The great outdoors
Being near a park with great views is very attractive to companies. “People like to see green,” says Brian Waterman, executive vice chairman of Newmark Knight Frank. That’s one reason 220 Fifth Ave. on Madison Square Park is leasing up its 10,000-square-foot floors.
The ability to have fresh air and green space led Himmel + Meringoff Properties to build a private roof deck at 6 E. 32nd St. for the tenant that takes the 30,000 square feet right below. “It will be spectacular outdoor space,” says comanaging partner Leslie Himmel.
New buildings along the High Line in the Meatpacking District are even signing leases at rents close to $200 per foot.
For example, with views of both the High Line and the Hudson River, upcoming 40 10th Ave. — also known as the Solar Carve, for its orientation toward the sun — is being developed as an office location to attract and retain millennials and executive-level talent.
Jared Epstein, vice president of Bobby Cayre’s Aurora Capital, which is developing the property with its partner, Neil Bender’s William Gottlieb Real Estate, says, “Having outdoor space and landscaped space, plus views of the High Line and the river, along with the beautiful architecture inside, is very appealing to these tenants. It relaxes your mind and opens it to creativity.”