Duff & Phelps Leases 91,000 SF at Park Ave. Plaza
The global valuation and corporate finance consultant goes from subletter to tenant expanding by almost 30,000 square feet at the Plaza District tower.
NEW YORK CITY—Duff & Phelps has moved its headquarters and expanded at Park Avenue Plaza. The global valuation and financial advisory firm signed a 16-year lease with Fisher Brothers for 91,019 square feet. The 45-story, 1.2 million square-foot skyscraper is located at 55 E. 52nd St., between Madison and Park avenues. According to industry sources, the asking rent was in the high 80s per square foot.
Duff & Phelps had been subleasing 62,413 square feet on the 30th and 31st floors of the office tower since 2007. It will bring its global headquarters to occupy the full 15th, 16th and 17th floors in September 2019.
With over 3,500 employees in 28 countries, Duff & Phelps provides advisory services in valuation, corporate finance, investigations, disputes, cyber security, compliance and regulatory matters and other government-related issues.
This lease signing comes shortly after another sub-tenant Evercore expanded from 150,000 square feet to 350,000 square feet, in July agreeing to remain in Park Avenue Plaza through 2034. Evercore had subleased space for more than 20 years. These two lease expansions will take over five of the seven floors that were scheduled to become available in 2019. Now, two floors in the building are available to lease.
In the Duff & Phelps deal, Mike Catalano, Greg Taubin, and Pete Cento of Savills Studley represented the tenant. Fisher Brothers was represented in-house by Marc S. Packman and Charles P. Laginestra.
“It is always a source of pride when blue-chip firms like Duff & Phelps and Evercore transition from a sublease to a direct, long-term relationship,” says Fisher Brothers partner Winston Fisher. “We view it as validation of our efforts to provide an exceptional experience to all of our tenants.”
Some of the building’s other key tenants include General Atlantic, Morgan Stanley and Intercontinental Exchange.
“Business performance and the acquisition of Kroll continue to drive growth at Duff & Phelps,” says Brett Marschke, Duff & Phelps’ COO. “The expanded space at Park Avenue Plaza will bring all of our New York teams under one roof. This will enhance collaboration and allow us to better serve our clients.”
Crain’s noted that BlackRock would be vacating the building. Globest.com reported that the global investment management firm would be leasing 850,000 square feet, across 15 floors at 50 Hudson Yards. Crain’s also reported that McKinsey & Company, with its 900 employees, will be another major tenant departure. As noted in GlobeSt.com, the consulting firm will be an anchor tenant occupying 185,000 square feet on floors 60 through 64, at 3 World Trade Center in 2019.
Although companies have been attracted to newer product such as at the World Trade Center and Hudson Yards, older Midtown buildings have been investing in upgrades to compete.
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Park Avenue Plaza was constructed in 1981. In 2016, Fisher Brothers invested $40 million in renovations. This included redesigning the 13,000 square-foot luxury, retail arcade. With architect and design firm Janson Goldstein, the real estate firm modernized the space with 30-foot glass columns and LED lighting.