Coty Completes Empire State Building Expansion

NEW YORK CITY-After undergoing a $550-million makeover, the culture at the iconic pre-war Empire State Building is not only shifting, but getting bigger tenants as well. In January, Li & Fung committed to nearly 490,000 square feet there, and on Wednesday landlord W&H Properties allured global beauty and fragrance giant Coty Inc. to relocate all its Manhattan offices exclusively to the 2.8-million-square-foot skyscraper, the company announced. Come April 2012, Coty will be moving from its space at One Park Ave. and Two Park Ave. in an effort to consolidate its North American headquarters.

Known for big-name brands like Baby Phat, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacobs, Nautica, OPI and Vera Wang in its portfolio, Coty has occupied space in the Empire State building since 2008. Anthony E. Malkin, president of Malkin Holdings, which supervises W&H Properties, says in a statement that Coty has leased an additional 101,736 square feet in the building. The company, which already occupies 86,000 square feet on the entire 14^th floor and most of the 15^th floor, will expand to the entire 16^th and 17^th floors here next year.