Brookfield Office Properties Inc. today announced that it has signed a 20-year lease with BNY Mellon, a global leader in investment management and investment services, for approximately 350,000 square feet on floors 17 to 23 at 225 Liberty Street — one of the five office towers within the eight-million-square-foot Brookfield Place complex in Lower Manhattan.
BNY Mellon is in the process of selling its headquarters at One Wall Street and is consolidating and streamlining operations in Lower Manhattan to 225 Liberty Street and the company’s nearby facilities at 101 Barclay Street.
“BNY Mellon is a highly valued institution with a 200-year history in New York and we are pleased to add them to the list of prestigious tenants at Brookfield Place,” said Dennis Friedrich, chief executive officer of Brookfield Office Properties. “This lease, combined with additional leases in advanced and progressing negotiations, will bring the occupancy level of the complex to nearly 90%, with positive momentum behind it.”
“We are confident that 225 Liberty will provide an exceptional work experience for our employees. Our decision to remain anchored here gives us the opportunity to create a Lower Manhattan campus with state-of-the-art facilities to serve our clients for decades to come,” said Gerald L. Hassell, BNY Mellon chairman and chief executive officer. “We are excited to continue being a part of the downtown community and to invest in its future.”
“The Battery Park City Authority is pleased to welcome BNY Mellon as a tenant. Their presence is another indication of the dynamic changes and revitalization occurring here in Battery Park City,” said Shari C. Hyman, President and COO of Battery Park City Authority. “We are thrilled to be part of the ongoing effort to encourage jobs and businesses to take root in our community.”
BNY Mellon was represented in lease negotiations by Peter Riguardi, Michael Shenot and Michael Berg of JLL. Brookfield was represented in-house by Jerry Larkin, David Cheikin and Alex Liscio.
Brookfield Place will be fully completed in 2015. The complex recently opened Hudson Eats — a collection of 14 fast-casual eateries with 600 seats overlooking the Hudson River. To follow will be six new sit-down restaurants, a waterfront marketplace, and a curated luxury fashion collection, making Brookfield Place the preferred downtown destination for dining, shopping and culture.
A collection of lifestyle amenities will service the area’s office workers and residents, including an Equinox fitness club, the Institute of Culinary Education and Bright Horizons childcare solutions, among others.