But it has been leased, Mr. Judson said, to a "very prestigious tenant in the giftware-type business."

The owners of office buildings want prestigious retail tenants to enhance the value of the upper office floors.

In turn, he said, filling such a large block of space with a prestigious tenant is helping them lease the remaining floors.

Over the past two years, 101 and 103 JFK Parkway have been given total makeovers - and quickly began attracting some prestigious tenants.

Among the attributes of trophy buildings are excellent location, quality construction, good looks, modern mechanical systems and prestigious tenants.

At Rockefeller Center, leases for many of the most prestigious tenants expired in 1994.

"If they can get a prestigious tenant, one that's financially secure, they're willing to take a little less rent than what the market will bear."

To avoid ongoing 80/20 problems, the co-op set out to sell the space to clean, prestigious tenants - say, clothing boutiques.

The property owners insist that change, in the form of more prestigious tenants, is imminent.

First, there are those pesky autograph seekers, trying to waylay a prestigious tenant as he makes his way through the throngs outside.