The Durst Organization Opens New Public Plaza at 825 Third Avenue, Completes Tower's Renovation

New landscaped plaza is the final piece of Durst’s $150 million renovation of 825 Third Avenue into one of the most desirable office buildings in Midtown

New York, NY – October 28, 2024 – The Durst Organization today announced the completion of a new 4,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza at 825 Third Avenue. The public space provides a sustainable, beautifully landscaped refuge with plantings, public seating, bike racks, and lighting along Third Avenue and East 50th Street. The reimagined plaza is also enlivened by an outdoor patio operated by 825 Third Avenue’s anchor retail tenant, the Italian restaurant Rosemary’s.

The completed plaza is the final piece of the $150 million capital improvement program at the 530,000-square-foot tower. The Durst Organization completely emptied the building for a comprehensive renovation including the creation of the exclusive 12th floor Well& by Durst amenity space and wrap-around terrace that provides a private oasis for tenants. Durst pre-leased 35% of the building before it reopened in December 2022, and the tower is now approaching 50% leased.

“We have transformed every facet of the tenant experience at 825 – the office spaces, the unparalleled amenities, and the enlivened Third Avenue. The activated amenity space and new public plaza are beautiful capstones for this project,” said Jody Durst, President of The Durst Organization.

Features of the new plaza include concrete paving made with recycled post-consumer glass pozzolan, reducing embodied CO2 emissions. More than 20 new benches made from sustainably sourced softwood surround seven large planters, each with a distinct mix of trees, shrubs, and grasses. The plaza was designed by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects with plantings by Blondie’s Treehouse Inc.

825 Third Avenue’s renovation also includes:

• Exclusive Tenant Amenity Space: Well& by Durst at 825 Third Avenue sets a new standard with indoor and outdoor space for gatherings, meetings, and socializing – including a wrap-around terrace with expansive views of New York City. The Well& café and cocktail bar opened in September serving food and drinks alongside engaging tenant programming.

• Pre-built and DurstReady Suites: Due to demand, Durst is building out additional pre-built and DurstReady suites at 825 Third Avenue. DurstReady merges the convenience of turnkey private office spaces with the esteemed service, reputation, and dependability of a century-old, family-operated real estate enterprise. The move-in ready private offices with flexible lease terms are meticulously designed and fully wired for immediate use.

• Updated Lobby: Elegantly modern entrance and lobby featuring white onyx and concrete combined with white oak and perforated metal.

• Dynamic View Glass Windows: 825 Third is among the first office buildings in Manhattan to offer windows that use artificial intelligence to automatically adjust and tint throughout the day to reduce glare, mitigate direct sun, and control heat gain. The result is light-filled interiors where blinds are never needed.

• Replacement and Modernization of Systems: The new HVAC, electrical, plumbing, life safety, and building management systems enhance the building’s appearance and operating efficiency.

• Green Building Materials and Methods: The LEED Gold certified 825 Third Avenue is engineered for sustainability through the use of green building materials, modern construction methods, and highly efficient operational standards.

Conveniently situated blocks from Grand Central in the heart of Midtown, 825 Third Avenue benefits from a unique combination of readily accessible transit, ample neighborhood amenities, and a thriving business environment. Office tenants include Allied Irish Banks PLC of New York (AIB), National Bank of Egypt, Genius Sports, Dimension Energy, Stark Office Suites, Beveridge & Diamond, Gotham Asset Management, Liminal Strategy Partners, and Toyota Tsusho America Inc.