Photo: Courtesy of Equity Office
Equity Office is bringing the hip downtown vibe to its midtown tech office spaces. The corporate yet edgy vibe, often found in downtown, is in high demand and young tech companies are thrilled at finding it migrate to other areas in the city.
“Creative firms are routinely attracted to the Midtown South market due mainly to the vintage and age of the office stock as well as the area amenities which include trendy restaurants and bars, hotels and shopping,” explains Zachary Freeman, Equity Office’s VP of Leasing.
5 Bryant Park
Photo: Courtesy of Equity Office
By decking out its spaces with amenities including a media lounge, billiards room and café area, the midtown offices offer a younger and more creative feel. Recently the commercial real estate management platform View The Space signed a lease at Equity Office’s building on 114 West 41st Street, while their next door office space at 5 Bryant Park welcomed high-tech data and analytics company Schireson Associates as their newest tenant.
“We have learned that creative tenants are focused on built space with an edgy vibe, large communal areas to congregate and hold meetings, communal areas to relax and unwind and providing retail amenities in close proximity to the office. At both 114 West 41st Street and 5 Bryant Park, we have built out full floor speculative prebuilds that are truly plug and play ready,” Freeman explains.
Taking one area vibe to a different area isn’t just setting up media lounges and decorating walls with graffiti though. It’s more about taking key elements from the downtown feel and integrating it with the midtown motion.
“Moving an area vibe to another location is difficult because that area has its own separate vibe and appeal. We mainly try to focus on the key drivers that tenants are focused on when making a real estate decision and offer similar amenities and services,” says Freeman.
114 West 41st Street
Photo: Courtesy of Equity Office
Difficult or not, Equity Office is doing something right. Their floors have quickly been filled out by young firms craving the modern vibe of open office spaces and communal areas.
“The aesthetics speak to modern day firms who are focused on an open design with large communal areas, pantries and recreational lounges. We have quickly leased all our built floors and will continue to offer future tenants the opportunity to relocate into modernized built space,” Freeman says.
