By: Hellen Zaboulani
Law firm Fried Frank is moving its conference center out of the Seagram Building at 375 Park Ave.
As reported by the NY Post, Fried Frank will be expanding its footprint by moving its Midtown Conference Center to the Plaza District office tower at 535 Madison Avenue. On Monday, the law firm issued a press release confirming the inked 15-year lease to take on14,375 square feet in the Madison Ave building, with its space spanning the entire 10th floor. The company is slated to move in early 2024. “We look forward to hosting our clients in this beautiful new space, and we thank Park Tower Group for working with us in making this move a success,” said David J. Greenwald, Chairman of Fried Frank.
Fried Frank, founded more than a century ago, currently has its NY home in downtown Manhattan at One New York Plaza. That will not change. The firm’s Midtown conference center is currently at the Seagram building, where it leases 11,703 square-feet of space split over two floors. That landmark 38-story building has just under 850,000 square feet of space situated between 52nd and 53rd. The building was built in 1958.
The company will be moving to the 36-story tower at 535 Madison Ave on 54th street, which was opened in 1982 and modernized more recently. “It’s a great building,” said Jonathan Mechanic, Fried Frank’s real estate department chairman.
As per the Post, the new space will offer the company a larger boardroom, more space for the attorneys, and access to the tower’s amenities including the outdoor plaza with a hand-picked art collection. “[Park Tower chairman] George Klein has a great collection,” Mechanic said. “George and [company president] Marian Klein Feldt have their offices at 535 Madison so they treat the building like home.” The tower’s outdoor plaza has year-round seating with Wi-Fi and a café, but the best part is the sculptures on display each season from Christies Auction’s future sales collections.
Other tenant amenities at the building include multipurpose rooms, a fitness center, private shower suites and locker rooms, a bike room and concierge service. “We are incredibly excited to expand our space onto a full floor in such a fantastic property, giving our attorneys and our clients access to premier artwork, acclaimed restaurants and top-of-the-line amenities,” said Mechanic. “Fried Frank has a long history of friendship, admiration and respect with Park Tower Group, and we are thrilled to strengthen our ties with Park Tower through this commitment to 535 Madison.” Fried Frank was represented in the lease deal by its longtime advisors at CBRE. The law firm recently celebrated its annual holiday party, held at Cipriani 42nd Street, which is considered the leading ”fun” event in real estate.
“We could not be more thrilled that Fried Frank chose 535 Madison Avenue as their new home for their esteemed Midtown Conference Center,” said Marian Klein, President at Park Tower Group, whose headquarters are also in the tower. “535 Madison has proven to be a prime destination for innovative firms that thrive on collaboration, creativity and motivated workforces, and we warmly welcome Fried Frank to that mix.”