World Trade Center (WTC) is a complex in Lower Manhattan consisting of five (possibly soon to be six) high-rise office buildings, a museum, a park, a transportation hub, and a memorial. “World Trade Center” sometimes refers to the building complex destroyed on Sept. 11th, 2001, or to a single building among those rebuilt after the attack, but here the term is used to describe the new cluster of buildings on that site. Some sources consider World Trade Center to be part of the Financial District, which is why some of our top listings described below are designated as FiDi locations.
Renting office space in Manhattan’s World Trade Center would mean working among growing companies such as Moody’s, a business and financial services company; Conde Nast, a magazine publisher; WilmerHale, a law firm; Spotify, a music, podcast, and video streaming service; and MediaMath, a software company.
What Our Brokers Say About World Trade Center Office Space for Lease
World Trade Center is perhaps best known for the building named after it: 1 World Trade Center, the tallest building in both the United States and the Western Hemisphere. It is part of a group of up to six skyscrapers currently under construction. The other high-rise buildings in the complex include 225 Liberty Street, formerly called Two World Financial Center; 3 World Trade Center; 4 World Trade Center; 5 World Trade Center, which has yet to be completed; and 7 World Trade Center.
1 World Trade Center: One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower, is the world’s sixth tallest building and the nation’s tallest building at 104 stories. It houses more than 3 million square feet of rentable space. The One World Observatory, which takes up the top three floors of One World Trade Center, boasts incredible views of New York City and is open to the general public. Visitors can scale the building’s 100+ floors in less than 60 seconds, thanks to service from one of the world’s fastest elevators. The building features a large, 65-foot high lobby on the ground floor, a sky lobby on the 64th floor that features an incredible view of the river, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
225 Liberty Street (Two World Financial Center): This is one of our top-rated locations in World Trade Center for leasing office space. See the “Top commercial real estate listings” section below for a description along with our other building recommendations in the area.
3 World Trade Center: Also called 175 Greenwich street after its location on the eastern side of the World Trade Center complex, this building is 80 stories high, with 2.5 million square feet of office space and a 60-foot high lobby. In 2013, GroupM signed a 20-year lease here.
4 World Trade Center: 4 World Trade Center, or 150 Greenwich Street, is home to the Port of Authority of New York and New Jersey headquarters. It is a 72-story office with 2.5 million square feet of office space and 140,000 square feet of retail space.
7 World Trade Center: 7 World Trade Center, or 250 Greenwich Street, is a 52-story office tower offering more than 1.7 million square feet of office space. It was awarded the Municipal Art Society of New York’s 2006 award for Best New Building, as well as the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter’s 2006 Merit Award for Architecture. The building’s majestic lobby is 45 feet high.
World Trade Center also includes the 9/11 memorial and museum, and houses the PATH train station. The World Trade Center Transportation Hub isn’t just a way to get around—it’s a landmark and tourist destination. Its centerpiece, the Oculus, is a large glass and steel structure designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
World Trade Center isn’t all business. It includes 496 restaurants, 5,400 hotel rooms, and 1,076 places to shop. If you’re planning a business lunch, look up ONE Dine at One World Observatory, Osteria della Pace, Nobu Downtown, Ruchi or Morton’s The Steakhouse. Need to take a stroll? Explore a nearby park such as Silverstein Family Park, Liberty Park, or the 9/11 Memorial Park, or take a walk along the Hudson River. If you need to house freelancers or visiting business partners, check out the New York Marriott Downtown, Club Quarters, World Trade Center, or Four Points by Sheraton.
World Trade Center Commercial Space For Lease | By the numbers
| Office Space for Rent | Price per square foot |
| Class A | $121 |
| Class B | $72 |
World Trade Center Office Space | Lease Data & Trends
The World Trade Center complex houses nearly 21 million square feet of total inventory, and right now almost 16 percent of it is available for leasing to new tenants. Those looking for office space in this corner of Lower Manhattan will find plenty of open options. The average asking rent in the World Trade Center area is just under $79.50 per square foot, which is slightly lower in price than the $81 per square foot New York City average. Prices will, of course, vary by building and floor. World Trade Center office leases are comparable in price to offices in Greenwich Village, Columbus Circle, Plaza District, Hudson Yards, and Times Square.
If you’re looking to begin your search for space in One World Trade Center or one of the other office buildings in the area, or just want more information on these buildings, contact us today.
Getting Around: Transportation in World Trade Center
World Trade Center is located near the Southwest tip of Manhattan, tucked between Tribeca and the Financial District. Some sources call World Trade Center a complex instead of a neighborhood and consider it part of the Financial District.
World Trade Center is very walkable and includes excellent public transportation services. Companies in this part of the city enjoy a range of public transit options such as subways, trains, buses, and ferries. As an extra added perk, those working in the WTC buildings have weather-protected access to most of these transportation options. The nearby WTC Transportation Hub and the MTA Fulton Transit Center make getting to and from World Trade Center fast and convenient.
The World Trade Center Transportation Hub is located at 290 Broadway and is surrounded by Fulton, Greenwich, and Church Streets, as well as WTC 3. The Fulton Transit Center, located at the intersection of Fulton Street and Broadway, is both a transportation hub and a retail complex.
