Law Firm Inks Major Lease Extension on Sixth Ave.

Occupancy at 1221 Ave. of the Americas, a 2.5-million-square-foot, 670-foot tall office building, is about 93%.

NEW YORK CITY—Global law firm Dentons has extended its 210,000-square-foot lease at The Rockefeller Group’s 1221 Ave. of the Americas, a 50-story office tower. Dentons, which has occupied space at the Midtown tower since 1992, extended its lease through April 2025 for floors 23 through 26, as well as a portion of the building’s concourse-level. Occupancy in the 2.5-million-square-foot, 670-foot tall office building is currently at approximately 93%. The tenant was represented by a CBRE team including Lewis Miller, Andrew Sussman, Stuart Eisenkraft and Brendan Herlihy and by Dentons partner Kevin Groarke. The landlord was represented by an in-house team led by SVP and head of leasing in New York Ed Guiltinan and a Cushman & Wakefield agency team led by John Cefaly. The lease is the third recent transaction at 1221 Ave. of the Americas following the completion earlier this year of a major capital improvement program. Highlights of the renovation include new entrances, side-street plazas with outdoor seating, a new street-level façade, interior stonework and lobby artwork. According to Guiltinan, Dentons conducted a space search and evaluated many locations before deciding to remain at 1221 Ave. of the Americas. Its decision, he asserts, sends “a strong statement regarding the quality of the building and the desirability of its central location on Sixth Avenue.” Robert McCarthy, managing partner of Dentons’ New York office, adds, “Our internal task force had made visits to, and considered proposals for space in, numerous other buildings throughout Manhattan and our decision to remain in this terrific location reflects careful consideration of aesthetics, logistics, and the preferences of our colleagues.” The lease comes after Rockefeller Group announced Monday that Tokio Marine North America leased 21,449 square feet at 1221 Ave. of the Americas. Tokio Marine, an insurance company, plans to relocate its North American headquarters to Sixth Avenue from Park Avenue in April 2017. Tokio Marine is leasing a portion of the 15th floor of the building. The firm also has leased more than 46,000 square feet of office space at The Lefrak Organization’s 499 Washington Blvd. in Jersey City, NJ.