Clarion Partners inks over 64,000 s/f of leases at Merritt 7

Norwalk, CT Clarion Partners, LLC and Marcus Partners completed over 64,000 s/f of newly signed leases at Merritt 7 Park, including Kantar Group, a global data and marketing company, forest industry group Metsa, and Paris-based Ipsos, a leader in market research and consulting. The deals mark over 115,000 total s/f of completed lease transactions over the past 12 months at the Fairfield County office campus. 

Kantar and Metsa both signed new seven-year leases, with Kantar retaining 19,623 s/f of space in Building 401, and Metsa remaining in their 10,913 s/f unit in Building 301. IPSOS will be relocating from Building 301 to 10,575 s/f of new space in Building 501. Other tenants signing new leases include Victory Capital’s extension for 3,977 s/f, Apex Technology Services’ 3,489 s/f renewal, and VIA, which also renewed their 1,970 s/f lease. 

Cushman & Wakefield’s Steve Baker represented Kantar and Metsa, while IPSOS was represented by Chris Helgesen and Kevin McCarthy of Cushman & Wakefield, and Apex was represented by Kathleen Fazio, also from Cushman & Wakefield. Ownership was represented by David Fiore and JoAnn McGrath of Marcus Partners as well as by JLL’s Ed Tonnessen, Betsy Buckley, and Gil Ohls in all transactions. 

“I believe Merritt 7’s steady leasing activity over the last year demonstrates that institutionally owned and operated properties with modern and practical amenities will continue to retain and attract tenants. Ownership’s on-going commitment to providing state-of-the-art business environments remains steadfast, and office users in this market are taking notice,” said Margaret Egan, Clarion Partners’ senior vice president of Asset Management.

George Perham, principal and president of VIA, said, “We have been a tenant at Merritt 7 since 2011 and are delighted to announce our renewal. In the past 12 years, we have expanded and/or relocated three times, and each time, the Merritt 7 team was very accommodating to assist us in meeting our needs. The Park continues to make improvements and additions to the amenities both internally and externally, to stay current with the needs and demands of today’s tenants.”