Harbor Group Worldwide’s multimillion-dollar guess on the Black Rock constructing has paid off.
Worldwide regulation agency Alston & Chook signed a 170,000-square-foot lease at HGI’s 51 West 52nd Avenue, often known as 51W52 and Black Rock, bringing the Midtown trophy tower to full occupancy.
The agency inked a 15-year deal for flooring 9 via 15 on the roughly 900,000-square-foot Class A workplace tower, in response to an announcement from Newmark. It’s going to relocate its New York workplace from 90 Park Avenue and broaden its footprint by greater than 30 %. The asking lease was not disclosed.
A Newmark crew together with Howard Hersch, Greg Conen and Scott Klau represented the owner. A Savills crew together with Brad Wolk, Matthew Barlow and David Goldstein represented Alston & Chook.
The lease marks a milestone for HGI, which acquired the 38-story property in 2021 from ViacomCBS for $760 million and has since poured about $128 million into enhancements aimed toward attracting top-tier tenants. The upgrades embody a revamped foyer, a brand new amenity middle dubbed Membership 53 and food-and-beverage companies.
“This validates our sturdy religion within the resilience of the New York workplace market, particularly for the perfect trophy properties in the perfect places,” HGI Chairman and CEO Jordan Slone stated in an announcement.
The deal provides one other information level to Manhattan’s bifurcated workplace market, the place trophy and Class A towers proceed to draw tenants whereas older properties battle with vacancies. Legislation companies, particularly, have been among the many most lively occupiers of premium workplace area, serving to drive leasing exercise throughout Midtown.
Legislation companies leased 3.74 million sq. toes of Manhattan workplace area throughout 115 transactions in 2025, a 17.8 % improve year-over-year and a brand new annual report by greater than 30 offers, in response to Colliers.
The darkish granite tower with tinted glass home windows was designed by architect Eero Saarinen, accomplished in 1965 and later turned a delegated landmark. The 2021 sale was the primary time the constructing had modified fingers. Different tenants within the tower embody regulation companies Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and the Kroll Bond Score Company.
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