Classic digs for Facebook in huge deal

Many of its employees may be doing their jobs remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that didn’t stop Facebook from inking a massive lease deal for 730,000 square feet of space in Midtown’s historic Farley Building on Monday.

The tech giant and property owners Vornado Realty Trust announced the deal, which will add to Facebook’s growing array of Manhattan locations.

In the past year alone, the company has bought over 2.2 million square feet, all between Penn Station and the Hudson River.

Their newest addition, the Farley Building (inset), is next-door neighbors with Madison Square Garden and is currently in the midst of a renovation that’s expected to be done by the end of the year.

Though the 108-yearold building is best known as a Postal Service hub, its upcoming new form will include not only Facebook’s office space, but also restaurants and the Moynihan Train Hall, a planned expansion to Penn Station.

Monday’s news is a small bright spot in an otherwise disastrous year for owners of Manhattan office space. Fewer than one-tenth of the borough’s office workers have returned since the pandemic began, but the Facebook deal is a sign that large companies may intend to continue paying the area’s pricey rents.

“Facebook’s commitment is a further testament to New York City’s extraordinary talent and reinforces New York’s position as the nation’s second tech hub,” Vornado CEO Steven Roth said in a statement.