Theater District office space can be found in Midtown Manhattan. The Theater District—sometimes simply called “Broadway”—earned its name for its plethora of Broadway theaters, movie theaters, and other places of entertainment. Popular theaters in the Theater District include the Ambassador Theater, Bijou Theatre, New Amsterdam Theater, and the Palace Theatre. The Theater District is also home to a large number of recording studios, record label offices, theatrical agencies, and television studios.
Constant activity, world-class entertainment, and bright neon signs characterize this globally-known neighborhood. The Theater District also contains the Times Square office submarket. Sometimes called “The Crossroads of the World,” Times Square spans five streets and is one of the most popular destinations on the planet, with more than 50 million visitors per year. The Theater District is part of Midtown Manhattan, the largest central business district in the world. Naturally, the area is full of important finance companies.
What our brokers say about Theater District
Whether you come for the theater productions, the impressive talent pool, the numerous potential customers, the allure of one of the most iconic neighborhoods in New York City, the proximity to so many well-known businesses, it’s worth it to put down roots and secure Theater District office space.
The Brill Building, which has been standing since 1931, is an important office building, tourist attraction, and a piece of history. Located at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street just north of Times Square, the Brill Building is sometimes called the center of the American music industry of the 1960s. A large number of musicians, producers, and writers have worked in the building. At 11 stories tall with 175,000 square feet of rentable space, the Brill building still offers plenty of room for tenants to work. Currently, Broadway Video, New Vision Communications, KMA Music, Red Birds Records, SoundOne, and Studio Center work in the building.
As if the music industry and world-renowned theater productions didn’t bring enough interest to the area, the Theater District also contains Times Square, one of the most widely-known locations in the world. Times Square boasts up to 420,000 visitors per day and houses more than 1,500 businesses. Common industries include entertainment, music, television, and finance. Though global corporations with household names are what usually come to mind when one thinks of Times Square, the neighborhood also has a healthy small business community. Thinking of moving a business to Times Square? The Times Square Alliance provides resources you may find useful.
The Theater District and Times Square are not only known for their theaters and finance companies but also for big-name entertainment and retail companies. Leasing Theater District office space means working alongside prominent companies like Disney, Starbucks, Microsoft Corp., CVS, Nickelodeon, Six Flags, Foot Locker, and The New York Times Company.
The Theater District isn’t all show business. Workers and visitors who need a break from the dazzling billboards, broadway shows, business deals, and office buildings will find plenty of restaurants, parks, and gyms to regroup. Meet colleagues for lunch or grab a bite to eat alone at one of these Foursquare-recommended restaurants in the Theater District: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Remi Restaurant, Sushiden, or Estiatorio Milos. If you need a break from all of the activity, just walk to Bryant Park or Central Park for a peaceful stroll. If you’re looking for some more intense exercise, get a gym membership at Equinox West 50th Street, Blink Fitness, or the Manhattan Athletic Club.
Theater District office space for lease | By the numbers
| Office Space for Lease | Price per square foot |
| Average | $85.50 |
| Class A | $90.25 |
Lease data & trends
The Theater District is part of the Midtown Manhattan office market, which currently houses more than 288 million square feet of office space, with more than 12 million more under construction. Office space in the Theater District typically costs just under $85.50 per square foot to rent. Theater District office rental pricing is similar to that of Grand Central and much lower than Plaza District and the Garment District. Most office space in Times Square is Class B, but some class A spaces are available there and in other parts of the Theater District. Class A office spaces in the Theater District are only slightly pricier at around $90.25 per square foot to rent. Also consider subleasing opportunities to find even cheaper leasing options in the Theater District.
Getting around: Transportation
Like most areas of Midtown Manhattan, the Theater District is highly walkable—it has a Walk Score of 99—and boasts top-notch public transportation. Whether locals and visitors want to get around by foot, take the subway, catch a train, or fly nationally or internationally, the Theater District has something for everyone.
One famous, historical transportation method in the Theater District is The Great White Way, which is the part of Broadway that passes through the Theater District between 42nd and 53rd Streets. It got its nickname in 1880 when it became one of the nation’s first electrically lighted streets. It was so bright that people started calling it “The Great White Way.”
Times Square and Port Authority offer access to 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, and W trains, as well as a shuttle to Grand Central Station. The 33rd Street Station for the PATH train is also nearby; the station connects with lines B, D, F, N, Q, R, and W, as well as with local buses. Easily accessible buses near the Theater District include M7, M104, M20, M5, M42, and M50. Conveniently located airports include the John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport.
