Fintech Arch Inc. and law firm Cohen Millstein, Sellers & Toll have signed leases at 199 Water St.

Fintech firm Arch Inc., took 73,581 square feet, moving from 111 East 18th St. in Midtown South in January. Law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll signed for 18,457 square feet, moving from 88 Pine St. in the second quarter of 2026.

The year’s largest lease in DUMBO is a long-term renewal on 50,000 square feet by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) at Two Trees Management’s landmarked 45 Main St.

Main Street in DUMBO Brooklyn.

As we first reported, the cutting-edge architectural firm is designing the new apartment building for Charney Companies and Tavros at 175 Third St. in Gowanus.

DUMBO has emerged as the Brooklyn epicenter of design and architecture. Two Trees also lured Snohetta from Manhattan to 55 Washington St. earlier this year. The district is also home to Garrison Architects, Brooklyn Studio and to many furniture designers.

The post New leases signed at NYC downtown and DUMBO, reflecting uptick appeared first on Our Story Insight.

Igor Hadzismajlovic, who opened the late-night industry fave in 2004, has chosen his wife, Helen Zhang, and Edo Ademovic to be his partners in the new venture.

Ziggy’s Roman Cafe, at 15 Main Street in Dumbo, is slated to open next month, Zhang told Side Dish. 

The co-founder of trendy Manhattan cocktail lounge Employees Only is branching out with a new family-friendly restaurant in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

“We were searching for normal places where families can eat in Dumbo and there was nothing accessible for people who live in the neighborhood, just exorbitantly priced restaurants since it is a huge tourist magnet —  but not a dining destination,”  said Zhang, a former publicist and brand marketer.

The restaurant, named for their youngest child, will have around 65 seats inside and a mezzanine “for kids to play while parents eat and have a good time,” Zhang said. 

“We looked at the space and loved it. It’s right in the middle of Dumbo. It’s a special space,” she added. 

The couple have two kids: Rio, 7, and Ziggy, 5. 

The menu — from Chef John Poiarkoff, the former executive chef of Marta — will include “easy, no fuss Italian Roman style food” such as artichokes alla Romana, fried gnocchi and hasselback eggplant parmagiana.

Pizzamaker Federico Crociani, known for his thin, Roman-style pizzas, will consult on the pizza program.

“Eating out was such a big part of our lives and it can be painful with kids — we wanted to create something to mitigate the pain that parents feel,” Zhang said.  

“We are paranoid about not alienating non-parents and will have a super-fun vibe like Employees Only.” 

Ademovic, formerly the bar manager at Sunset Beach on Shelter Island, who will be Ziggy’s general manager. 

Ziggy’s Roman, named for their youngest child, will have around 65 seats inside and a mezzanine “for kids to play while parents eat and have a good time,” Zhang said.  Courtesy of Ziggy’s Roman Cafe

Cocktails will be a key part of the plan. They are being developed by Employees Only co-founder Jason Kosmas. 

The cocktails will range from an Employees Only classic, West Side (Charbay Meyer Lemon Vodka and fresh lemon juice shaken with fresh mint and topped with soda) as well as Ziggy’s originals, including a Vesuvian Margarita, which is “Italian-imagined” with reposado tequila, Italicus, orange agave, lemon and black lava salt, as well as a Capuccino Assassino, a new take on the classic espresso martini with CarpanoAntica (vermouth) “to add depth.” 

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We hear… that Miriam, a popular Park Slope, Brooklyn, spot that opened 20 years ago, and now has an Upper West Side outpost near the Beacon Theater, is in expansion mode. 

It’s opening Miriam West Village, at 140 Seventh Ave. South, and Miriam Upper East side at 973 Lexington Ave –  where  popular neighborhood hotspot Rafael, once stood. 

The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired fare is from chef/restaurateur Rafael “Rafi” Hasid, who named the eatery after his mom. 

Miriam’s Lamb shawarma terracotta dish. Miriam

It boasts tableside lamb shawarma terracotta, chicken schnitzel and steak levant for dinner, as well as sharable dishes like Jerusalem sesame bread, lavash shatta-feta and spanakopita. 

The menu also features popular brunch items, like a burekas breakfast (a flaky pastry with hard boiled eggs, crushed tomato, shug, Syrian olives, pickles and tahini), Turkish eggs (poached over yogurt with harissa oil, roasted eggplant, tahini and pita), and malawach, (a flaky, savory Yemenite flatbread with melted fontina and cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs, tahini, crushed tomatoes, shug, pickles and Syrian olives.).

Desserts feature burnt cheesecake with blueberry coulis, kadaif cannoli with whipped labneh, date molasses and pisachio creme and a rose babka werved warm with vanilla ice cream.

The restaurants are part of Hasid’s 6R Hospitality Group, which includes the New Orleans-inspired 1803 NYC in Tribeca and its Bon Courage speakeasy.

The post Employees Only owners opening Italian eatery Ziggy’s Roman in Dumbo appeared first on Our Story Insight.