From left: 195 Broadway, 200 Liberty Street and 222 Broadway

The psychological wall that separated hip Midtown South office tenants from their stuffier Downtown counterparts is showing signs of coming down, the New York Observer reported. [more]

From left: 195 Broadway, 200 Liberty Street and 222 Broadway

Downtown office leasing jumped 73 percent in January and February, more evidence of the area’s strong recovery from Hurricane Sandy, according to Cushman and Wakefield date cited by the New York Observer. A spike in large leases — more than 50,000 square feet — helped spur the surge in activity; seven big deal closed in the first two months of 2013, compared with only two in the first two months of 2012. … [more]

Adam Neumann at WeWork’s 175 Varick Street location and 222 Broadway

WeWork, the rapidly expanding collaborative workspace provider, has nailed down a 16-year lease for 120,537 square feet at 222 Broadway, the New York Observer reported.

The firm had been scouting the Financial District since early this year for its largest space yet — roughly 125,000 square feet, according to previous reports. [more]

Adam Neumann at WeWork’s 175 Varick Street location

The rapidly expanding office suite company WeWork is scouting the Financial District for its largest space yet, Crain’s reported. WeWork is considering a 125,000-square-foot lease at 222 Broadway. The 32-story, 750,000-square-foot office building was acquired by Beacon Capital and L & L Holding Company for $230 million. The company is looking to secure the downtown location as rising rents and limited supply have prompted some tenants to leave the tech-heavy Midtown South, sources told Crain’s. WeWork founder Adam Neumann has been busy snagging space for his company in chic neighborhoods such as Tribeca and Soho…. [more]

From left: Beacon Capital Chairman Alan Leventhal, L&L Holding Chairman David Levinson and the exterior of 222 Broadway

Bank of America has struck an accord to sell a Lower Manhattan office building to Beacon Capital Partners and L&L Holding for about $230 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. [more]