– Redevelopment of iconic office tower and lobby restoration adds to leasing momentum along Sixth Avenue with second major lease of 2018
NEW YORK – May 15, 2018 – Rockefeller Group today announced that Blank Rome has leased 138,000 square feet in 1271 Avenue of the Americas, the 48-story skyscraper built in the modern expansion of Rockefeller Center to the west side of Sixth Avenue.
Blank Rome will occupy floors 15 through 17, as well as part of the 14th floor, with possession in the fourth quarter of 2018. The AM Law 100 firm, which has 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals, has had a presence in New York since 2000. Blank Rome plans to relocate from the Chrysler Building in 2019.
The new lease brings the leasing total at 1271 Avenue of the Americas to more than 1.1 million square feet since Rockefeller Group began a complete redevelopment of the building in 2016. Designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the redevelopment project includes a new glass curtain wall, restoration of the building’s landmarked lobby, new elevators, plazas and building systems. Work is scheduled for completion by Q1 2020.
“We are thrilled to welcome Blank Rome to 1271 Avenue of the Americas,” said Rockefeller Group President and CEO Daniel Moore. “Their decision to relocate here is yet another testament to the value of this classic Midtown address and the Class A renovation we are performing to meet the requirements of today’s most sophisticated office occupiers.”
“We established our New York presence in 2000 when we combined with Tenzer Greenblatt LLP—a firm with New York roots dating back to 1937,” said Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome’s Chairman and Managing Partner. “Our New York office has experienced sustained growth over the past two decades, and this move underscores our continued commitment to our clients, the New York market, and our goals for ongoing expansion.”
“We are excited that we will call 1271 Avenue of the Americas our new home next year,” said Norman Heller, Administrative Partner of Blank Rome’s New York office. “On behalf of the Firm, Michael Mullman, Martin Luskin, and I were committed to finding a location and amenities that would support our leading New York-based practices in financial services, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, securities, real estate, maritime, matrimonial and family law, litigation, business restructuring and bankruptcy, business tax, insurance recovery, and trusts and estates. This is a prime location for our clients and colleagues and provides us with an excellent opportunity to continue to grow and thrive in New York.”
“The leasing momentum at 1271 Avenue of the Americas and the quality of the tenants to whom we have leased space in the building are encouraging,” said Ed Guiltinan, Senior Vice President and Head of Leasing in New York for Rockefeller Group. “We continue to benefit from our reinvestment in 1271 and the building’s desirable location in the center of midtown Manhattan.”
First completed in 1959, 1271 Avenue of the Americas was originally designed by Harrison & Abramovitz & Harris, the architects for all of Rockefeller Center, and built by George A. Fuller Company, which was known for its construction of many other prominent New York buildings including the U.N. headquarters, the Seagram Building and Lever House. The building is within walking distance of Grand Central Station, Penn Station, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and more than a dozen subway lines.
The neighborhood’s amenities, within a five-block radius, include 10 parks, 10 museums, 65 hotels, 115 theaters and more than 400 restaurants and 2,000 retail stores. In-building amenities include well-known and established restaurants including Capital Grille, Ted’s Montana Grill and Le Pain Quotidien, as well as direct access to the B, D, F and M subway lines and the shops at Rockefeller Center.
The Blank Rome leasing team was led by Martin Luskin, Michael Mullman, Stuart Kaplan, Norman Heller, and Henri Chalouh. Blank Rome was represented by Ken Rapp, David Kleinhandler, Tim Dempsey and Zachary Weil of CBRE. Building ownership was represented by a CBRE team, including Mary Ann Tighe, Howard Fiddle, John Maher, Dave Caperna, Evan Haskell and Sarah Pontius, in coordination with an in-house Rockefeller Group leasing team including Ed Guiltinan and Jennifer Stein.
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About Blank Rome
Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries, and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients, and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.
About Rockefeller Group
Rockefeller Group is a leading real estate developer, owner and investor, known since the development of Rockefeller Center for pioneering large-scale urban mixed-use development. For nearly nine decades the company has been trusted for its financial strength, stability and vision, and today remains committed to the selective acquisition, management and development of innovative, high-quality office, industrial, residential and mixed-use properties in urban centers and strategic distribution markets. The company combines the global perspective and market access of a sophisticated development and investment management platform, through its partnership with Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd., and its strategic investments in independent property fund platforms in the United States and Europe. Visit RockefellerGroup.com.
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