Senior Fullstack Engineer

Cushman sues Sotheby's over $10M commission tied to HQ sale. posted on Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:16 am Sotheby's stiffed Cushman & Wakefield on a $10 million commission tied to the auction house's blockbuster Upper East Side headquarters sale, the brokerage claims. In a lawsuit filed Thursday in New York State Supreme Court, Cushman accuses Sotheby's of breaching a commission agreement connected to the October 2025 sale of 1334 York Avenue to Weill Cornell Medicine. Cushman claims it spent years brokering a 200,000-square-foot lease at the building on behalf of Weill Cornell that ultimately paved the way for the $510 million sale. At the time of the 2023 lease signing, Cushman says both sides inked a separate agreement entitling the firm to a 2 percent commission on any sale to Weill Cornell during the 30-year lease term. But Sotheby's never informed the brokerage it was weighing a sale a few years later, the complaint alleges, and Cushman first learned of the deal through news reports. The brokerage sent Sotheby's a $10.2 million commission bill in December, but the brokerage refused to pay it, "choosing instead to retain those funds to address its deteriorating financial condition," the suit alleges. "This lawsuit is baseless and completely meritless," said a Sotheby's spokesperson in a statement. "We will defend ourselves vigorously in court and we are confident that when the facts come out, we'll be vindicated." News reports at the time of the sale credited JLL's David Giancola, Geoff Goldstein and Steve Klein with representing Weill Cornell in the sale and CBRE's Doug Middleton and Mary Ann Tighe with advising Sotheby's. The complaint paints a picture of a financially strained Sotheby's seeking to shed debt tied to the property, including a $175 million mortgage. Cushman says the lease it arranged with Weill Cornell was "a financial life-preserver to Sotheby's" that boosted the property's value and ultimately helped Sotheby's command a hefty sale price; the building traded for almost 40 percent more than the auction house paid in 2009. Sotheby's itself acknowledged the financial upside. Following the sale, Sotheby's CEO Charles F. Stewart told staff in an e-mail the move would be "very financially beneficial," noting proceeds would be used to reduce debt and fund investments, according to an article from the trade publication The Art Newspaper cited in the lawsuit. The transaction capped a run of real estate moves by the auction house. In 2023, Sotheby's bought the landmark Breuer Building from the Whitney for about $100 million, a year after it picked up a converted office building in Long Island City for $82 million.

Cushman sues Sotheby's over $10M commission tied to HQ sale. Sotheby's stiffed Cushman & Wakefield on a $10 million commission tied to the auction house's blockbuster Upper East Side headquarters sale, the brokerage claims. In a lawsuit filed Thursday in New York State Supreme Court, Cushman accuses Sotheby's of breaching a commission agreement connected to the October 2025 sale of 1334 York Avenue to Weill Cornell Medicine. Cushman claims it spent years brokering a 200,000-square-foot lease at the building on behalf of Weill Cornell that ultimately paved the way for the $510 million sale. At the time of the 2023 lease signing, Cushman says both sides inked a separate agreement entitling the firm to a 2 percent commission on any sale to Weill Cornell during the 30-year lease term. But Sotheby's never informed the brokerage it was weighing a sale a few years later, the complaint alleges, and Cushman first learned of the deal through news reports. The brokerage sent Sotheby's a $10.2 million commission bill in December, but the brokerage refused to pay it, "choosing instead to retain those funds to address its deteriorating financial condition," the suit alleges. "This lawsuit is baseless and completely meritless," said a Sotheby's spokesperson in a statement. "We will defend ourselves vigorously in court and we are confident that when the facts come out, we'll be vindicated." News reports at the time of the sale credited JLL's David Giancola, Geoff Goldstein and Steve Klein with representing Weill Cornell in the sale and CBRE's Doug Middleton and Mary Ann Tighe with advising Sotheby's. The complaint paints a picture of a financially strained Sotheby's seeking to shed debt tied to the property, including a $175 million mortgage. Cushman says the lease it arranged with Weill Cornell was "a financial life-preserver to Sotheby's" that boosted the property's value and ultimately helped Sotheby's command a hefty sale price; the building traded for almost 40 percent more than the auction house paid in 2009. Sotheby's itself acknowledged the financial upside. Following the sale, Sotheby's CEO Charles F. Stewart told staff in an e-mail the move would be "very financially beneficial," noting proceeds would be used to reduce debt and fund investments, according to an article from the trade publication The Art Newspaper cited in the lawsuit. The transaction capped a run of real estate moves by the auction house. In 2023, Sotheby's bought the landmark Breuer Building from the Whitney for about $100 million, a year after it picked up a converted office building in Long Island City for $82 million. Weill Cornell buys former Sotheby's HQ for $510M Sotheby's buys Breuer Building for $100M Sotheby's auction house buys LIC's Gantry Point for $82M

