BFC Partners inks 13,758 s/f lease at RFR’s 17 State St.

Manhattan, NY RFR said that real estate development firm BFC Partners has signed a 10-year, 13,758 s/f full-floor lease at 17 State St. After logging a record-breaking year for leasing at 17 State – with 250,000 s/f of deals completed in 2025 – demand for space at the 42-story office tower remains strong. The combination of its address, views and location make 17 State St. one of the most sought-after buildings in lower Manhattan.

RFR was represented in-house by AJ Camhi, Paul Milunec and Ryan Silverman and supported by a JLL team consisting of Mitchell Konsker, John Wheeler, Andrew Coe, and Margaux Kelleher. BFC Partners was represented by Ron Lo Russo, Harley Dalton and Peter Kearans of Cushman & Wakefield. Asking rents at 17 State St. range from $72-85 per s/f.

“There is no shortage of top-tier firms seeking to plant a flag at 17 State St. and we’re excited to welcome BFC Partners to the tenant roster,” said Camhi. “Our breathtaking views and elevated workplace experiences are unrivaled in the downtown Manhattan office market. New bespoke pre-built suites, combined with well-appointed tenant amenities, are important drivers of the record-breaking leasing velocity at 17 State.”

Founded in 1984, Brooklyn-based BFC Partners is a full-service real estate development firm known for its mixed-use and mixed-income developments, with an emphasis on affordable housing, community revitalization and transformative urban projects. The firm has developed over 11,000 housing units and more than two million s/f of space. Highlights of BFC Partners’ work includes the 1.1 million s/f Empire Outlets on Staten Island; the 600,000 s/f Essex Crossing in Manhattan; the Bedford Union Armory, which will deliver 415 housing units, a 67,000 s/f recreation facility and a 40,000 s/f community center in Brooklyn; and, the multi-phase Coney Island housing development slated to deliver 1,242 residential units.

The new amenity center at 17 State – Liberty Lounge and Conference Center – is a core catalyst for the leasing activity at 17 State St. The space includes hospitality and flexible spaces that transform from social/collaborative lounge seating to a town hall configuration with bleacher seating to accommodate company receptions and events. The Liberty Lounge & Conference Center features five distinct functions: social/collaborative seating that can transform into a town hall-screening room, a well-appointed café, a library lounge, a gaming area with a billiards table and a 32-person boardroom.

The Liberty Lounge and Conference Center design celebrates the authentic character of the neighborhood with warm tones and furnishings complementing the surrounding bay and parks. For practical and convenient commuting, an “End of Trip” facility offers a hospitality experience with changing room, shower and space to freshen up.

Located at the corner of State and Pearl Sts., 17 State St. has a distinctive curvilinear design and offers permanently protected views of New York Harbor and beyond from the second to 42^nd floors. The location also provides access to the1, 4, 5, N and R trains; multiple ferries to Brooklyn, Queens and New Jersey, the Staten Island Ferry; and, the downtown heliports.