Savanna’s white knight? This Health care firm could take Amazon’s place at One Court Square

A health care company based in St. Louis is about to be Savanna’s savior.

Centene Corporation is negotiating a deal to lease up to 500,000 square feet at Savanna’s One Court Square in Long Island City, according to Crain’s. Amazon had previously committed to leasing about 1 million square feet of space in the tower but cancelled the deal when it abruptly pulled out of its plans to bring its second headquarters to New York amid local opposition.

The deal with Centene appears related to its roughly $4 billion purchase last year of Fidelis, a health care company based in Queens. The company may be looking to move Fidelis’ operations from its current place in Rego Park to the Long Island City tower.

The lease would still leave Savanna with 500,000 extra square feet to fill at the tower.

The company’s chief executive Chris Schlank criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio over their handling of the Amazon deal at a recent panel.

“The hubris that Cuomo showed and the weakness that de Blasio showed tacitly not wanting to put his name on Amazon because he likes the unions was terrible in so many ways,” he said. [Crain’s] – Eddie Small