Sotheby's announces "The Stephen Curry Collection, My Sneaker Free Agency" Auction. Fans speculate that the massive 75-lot auction means that Curry might be nearing a final decision for a new sneaker deal in a post-under armour era. * Sotheby's has officially unveiled "The Stephen Curry Collection, My Sneaker Free Agency," an exclusive online auction running from April 13 to April 28, 2026 * The 75-lot sale highlights an incredible array of dual-signed, game-worn, and tunnel-worn sneakers from Curry's 2025-2026 season, during which he tested out multiple competing brands * Highly coveted lots include game-worn Nike Kobe Protros, Puma Tyrese Haliburton PEs, Li-Ning Jimmy Butler 4s, and a rare 2010 Nike Hyperdunk PE, with top estimates reaching $50,000 USD Stephen Curry's historic and highly entertaining "sneaker free agency" is officially heading to the auction block. Sotheby's has announced a massive new sports memorabilia event, aptly titled "The Stephen Curry Collection, My Sneaker Free Agency." The legendary point guard spent the 2025-2026 NBA season testing the footwear waters, arriving to the tunnel and the court in a vast, unpredictable array of different brands and signature models. Now, 75 of those remarkable pairs are being offered to the public in a dedicated, first-of-its-kind auction. During the 2025-2026 campaign, Curry was spotted in everything from retro Jordans to modern flagship silhouettes from Nike, Reebok, PUMA, Li-Ning, adidas and ANTA. The Sotheby's auction meticulously catalogs this unique footwear journey. Standout pieces from the massive 75-lot collection include the dual-signed Nike Kobe 6 Protro "Mambacita Sweet 16," which Curry notably wore during his warm-ups on the very first night of his highly anticipated sneaker free agency. For serious basketball collectors, the auction features several high-value, historic game-worn grails carrying estimated prices between $30,000 and $50,000 USD. Notable top-tier lots include a dual-signed Li-Ning Jimmy Butler 4 "Dark Knight" worn during a massive 38-point performance, a game-worn Puma Tyrese Haliburton Hali 1 "Hibiscus," and a game-worn Nike Kobe 4 Protro "CHBL" from the night Curry dropped 48 points and 12 three-pointers to officially pass Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games after the age of 30. The collection beautifully showcases Curry's personal appreciation for global footwear culture, heavily featuring "tunnel worn" lifestyle kicks like the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low "Mocha," Reebok Shaqnosis, and Nike Foamposites alongside his high-performance on-court shoes. Beyond the recent 2025-2026 free agency run, the auction also includes a significant piece of early-career history: Curry's dual-signed 2010 "Christmas Day Debut" game-worn Nike Hyperdunk PE. Bidding for "The Stephen Curry Collection, My Sneaker Free Agency" will officially open online via Sotheby's on April 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM EDT, and run through April 28 with all proceeds benefitting the Curry's Eat Learn Play foundation. Fans, sneakerheads, and sports collectors can view the complete 75-lot catalog on Sotheby's official website now.