent between June and the end of August of this year. Let's see: It'll still take us about 20 years to even save up for the down payment.

But once we do get our act together and save up some scratch, we'll be heading over to indicted money manager's Alberto Vilar's 20-room duplex at 860 United Nations Plaza. The Post reports it's for sale for a paltry $14.5 million. But is Phoebe Cates' mother entitled to a third of it? Read the fine print before signing anything. Brown Harris Stevens has the listing.  read more »

The Daily News reports that the M.T.A. is set to accept Bruce Ratner's offer for the Atlantic Yards as soon as next Wednesday. As reported here, Mr. Ratner doubled his original offer of $50 million.

Looks like CBGB, the "punk" club (we put that in quotes because, well, how punk is it to read about this on a real estate blog?) where the legendary band the Fucking Shitbiscuits got its start, was served its eviction papers Wednesday. Good. Punk is dead. Its corpse is currently enjoying a drink poolside at the Bellagio. CBGB, please go join it there. - Matthew Grace

Like many of his brethren on Wall Street, Kevin Ingram, a top bond trader at Goldman Sachs and Deuts  read more »