A spokeswoman for the Empire State Building Co., which owns the property, says the firm has no comment. CB Richard Ellis, whose Stephen Eynon is director of leasing at 350 Fifth, also declines to comment. A spokeswoman for Grubb & Ellis confirms that her company represented the FDIC in the deal but declines to provide further details.

The FDIC plans to move about 250 employees into 350 Fifth before the 20 Exchange Pl. lease expires at the end of 2010. In a May letter to FDIC chairman Sheila Bair, Downtown elected officials urged the agency to relocate within the neighborhood, despite its focus on potential locations within Midtown or Midtown South.

"In a troubled time, a move by the FDIC out of Lower Manhattan raises the potential for significant cost increases, an inappropriate burden when government at all levels must exercise extraordinary fiscal discipline," read the letter, which was signed by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and state Sen. Daniel Squadron. "We urge the FDIC to reject the results of a flawed search and issue a revised RFP with broader geographic eligibility including Lower Manhattan."