Robert A.M. Stern is moving his famed architecture firm from Hell’s Kitchen to Vornado Realty Trust’s One Park Avenue, a move that will provide space for the firm to double in size.
Stern — whose firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) is currently located at 460 West 34th Street — signed a 15-year lease to take 62,000 square feet at the 20-story building, Crain’s reported. Asking rents were in the $70-per-square-foot range, according to the publication.
RAMSA will take the entire 16th and 17th floors of the building. Stern was reportedly drawn to the outdoor space that comes with the lease.
“The thought of being able to take clients up to the space and show off their architecture work against a backdrop of the terrace was something very appealing to him,” a source told Crain’s. Glen Weiss, an executive at Vornado [TRDataCustom] who handles leasing for the company, oversaw the deal on behalf of the landlord. Cresa’s Eric Thomas represented Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
Stern, who founded his firm in 1969, produced the designs for Vornado’s 220 Central Park South.
His firm is also responsible for the design of Arthur and William Zeckendorf’s high-rise residential condominium at 15 Central Park West as well as 530 Park Avenue and 30 Park Place, a mixed hotel and condo development in Tribeca.
In September, The Real Deal produced a short film that looked at the inner workings of the firm’s Far West Side workshop. [Crain’s] — Miriam Hall