CB2 Replaces Duane Reade and Chase in Midtown

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Finally, a story about Duane Reade and Chase in which both chains are moving out instead of in! Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post reports that CB2, Crate & Barrel's hipper, younger sibling, is taking over the lease at 979 Third Avenue, on the corner of 58th Street and Third Avenue. It will open this fall in a 13,265-square-foot space that used to house branches of the ubiquitous drugstore and bank companies. As much as we like reading about debankification, though, it's worth noting that CB2 isn't going to do too much for retail diversity in the neighborhood. Mama brand Crate & Barrel and slightly fussier rival Pottery Barn both have locations within a few blocks, and of course Bloomingdale's—the anchor tenant in CB2's new building—carries home goods of its own.
· Gem Tower is set to rise [NYP]
· 979 Third Avenue listing [Loopnet]