It’s somtimes too easy to lose sight of the positive, particularly when news – as it has been around here lately – is so consistently negative. There are still good things happening both in our industry and here in New York City, though, and so on this Thanksgiving I’d like to point out a number of recent green building news items of note that I think we ought to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
The law firm Hiscock & Barclay signed a four-year lease earlier this week for 12,500 square feet of space at Boston Properties' 7 Times Square (Times Square Tower), which is currently seeking a LEED for Existing Buildings rating from USGBC. The firm is actually subleasing the space from another law firm- Brown Rudnick- and will pay approximately $90 per square foot. The 47-story, David Childs-designed Times Square Tower opened up back in 2004 without an anchor tenant after the Arthur Andersen implosion. Newmark Knight Frank represented Hiscock & Barclay in connection with the lease negotiations, with PBS Real Estate for Brown Rudnick.
In addition to its 250 West 55th Street project that will aim for LEED Gold, Boston Properties is currently pursuing LEED for Existing Buildings ("LEED-EB") certification for two of its Manhattan office buildings – Times Square Tower (1 Times Square) and 599 Lexington Avenue (between East 52nd and 53rd Streets). Designed by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes, Boston Properties built the 47-story 599 Lexington back in 1986. Last week, the real estate investment bank Savills Granite (formerly Granite Partners) subleased 18,000 square feet on 599 Lexington’s 36th floor, requiring additional office space after a recent merger with London-based property manager Savills. The newly combined firm takes the space from law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis, which was represented by Studley in the negotiations.
