Friedman LLP Leases Entire 21st Floor at One Liberty Plaza

The accounting firm relocates from Midtown to Brookfield Properties’ Lower Manhattan office tower.

One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway/ Photo by Betsy Kim

NEW YORK CITY—Friedman is leasing 44,767 rentable square feet, occupying the full 21st floor at Brookfield Properties’ One Liberty Plaza. The building is located at 165 Broadway.

David Falk and Peter Shimkin from Newmark Night Frank represented the accounting and consulting firm. Brookfield was represented in-house by Mikael Nahmias, Jerry Larkin, David McBride and Justin Coulter.

A NKF spokes person tells GlobeSt.com that the lease is for 10 years and the asking rent was $62 per square foot.

Friedman plans to relocate in the summer of 2019, moving from its Midtown office at 1700 Broadway between W. 53rd and W. 54th streets. In January 2018, the Rockpoint Group acquired the Midtown building, which was constructed in 1968, from Ruben Companies for $453.1 million, according to Real Capital Analytics.

One Liberty Plaza was constructed in 1973, and in December 2017, Brookfield sold a 49% interest in the building for $1.5 billion to the Blackstone Group.

“For over 50 years, Friedman was located in Midtown Manhattan. What attracted them to Lower Manhattan was the 24/7, 365-day community that the neighborhood has transformed into,” says Shimkin.

“Beyond the neighborhood, we are planning a state-of-the art office that reflects our commitment to our people,” said Friedman’s co-managing partner Harriet Greenberg. “Boasting open spaces, bright colors, breakout rooms, the latest technology and an 1,800 square foot cafe, the space will be more reminiscent of a tech firm than an accounting firm. It will be an office that people want to come to every day.”

Some of the other key tenants in the 2.3 million square-foot Financial District office tower include the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Aon and Avon.