Apple gets new neighbor as Yelp opens Union Square office

Online reviews company Yelp.com opened its new Manhattan office today at 104 Fifth Avenue, between 15th and 16th streets, the same office building where Apple is located. The 9,500-square-foot space is already home to over 65 full-time employees — 20 of whom joined Yelp just this past month — and includes local and brand sales executives and a marketing team.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Yelp CEO and co-founder Jeremy Stoppelman attended the opening along with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, New York City Chief Digital Officer Rachel Sterne, the mayor’s Media & Entertainment Commissioner Katherine Oliver and Economic Development Corporation President Seth Pinsky.

“Yelp’s new office is the latest proof that New York gets five stars as a home of growing and innovative tech companies,” Bloomberg said. “But we’re working hard to create jobs not only in the tech sector, but also among the small businesses that Yelp users review.”

Stoppelman said Yelp saw opportunity in New York City.

“We look forward to not only continuing to expand our own presence here but to further help New Yorkers and those visiting discover and support the amazing independent businesses throughout the five boroughs,” he said.

As previously reported, start-up technology firms continue to set up shop all over Union Square, despite rents in the area remaining significantly higher than in other neighborhoods, such as the Financial District.  

Almost a dozen technology firms signed leases this year for a combined 135,000 square feet of office space in Union Square, according to the Union Square Partnership.

In August, Apple inked a 45,000-square-foot deal at the Kaufman Organization building to accommodate its iAd mobile advertising division. –– Katherine Clarke