Vornado Realty Trust is increasing its focus on its $2 billion investment in the redeveloped Penn Station-area office towers by bringing in new dining options, including a 150-seat outpost of the Bromberg brothers’ Blue Ribbon empire at Penn 1. This move marks Vornado’s most significant culinary endeavor at its Penn campus, which has seen tremendous success since its $450 million redesign two years ago. The addition of trendy restaurants is just one of the many improvements and amenities implemented by Vornado, transforming the once lackluster 1970s building into a thriving office space.
Industry experts credit the success of the Penn campus to the new food options that were previously unimaginable in the area. One commercial broker, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, “That building was going to be an albatross for Vornado in this market. It badly needed a new image and [Vornado chairman] Steve Roth had just the right idea.”
Alongside the introduction of trendy restaurants, Vornado has also made significant enhancements to the building, such as a striking new lobby featuring unique “stadium” seating. These improvements, combined with the new dining offerings, reflect the changing landscape of the area, which has been overshadowed by dining destinations in Manhattan West and Rockefeller Center.
The Bromberg brothers’ Blue Ribbon Sushi & Steak, located on the West 33rd Street side of the tower, will open on October 24th. It promises to be a unique dining experience, offering sushi and steak in the same location, along with signature dishes like oxtail fried rice and fried chicken that have been beloved by Blue Ribbon patrons for 30 years. Additionally, Los Tacos No. 1, known for its authentic Mexican tacos, is set to open in November on the 33rd Street side, where Vornado is creating a pedestrian mall between Seventh and Eighth avenues.
Further culinary additions include the first Roberta’s restaurant outside of Brooklyn, scheduled to open in spring 2024. There are also plans for new venues from Sunday Hospitality, the team behind the popular Cafe Chelsea, and pasta shop Bar Primi. In addition, PENN 1 offers a large sit-down cafe called The Landing on the mezzanine level, operated by DMK Hospitality and David Morton of the Morton’s steakhouse chain, as well as a grab-and-go cafe called Office Hours.
These diverse dining options are part of Vornado’s vision for a comprehensive “WorkLife” environment on the tower’s first three floors, covering 160,000 square feet. This includes the Life Time wellness center and an Industrious-managed flexible workspace, catering to the evolving needs of professionals.
Vornado’s efforts have paid off, with major tenants such as Samsung, Dell, Empire Health, Cisco, Hartford Insurance, Jacobs Engineering, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo securing office leases at PENN 1. According to Vornado President Franco, the buildings now compete at the top tier of the marketplace. Glen Weiss, co-head of real estate, added that negotiations for several prospective large new leases are currently underway at PENN 1.
Vornado’s influence extends to nearby Moynihan train station, where it operates the food hall and recently opened The Irish Exit, a spinoff of the popular downtown bar Dead Rabbit.
Although not part of the larger Penn Station district, which was slated for massive redevelopment, PENN 1 and PENN 2 (which is still under redevelopment) remain integral to Vornado’s investment in the area. Vornado owns various sites in the district, including the recently demolished Pennsylvania Hotel.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
