Virgo Business Centers has leased the 59th floor of the Empire State Building. The company, which leases full-service, subdivided office suites, will occupy 22,000 sq. ft. in September. The space includes 66 executive offices, a common reception, conference room and other support amenities.
"We’re very excited to bring our highly successful office suite concept to the most recognizable corporate address in the world," says Joseph Scharf, principal with Virgo, which operates similar executive suites in Manhattan’s Midtown South district and White Plains, N.Y.
Thomas Sullivan, director of leasing for the Empire State Building, represented the landlord. He says the Virgo lease continues a strong surge of leasing activity at the Empire State Building. "We used to make a full floor deal once every seven years," says Sullivan. "Now we’ve made three in the last seven months."
The others involved Alitalia Airlines and fashion firm FUBU. The Empire State Building is currently 10.2% vacant, according to CoStar Group Inc. Total vacancy with sublease space is slightly higher at 13.3%.
The Empire State Building, which turns 74 this year, is in the midst of a 10-year, $70 million renovation project that will bring new windows, computerized elevators and expanded security systems among other improvements to the landmark building.