Vornado, Subsidiary To Redo Trade Show Facility

NEW YORK CITY-New York City Economic Development Corp. has designated the team of Vornado Realty Trust and its wholly-owned subsidiary Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. to redevelop and expand the trade show facility on Manhattan’s west side between 51st and 54th streets on Route 9A. The project will expand the trade show facility on Pier 94 to include Pier 92.

The enlarged facility will contain approximately 355,000 sf of trade show and conference space. The project will also feature a 9,300-sf winter garden and accessible open space around the perimeter of Pier 94–amenities that will be maintained by the developer. A 60,000-sf logistics center, located on Pier 92, will accommodate loading and unloading, storage and other back-of-the-house functions to relieve traffic congestion.

The $100 million renovation will create about 1,200 construction jobs, employ about 150 workers during trade show operations, and produce about $360 million in economic activity over 25 years. “This new, expanded facility will enable us to accommodate more of the mid-sized trade shows that we know want to come to New York City,” says Nycedc president Seth Pinsky, in a prepared statement. “Convention business, including trade and consumer shows, last year drew nearly four million visitors to the City and injected $4.32 billion into the local economy. This new, expanded facility will allow us to win a greater share of this multi-billion dollar business.”