Kaufman Organization launches dynamic “residential-style” websites for commercial buildings

Commercial real estate firms have only recently begun to abandon the marketing brochure for a social media presence, but it was only a matter of time before competition for tech tenants, among other factors, pushed commercial building owners to launch flashy websites reminiscent of their residential cousins. The New York Times reported that the Kaufman Organization has recently launched stylish standalone websites — featuring animation, exuberant language and videos — for two of its properties.

“Lunches with brokers is an old-school way of getting your message out,” said Grant Greenspan, a broker and principal at the Kaufman Organization, which has set up websites for 100-104 Fifth Avenue and 550 Seventh Avenue. But, he added, “it’s only as good as the group of brokers who you perceive to have the clients.”

The website for 100-104 Fifth Avenue, a pair of joined buildings near Union Square co-owned by Invesco Real Estate, chronicles a $15 million two-year renovation, which took place after the developers bought the bankrupt property in 2010 for $94 million; the site features a colorful, animated timeline. The renovation added a fire safety system, six elevators and redesigned a pair of lobbies.

The Kaufman Organization gives the new website credit for helping the 270,000-square-foot building reach 98 percent occupancy.

Kaufman’s website for 550 Seventh Avenue, which Kaufman manages for the Adler Group, is being used to rebrand the 12-story building in the Garment District, where tech firms are rapidly replacing the neighborhoods historic fashion tenants. [NYT] —Christopher Cameron