Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. reports developments as a New York City-focused REIT with office, retail and multifamily assets and a separate Observatory business at the Empire State Building. Recurring updates include quarterly results, leasing and tenant amenity investments, NYC retail acquisitions and property financing, and capital recycling within its real estate portfolio.
The company's announcements also include Empire State Building Observatory programming, seasonal visitor experiences, health and safety certifications, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality initiatives, and investor conference participation. These themes connect ESRT's real estate operations with the visitor-facing Observatory segment and its portfolio strategy in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL) signed binding sale-leaseback agreements for its New York City headquarters (555-557 Broadway) and its Jefferson City, MO distribution center that are expected to generate $401 million in estimated gross proceeds. The Broadway sale to a subsidiary of Empire State Realty Trust for $386 million is expected to yield $327 million net; the Jefferson City sale to affiliates of Fortress for $95 million is expected to yield $74 million net.
Scholastic will enter long-term leases at both sites (15-year Broadway lease; 20-year triple-net Jefferson City lease) and plans to deploy proceeds toward debt reduction and share repurchases. Closings are expected before year-end 2025, subject to customary conditions.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) announced two new retail leases on North Sixth Street, Williamsburg, signed on December 1, 2025. HOKA leased 4,148 sq ft at 91 N. Sixth Street and Tecovas leased 4,174 sq ft at 89 N. Sixth Street, a combined 8,322 sq ft addition to ESRT’s North Sixth Street Collection.
CBRE represented HOKA; Lantern represented Tecovas. ESRT said the leases expand its curated roster of retailers alongside existing brands such as COS, Glossier, Everlane, and Warby Parker. ESRT and Lantern handled representation for the landlord on both transactions.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) announced a signed expansion lease with Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) for 18,230 square feet at One Grand Central Place, increasing GLG's footprint to 95,612 square feet as of November 12, 2025.
GLG renewed 77,382 square feet in April 2025 and now occupies two full floors overlooking Vanderbilt Plaza; the building offers direct access to Grand Central Terminal, multiple subway lines, and Grand Central Madison LIRR access.
Empire State Building (ESRT) announced its 2025 Holiday Celebration program, featuring festive décor, classic movie screenings, local pop-ups, special tower lightings, Santa visits, and a Radio City Rockettes 100th Anniversary takeover.
Highlights include an official combo ticket with access to the immersive museum, 86th and 102nd observatories, a 15% gift-shop coupon, and select Rockettes show tickets; Rockettes exhibits and photo activations on the 80th and 86th floors; themed film nights on Dec. 5–20; Santa appearances on specified December dates; and daily Doughnuttery treats from Nov. 21. The release notes a $165 million reimagination of the Observatory and Tripadvisor #1 attraction ranking in 2025.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE:ESRT) announced its 2025 fall and Halloween program at the Empire State Building on Oct 31, 2025, highlighted by a visit from Heidi Klum who flipped the tower lights. Key items: a seasonal Ess-a-Bagel pop-up on the 86th floor through Nov 21 (daily 9 a.m.–4 p.m.), a 15% discounted ticket offer for 2025 TCS Marathon participants from Oct 30–Nov 3, and a new Halloween lighting scheme in orange and green with a first-ever five-minute hourly spooky chime.
The Observatory Experience completed a $165 million reimagination and was named Tripadvisor’s top NYC attraction for the fourth consecutive year, and ticket validation for marathon offers requires on-site proof of participation.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) signed a new lease with Tourneau, LLC for a 3,709 square foot Rolex retail store at 86 North Sixth Street in Williamsburg, part of ESRT's North Sixth Street Collection.
The property sits at the southeast corner of Wythe Avenue and North Sixth Street and joins a curated retail mix that includes COS, Glossier, Everlane, Warby Parker, SUGARFISH, The North Face, Byredo, and Buck Mason. Andrew S. Goldberg of CBRE represented Tourneau; ESRT was represented in-house by Fred C. Posniak and Alec Stone. ESRT said more retail activity is underway and directed interested parties to its online listings for current availability.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) announced it is among the first recipients of the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR NextGen certification, recognizing buildings that outperform peers on energy efficiency. ESRT said eight NYC properties are more efficient than 90% of similar properties, citing a 51% energy use reduction/b at the Empire State Building and across its commercial portfolio from deep energy retrofits. ESRT will light the Empire State Building in cyan on Nov 1 to celebrate the achievement and continues to publish sustainability reporting and retrofit guidance for owners.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) signed a lease with SORA, a Japanese omakase-style restaurant concept, for 14,430 square feet of retail space at One Grand Central Place on October 27, 2025.
SORA, developed by publicly traded Round1 Corporation, will host five high-end dining concepts and a direct-from-Tokyo cocktail experience. ESRT said the lease aligns with its strategy to enhance hospitality-driven amenities in the Grand Central District and complements existing tenants including Pera Mediterranean Brasserie, Blue Bottle Coffee, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Charles Schwab.
CBRE represented SORA; Cushman & Wakefield and ESRT leasing executives represented the owner. No opening date or financial terms were disclosed.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE:ESRT) hosted the 47th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up on October 9, 2025, with more than 200 runners racing up the building's 1,576 stairs to the 86th Floor Observatory.
Fabio Ruga of San Siro won the Men’s Elite in 10:47; Shari Klarfeld of Plainview won the Women’s Elite in 14:07. The event included tenant, media, and broker heats, and featured the Challenged Athletes Foundation as the official charity partner and NYU Langone Health as presenting sponsor for the first time. The building’s tower lights glowed purple that evening. Hi-res imagery and video are available online for download.
Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) has achieved the highest GRESB management score among 575 ranked companies in the Americas, along with a top 5-Star Rating for the sixth consecutive year. The company scored 93 points and received an A in public disclosure, ranking second highest overall for listed companies in the Americas.
ESRT demonstrated exceptional performance in sustainability metrics, securing top scores globally in leadership, policies, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and building certification categories. The company has successfully reduced energy consumption by 51% at the Empire State Building and 41% across its commercial portfolio since 2009.