Law firm takes 144K sf at Brookfield’s Two Manhattan West

Clifford Chance to move into 58-story tower

Two Manhattan West with Brookfield's Ben Brown and Clifford Chance's Evan Cohen (Brookfield Properties, Clifford Chance)
Two Manhattan West with Brookfield's Ben Brown and Clifford Chance's Evan Cohen (Brookfield Properties, Clifford Chance)

One of the world’s biggest law firms is moving into Brookfield Properties’ Two Manhattan West, less than one year ahead of its scheduled completion.

International law firm Clifford Chance is leasing 144,000 square feet at the Hudson Yards office property, Brookfield announced on Wednesday. Financial terms of the long-term lease were not disclosed.

Clifford Chance will occupy floors 39 to 42 in the 58-story, 1.9 million-square-foot skyscraper, which is slated to be completed early next year. The company will move about 500 employees from Midtown to Two Manhattan West in 2024.

Tenant amenities include a 3,200-square-foot landscaped terrace, bike storage, conference centers and a fitness and wellness center.

A CBRE team including Stuart Eisenkraft and Chris Hogan represented the law firm in the lease negotiations. Cushman & Wakefield’s Howard Cross and Nicholas Dysenchuk were among those representing Brookfield.

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Litigation will provide some solid elevator discussions at Two Manhattan West, as Clifford Chance isn’t the only law firm moving in. Cravath Swaine & Moore signed a term sheet with the landlord in 2019, agreeing to take 350,000 square feet.

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Around that same time, Amazon was reportedly weighing space at Two Manhattan West, looking for more than 100,000 square feet. No deal ever materialized, though.

Brookfield filed its plans for Two Manhattan West in 2017, marking one of the last planned for the five-building Manhattan West complex. It was originally slated to be completed this year, but is instead set to open its doors next year.

The landlord is also making big moves nearby at One Manhattan West. Blackstone Real Estate earlier this year acquired a 49 percent stake from Brookfield and the Qatar Investment Authority, valuing the 67-story office building at $2.85 billion. The 2.1 million-square-foot office tower was 94 percent leased as of an August 2020 refinancing.