Universal Music Group relocates NY offices to PENN 2, Vornado Realty Trust’s office tower along Seventh Ave. in the Penn District
Photo credit: Andrew Prokos Photography for Vornado Realty Trust
Manhattan, NY Universal Music Group (UMG) has leased office space at PENN 2, Vornado Realty Trust’s office tower along Seventh Ave. in the Penn District. The building will serve as the headquarters of labels Def Jam Recordings, Island Records, Mercury Records and Republic Records, Bravado, UMG’s merchandise company, and Verve Label Group. The building will also serve as the East Coast offices for global music publisher Universal Music Publishing Group as well as several UMG corporate functions.
As part of a 22-year lease, UMG will occupy the entire fourth through seventh floors of PENN 2. UMG will also occupy a ground-floor space along Seventh Ave. for a future retail experience and a private lobby on 33rd St., which will feature a visitor center and direct elevator access to its floors. In addition, UMG will have the ability to showcase its artists on large scale LED signage within the Penn District.
The new headquarters will be located within The Bustle, a 430-ft.-wide expanse of office space stretching from 31st to 33rd St. on Seventh Ave. A centerpiece of the PENN 2 redevelopment, it includes 88,000 s/f of double-height, 23-ft.-high, column-free office space where UMG will build its New York offices and state-of-the art studio production facilities complemented by exclusive access to more than 3,500 s/f of landscaped outdoor space.
The new production facilities will bolster UMG’s global network of the world’s leading recording studios that already includes the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London, Capitol Studios in LA and East Iris Studios in Nashville.
Boyd Muir, UMG’s chief operating officer said, “UMG’s relocation of its New York offices to the new PENN 2 Tower reflects our vision and ambition. Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan and literally adjacent to Madison Square Garden, one of music’s most storied venues where so many of our artists perform to a packed house, PENN 2 will serve as an ideal nexus for our employees, artists and songwriters. Beyond office space, PENN 2 will house music studios and retail spaces, featuring a range of artist merchandise and exclusive products. We look forward to working with the team at Vornado as we work towards a 2027 move in date.”
Glen Weiss, executive vice president, office leasing & co-head of real estate of Vornado Realty Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome Universal Music Group to the Penn District, which has firmly established itself as the epicenter of Manhattan’s new West Side. Universal Music’s commitment to PENN 2 is further evidence of the district’s appeal to the world’s most iconic brands in business, lifestyle and entertainment.”
As part of its recently completed $750 million redevelopment of PENN 2, Vornado installed a highly efficient modern glass curtain wall; a triple-height lobby; 16 double-height outdoor tenant loggias; and The Bustle. PENN 2 will incorporate 30,000 s/f of retail, including the Dynamo Room, a 7,100 s/f full-service restaurant and bar from Sunday Hospitality. The building also features 72,000 s/f of outdoor green spaces; The Perch, a rooftop glass pavilion and event space that opens onto a landscaped 17,000 s/f private green space available to all tenants; and a 280-seat Town Hall suspended above Plaza33. PENN 2 is also the headquarters location for Madison Square Garden and Major League Soccer.
The Penn District campus is situated above North America’s most accessible and active mass transit hub. A total of 15 subway lines, along with Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit, PATH, Amtrak all converge in the district. They will be joined by Metro-North commuters starting in 2027.