West 54th Street borders the Theater District to the north, West 40th to the south, Six Avenue to the east, and Eighth Avenue to the west. Nearby neighborhoods include the Garment District, Hell’s Kitchen, Koreatown, Murray Hill, and NoMad.
Top commercial real estate listings in Theater District
Ready to secure office space in the Theater District? Chat with one of our knowledgeable brokers who will help you find the ideal space for your business. Or, just look up the Godfrey Building, One Astor Plaza, or 1540 Broadway, which are all SquareFoot-recommended properties in the neighborhood:
– 1540 Broadway: 1540 Broadway, previously called the Bertelsmann Building, is one of the few office buildings in Times Square to offer Class A office space. Built in 1990, it now stands at 44 stories high at the corner of Broadway and 45th Street. 1540 Broadway is home to a long list of big-name tenants, such as Pillsbury, Yahoo, Planet Hollywood, Disney, MAC, Forever 21, Sunglass Hut, and U.S. Polo Association. The building offers a micro food hall, barista bar, tenant lounge, fitness center, meeting spaces, a dedicated experience manager, and, of course, 1,100,000 square feet of rentable office space. Currently, more than 50 units ranging from 3,234 to 278,646 square feet in size are available for lease. Send us a message to learn more about pricing or to schedule a tour of the property. Access the building using trains 1, 2, 3, 7, B, D, F, M, N, R, S, or W. Several parking garages are located nearby as well. Grab lunch close to 1540 Broadway at Planet Hollywood, Buca di Beppo, Bond45, or Friday’s.
– 729 7th Avenue: The Godfrey Building stands at 729 7th Avenue and offers 164,000 square feet of Class B office space. It boasts a new 24/7 attended lobby, excellent large windows, high ceilings, and flexible floor plans. Snag the last available unit in the building while it’s still open; it is 3,533 square feet in size. Contact us for pricing and other details. The building is surrounded by various transit options, including Port Authority and west side subway lines; take lines 1, 2, 3, 7, A, B, C, D, E, F, M, N, R, S, or W to get here. Current tenants at 729 7th Avenue include Lighthouse eDiscovery, Lot 18 Holdings, Playbill, Dennis Riese, and The Broadway League.
– 1515 Broadway: One Astor Plaza, located at 1515 Broadway, used to be the location Astor Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in Times Square. Now, the building serves as the headquarters of Viacom—which leases around 1.4 million square feet of the building—and houses the Minskoff Theater, a 1,621-seat venue. Other tenants include Kiko Cosmetics, Swatch, Skechers, Allianz RE America, and SL Green Realty Corp. Designed by 20th Century architect Ely J. Kahn & Jacobs, this 54-story office tower is just steps away from 14 subway lines, Penn Station, and the Port Authority. Take trains 1, 2, 3, A, B, C, D, E, F, M, N, Q, R, W, or 7 to reach the building. One Astor Place has a new lobby, a built-in garage, and 1,750,000 square feet of office and retail spaces. For a time after it was constructed in 1972, the building was known as the W. T. Grant Building. Currently, two units, both 32,394 square feet in size, are available for rent. Contact us for pricing and other details.
History
Theater companies began unknowingly building our modern day Theater District when in the early 1900s, they started relocating from Union Square and Madison Square Garden farther north to the Times Square area. Mostly, they were moving to find less pricey real estate. In 1903, two of the oldest Broadway theaters, the New Amsterdam and the Lyceum, were built.
Once the electric light bulb was invented, Times Square began using the new technology to illuminate its now-famous enormous billboards. Theater companies began using this technology to advertise their productions; for example, The Red Mill was the first play to have an electric billboard advertisement. Once other productions started following suit, all the bright lights along Broadway helped that portion of the street earn its name, The Great White Way. In the 1920s, theater productions became even more popular, and 30 more venues popped up for housing shows in the area.
The Times Square portion of the Theater District got its name in 1904, when The New York Times publisher Adolph S. Ochs moved the newspaper into Times Tower. After that, people started calling the neighborhood “Times Square.” However, the publisher said the neighborhood was named without any requests or effort from the paper or its staff. Within a decade, the NYT needed a larger space to operate, but the paper left the building with a world-famous tradition we still repeat annually: the New Year’s Eve ball drop. The event was first held in 1907, and in 2018, more than 25 million people attended the event or watched it on TV to bring in the New Year. Countdown Entertainment, One Times Square and the Times Square Alliance now work together to put on the event each year.