Few Office Options Available Near Manhattan Commuter Hubs

In the halcyon days of pre-COVID New York City, an estimated 5.5 million people rode the subways on a daily basis. According to Spectrum News, ridership hit a low of nearly 366,000 riders on April 13, three weeks after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the “New York State on PAUSE” executive order. On June 19, however, the Metropolitan Transit Authority announced that weekday combined ridership on New York City subways and buses surpassed 2 million for the first time since the start of the pandemic in March.

Taking all of this into account, questions still arise: Will suburban commuters want to deal with the subway, even with precautions in place like face coverings and mandatory cleanings? Will there be a demand for office space in short walking distance from the three major transportation hubs of Grand Central Station, Port Authority Bus Terminal, and Penn Station?