The Durst Organization today announced that Global Relay USA, Inc. has signed a 15-year lease for the Apex, a 77,000 square-foot-block of space spanning the 38 through 42nd floors atop 1155 Avenue of the Americas. The exclusive penthouse pavilion features a wraparound outdoor terrace and 13′ View glass curtain wall which automatically tints throughout the day to reduce glare, mitigate direct sun, and control heat gain. Global Relay is moving from 286 Madison Avenue.
1155 is LEED v4 Gold certified under the EBOM rating system (Existing Buildings Operations Maintenance), has undergone a $130 million capital transformation into 21st Century Class “A” trophy property. 1155’s upgrades include a new lobby and plaza designed by STUDIOS Architecture, new elevator cabs with destination dispatch controls, new windows throughout and enhanced floor-to-ceiling glass that takes advantage of the building’s four chamfered corners offering unparalleled views. 1155 Avenue of the Americas was completed in 1984 and designed by Emery Roth & Sons. It was the first building in New York City with thermal ice storage and first to receive EBOM LEED rating.
The construction of the Apex was the result of a unique combination of zoning, engineering, and architectural agility coupled with The Durst Organization’s continuous commitment to reinvest, reimagine, and upgrade its portfolio. The construction of the new double height lobby entrance freed up existing floor area that was transferred to the top of the building and transformed a large open roof top and mechanical space into one of the most breathtaking spaces on the Midtown skyline. The Apex includes a 4,000 square foot landscaped terrace perched over 520 feet above Sixth Avenue and Bryant Park that offers 360-degree views of New York and New Jersey. The column-free interior, with 13-foot floor-to-ceiling windows with self-dimming View glass, creates unobstructed views, perpetual levels of perfect light and fosters creativity, collaboration, and innovation. The result of this vision and dexterity is the transformation of uninhabitable mechanical space and an underutilized rooftop into one of the most desirable penthouses and terraces in Midtown Manhattan.
“We are excited to welcome Global Relay to 1155 Avenue of the America’s newly created Apex, with its unparalleled views from the top-of-house glass pavilion,” said Jonathan (Jody) Durst, President of The Durst Organization. “1155 was constructed in the 1980s, at a time considered risky to most developers in New York City. But Durst’s perseverance and vision for the Bryant Park submarket paid-off, and today four of our 11 commercial properties are located around Bryant Park, one of the most desired neighborhoods for offices in Manhattan. Our confidence in New York has never waned, and we continuously invest in our properties to meet the market’s demand and business needs of our current and future tenants.”
“Global Relay was a discerning tenant looking for space that satisfied myriad complex needs including a 200-seat, column free auditorium, an outdoor gathering space with panoramic views, lobby branding and a commercial quality kitchen—all within a stone’s throw of their preferred location, Bryant Park,” said Michael Cohen, President of Colliers tri-state region. “The Durst’s 1155 Avenue of the Americas uniquely satisfied each of these requirements and more.”
“After 20 years of supporting the compliance needs of our customers in New York, we look forward to hosting them, along with visitors from a growing worldwide list of client organizations, in this spectacular new office and executive briefing facility,” said Kelvin Ng, Director, Business operations at Global Relay. “Electronic messaging has become the foundation of communication, and Global Relay’s ongoing international growth will be well served by Apex’s stunning features and amenities, which will enable us to employ a significant number of new employees.”
Global Relay was represented by Colliers tri-state president Michael Cohen, senior managing director Howard Kaplowitz and associate director John Brasier. The Durst Organization was represented in-house by executive vice president Tom Bow, senior vice president Rocco Romeo and associate director Tanya Grimaldo.
Global Relay is the leading provider of cloud-based electronic message archiving, supervision, and eDiscovery solutions for the global financial sector.
The Durst Organization, founded in 1915 by Joseph Durst, is the owner, manager and builder of 13 million square feet of premiere Manhattan office towers and over three million square feet of residential rental properties with 3,400 rental apartments built, and over 3,500 in the pipeline. The Durst Organization is recognized as a world leader in the development of high-performance and environmentally advanced commercial and residential buildings where people live, work, and thrive. www.durst.org
