RFR Takes Wraps Off 285 Madison Plans

NEW YORK CITY-RFR Holding LLC announced on Tuesday its $65-million plan to reposition its 530,000-square-foot 285 Madison Ave. office tower.

The firm is currently repositioning the pre-war building through a capital improvement campaign to create what it terms as high-quality, efficient, contemporary office space and up to a 40,000-square-foot retail opportunity.

"A pillar of the celebrated New York advertising landscape for 87 years, 285 Madison is being transformed into a contemporary building that pairs work and recreation," said Aby Rosen, co-Founder and principal of RFR Holding LLC. "It is a bridge between work and leisure, Grand Central and Bryant Park and Midtown and Midtown South. 285 Madison boasts a crafted amenity-rich package that rivals the finest New York residential buildings and luxury hotels, providing the ideal work/play environment to the dedicated employees of our tenants."

"The transformation at 285 Madison Ave. is truly extraordinary," states CBRE's Mary Ann Tighe, CEO of the brokerage firm's New York Tri-State Region, who, along with Stephen Eynon, Evan Haskell and Gregory Tosko, will be responsible for leasing the property. "The building will serve as a strategic hub of the new Midtown, with the convenience of Grand Central and Bryant Park. We are proud to work with RFR to achieve the full potential of this property, and we are confident that 285 Madison will promote a creative and comfortable work/life balance for its future tenants," she adds.

Designed by STUDIOS Architecture, the office building supports both conventional and creative enterprises, with large windows flexible floor plans, and amenities such as bike storage and maintenance, a private tenant lounge, meeting rooms, event space, a Grab and Go Cafe and kitchen, activity space with Ping-Pong and billiards, and a fitness facility with showers and lockers. Select floors also offer open-air terraces as a further amenity. In addition, the ground floor will feature a dining establishment that boasts double-height ceilings, a mezzanine level private dining room as well as an open kitchen. 285 Madison Avenue also affords tenants landscaped outdoor roof space.

The building will feature new elevator machinery and cabs. To support tenants with system reliability and efficiency, the fiber-optic Internet service includes backup generators for servers.

285 Madison Ave. is being redesigned and reconstructed as a green building, and is projected to earn LEED Silver certification. Strategies employed to achieve this designation include daylighting; reusing as much as 95% of the existing walls, floors and roof materials; and diverting at least 75% of all construction waste from landfill to be recycled. The building uses high-efficiency HVAC equipment and lighting to lower utility costs and reduce the carbon footprint.