Tishman Speyer reaches agreement with Brooklyn Defender Services for 212,000 s/f at The Wheeler

Brooklyn, NY Tishman Speyer reached an agreement with Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) to establish its headquarters within The Wheeler, its 10-story development located at 422 Fulton St.

As part of a 31-year lease, BDS’ offices will encompass 212,000 s/f across six full floors. A public defense office whose mission is to provide outstanding representation and advocacy free of cost, BDS will bring together its workforce from multiple downtown locations this year. 

Tishman Speyer’s 617,000 s/f development is now fully leased to a roster of NYC nonprofit institutions. Brooklyn Prospect signed an agreement last March to create a new high school campus across 150,000 s/f, and St. Francis College relocated its entire campus to over 255,000 s/f of contemporary educational space at The Wheeler in 2022.

Tishman Speyer was represented in-house by Megan Sheehan and a CBRE team of Mary Ann Tighe, Joseph Cirone, Masha Dudelzak, Zachary Price, Gerry Miovski. BDS was represented in the transaction by Jonathan Franzel and Ryan Gessin of Newmark.

“We are pleased to welcome Brooklyn Defender Services to The Wheeler,” said Tishman Speyer senior managing Ddirector Chris Shehadeh. “With its modern workspaces and highly accessible location in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn, The Wheeler proved to be an ideal fit for BDS and its esteemed team of professionals.”

“Signing this long-term lease marks a major investment in the future of our organization and the people who make this important work possible,” said Lisa Schreibersdorf, executive director, Brooklyn Defender Services. “These new headquarters will allow us to provide an inspiring, collaborative and supportive environment for our staff, the people we serve and surrounding communities. This new space strengthens our ability to provide high-quality legal representation and the best possible outcomes for the people we serve for decades to come.”