Benjamin Birnbaum joined Newmark’s Retail Services in 2007 at the firm’s New York headquarters, where he was recently named the youngest vice chairman in Newmark’s history. He specializes in landlord and tenant representation on both a national and local level. Since joining the firm, Benjamin has completed hundreds of transactions valued at more than $2 billion. On the landlord side, Benjamin has represented prominent owners such as Columbia Property Trust, GFP Real Estate, Hines, Hubb NYC, Invesco, Nuveen, Related, The Rockefeller Group, RFR Realty, Ruben Companies, SL Green Realty Corp. and Stonehenge Management LLC.
Benjamin also has extensive tenant representation experience. He has a stellar reputation for implementing and executing rollout strategies. He currently represents CityMD nationally, which he has so far grown from four locations to more than 130. Some of his current clients include American Vintage, Benihana, Blink Fitness, dntl bar, Haru, JD Sports, Lilly Pulitzer, Madison Reed, Manolo Blahnik, MedMen, Peloton, Rumble and Watches of Switzerland. Benjamin also has immense experience in the food and beverage industry, playing a key role in the rollout of Five Guys, Gregorys Coffee, Juice Generation, Potbelly Sandwich Shop and Pret A Manger, accounting for more than 100 new store openings combined.
Some of Benjamin’s recent successes include securing Peloton’s 35,000-square-foot “Super Studio” at 5 Manhattan West; Peloton’s headquarters office lease of 300,000 square feet at 441 Ninth Avenue; Manolo Blahnik’s first North American store and offices at 717 Madison Avenue; JD Sports’ 35,000-square-foot Times Square store at 1466 Broadway; Watches of Switzerland’s first New York City location, located at 60 Greene Street; MedMen’s flagship at 433 Fifth Avenue; Taco Bell’s Times Square Flagship Restaurant at 1501 Broadway; and Shake Shack’s Test Kitchen and headquarters at 225 Varick Street. He also represented the iconic Rizzoli Bookstore in its relocation to 1123 Broadway and Equinox in its 40,000-square-foot lease at 315 Park Avenue South.
In recognition of his accomplishments, Benjamin was named Newmark’s Top Producing National Retail Broker in 2019, New York Retail Broker in 2018 and Top Producing National Retail Broker in 2017. Also in 2017, Benjamin received the Most Ingenious Deal of the Year award from the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) for his work with Peloton at 5 Manhattan West. Additionally, Benjamin was named a CoStar Power Broker in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018, and in 2013, he was recognized by the Commercial Observer “30 under 30” as one the most promising real estate professionals in New York. He is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and Young Men’s/Young Women’s Real Estate Association (YMRWEA).