Between the WTC Transportation Hub and the Fulton Transit Center, commuters have a variety of train and bus services to choose from. Commuters can take the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, E, R, W, J, and Z trains, the Staten Island Ferry, East River Ferry, or the PATH train from Jersey City and Hoboken. Commuters can easily get to and from many parts of Brooklyn and Queens on the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, R, J, and Z trains. The most easily accessible bus routes are M5, M9, M20, M22, and M103.
The best locations to catch a taxi are 7 World Trade Center at the corner of Barclay Street and Greenwich Street and 4 World Trade Center at the corner of Liberty and Church Streets. Those who prefer to drive to work can find parking at 75 West Street, 90 West Street, and 73 Church Street.
The closest Citi Bike stations to World Trade Center are Murray Street and West Street; Barclay Street and Church Street; South End Avenue and Liberty Street; and Vesey Place and River Terrace.
Nearby airports include LaGuardia Airport (LGA), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and Newark International Airport. For those who work in World Trade Center, the numerous public transit services in the area make these airports easily accessible.
Top Commercial Properties For Lease In World Trade Center
Businesses eyeing World Trade Center for rental opportunities will benefit from its immediate proximity to multiple kinds of transportation services; FiDi, the world’s leading financial center; and Tribeca, a beautiful and safe place to live. See the “What our brokers say” section for descriptions of all of the buildings located within the WTC complex.
Here are three of SquareFoot’s top picks for office space seekers in the World Trade Center area. The first is actually located within the WTC complex; the second two spaces are technically located outside the complex, in the Financial District.
– 225 Liberty Street: This building is usually called “225 Liberty Street” after its location in the WTC complex, but it’s also sometimes called Brookfield Place or 2 World Financial Center. This 44-floor, 645-foot tall building is one of the tallest in the Financial District. It houses 2.5 million square feet of office space, and right now two floors (each with about 20,000 square feet of space) are vacant and available for rent. Current tenants include Time, Inc.; Hudson’s Bay Company; BNY Mellon; State Street Corporation, Commerzbank, and Oppenheimer Funds. With a Walk Score of 98 and access to multiple types of public transportation, it’s easy to get to 225 Liberty Street. Take trains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, E, R, W, and more to reach this destination. Those who want to drive can use Central Parking. If you’re looking to tour office spaces in this building, or just want more information on available space, we can help.
– 67 West Street: Built in 1920, 67 West Street is located at the corner of Rector Street and West Lane. It is near the World Trade Center complex in the Financial District. It has 18 floors and more than 600,000 square feet of office space. Right now, two suites and two floors, all about 34,000 square feet in size, are available for rent. Easily access 67 West Street via trains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, E, J, R, W, or Z. Starbucks, Bean And Bean, several pubs, a TGI Friday’s, and BLT Bar & Grill are all within walking distance. Inquire for pricing or a tour of spaces at 67 West Street.
– 22 Cortlandt Street: 22 Cortlandt Street is an office building in the Financial District on the corner of Cortlandt Street and Dey Street. It is very close to One Liberty Plaza, City Hall, and the New York City Supreme Court. Built in 1973, 22 Cortlandt Street has 34 stories, 34 units, and 650,000 square feet of rentable space. Currently, only one 50 square foot unit is available for rent, but stay tuned for other spaces that may open soon. Inquire for a tour and pricing information. Current notable tenants at this location include WeWork, DXC Technology, New York City Office of Labor Relations, NY Auto Insurance Plan, LOS, and Public Health Solutions. Get to 22 Cortlandt Street via trains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, E, J, R, W, Z, and more.
World Trade Center Neighborhood History
The original World Trade Center opened in 1973 and had seven buildings. On Sept. 11th, 2001, an attack destroyed One World Trade Center and 2 World Trade Center—the Twin Towers—which at the time were the world’s tallest buildings. The other buildings in the complex included the Marriott World Trade Center (3 WTC), 4 WTC, 5 WTC, 6 WTC, and 7 WTC. All together, the buildings housed 13,400,000 square feet of office space.
Seven World Trade Center, which opened on May 23, 2006, was the first building completed of the new World Trade Center Complex and has 52 floors. On Nov. 12, 2013, 4 World Trade Center opened—the building has a floor count of 78 and is made up principally of offices. Since then, developers have constructed three other buildings, with another one on the way. Originally, plans were made to construct 5 World Trade Center, but it is unclear what the site will be used for.
On Sept. 11, 2011, the Sept. 11 Memorial opened; on May 21, 2014, the museum opened; on Nov. 3, 2014, One World Trade Center opened. One World Trade Center, the chief building in the complex, is now the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. On March 4, 2016, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub began operating, with services to New Jersey and across New York City.
Today, World Trade Center is an important center for business, history, tourism, and transportation.
Things to do in World Trade Center
For those who live and work in World Trade Center, there are a variety of things to do in and around the area. Enjoy dazzling views of the Hudson River, which is close by. Or, as mentioned above, you can take in views of the city from up high at One World Trade Center’s top floor observatory. If you’re interested in architecture, make sure to take a tour of the Oculus; if it’s shopping you’re looking for, spend an afternoon in the Brookfield Place mall. For more information on things to do in World Trade Center, check out TripAdvisor.
Interested in leasing office space in World Trade Center? Want more information on office price and availability, or a curated list of spaces that will suit your business’s needs? Please contact us today.
