The Garment District is a New York neighborhood within midtown that deserves its designation as the Fashion District and the fashion capital of the world. After all, this Manhattan neighborhood’s impressive fashion industry generates about $14 billion in sales every year and the area employs around 11,000 workers. The Garment District is a unique place to do business because it offers opportunities for fashion moguls, young entrepreneurs, and recent immigrants alike.
The Garment District is widely known as the ultimate neighborhood for designers, stylists, wholesale buyers, students and, of course, shoppers from all over the world. Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Mood Fabric Store, Carolina Herrera, Liz Claiborne, and Andrew Marc represent some of the top-notch fashion labels that lease Garment District office space and production facilities in the area.
More than six thousand businesses operate out of spaces in the Garment District. Not all of them are fashion companies. Architecture firms, tech companies, and ad agencies have been moving into the area. The economy’s diversification has even led to some conversations about changing the New York district’s name. Especially in recent years, the Garment District’s tech startup community has grown. For example, pet supply delivery company PetFlow and coworking space Techstars, both have their headquarters in the Garment District neighborhood.
What our brokers say about Garment District
Despite its small size, taking up less than a square mile of space, the Garment District is home to more than 27,000 people. It’s a popular place to live, work, eat, visit, and, of course, shop. The Garment District “offers modern office towers, classic loft buildings, a central Midtown location, and the best transit network of anywhere in the city,” according to a Garment District Alliance report.
The Garment District is conveniently located near Times Square, Bryant Park and other popular destinations. Locals can walk to both Penn Station and Grand Central Station to easily access other areas of Manhattan and New York City. See the transportation section to see how the Garment District earned nearly perfect Public Transportation and Walk Scores.
The neighborhood attracts not only those businesses who work in the fashion industry but also shoppers and tourists. Tourism has risen by 12 million people every year since 2013. As the Garment District’s name suggests, the neighborhood is an excellent place to shop for clothes and the materials to make them. Here are just a few of the most renowned places to shop in the Garment District: M&J Trimming, Louis Vuitton, Urban Outfitters and Mood Designer Fabrics.
In part because of the increase in tourism to the area, the hotel industry has been on the rise. Today, there are 81% percent more hotel rooms in the Garment District than there were in 2013. Clients, partners, and visitors can choose from some of the city’s best hotels that are within close proximity of midtown, subway stations and central to the design district. Some top-rated hotel options in the Garment District include Refinery Hotel, Wyndham New Yorker, and Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan.
The Garment District is home to the Fashion Walk of Fame, which celebrates the influence of various American designers. Seventh Avenue in the Garment District is called Fashion Avenue because of the high number of famous designers who work or used to work there.
The Garment District includes plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, and gym options. Looking for a delicious and convenient place for a business lunch or meeting? Check out Casa Nonna, Ai Fiori, Savory, and Parker & Quinn. To work in the 21st century, all you need is Wifi and great office space, right? Well, some office workers also require a daily dose of great coffee. The Garment District won’t disappoint coffee lovers. Visit some of Foursquare’s top-rated coffee shop recommendations in the neighborhood: La Colombe Torrefaction, Blue Bottle Coffee, Culture 36, Culture Espresso, and Cafe Grumpy. A lot of employees might be interested in finding a local gym as well. Classpass recommends the following gyms in the Garment District: Killer Bodies, Crunch Gym, Fluid Fitness, and Yoga & Fitness Herald Square.
Garment District commercial space for lease | By the numbers
| Office Space for Rent | Price per square foot |
| Class A | $104 |
| Class B | $60 |
Garment District Office Space | Lease data & trends
The Garment District is part of the Midtown Manhattan submarket, which combines the Garment District’s commercial real estate numbers with that of Penn Plaza. Together, the Garment District and Penn Plaza house nearly 47.7 million square feet of total inventory, and almost 6 percent of it was open to new tenants as of Q1 of 2019. Developers are also adding almost 12 million more square feet to the two neighborhoods.
Those seeking office space in the Garment District can expect to pay an average of just over $82 per square foot for rent. That pricing is comparable with other popular New York City neighborhoods, such as Greenwich Village, Times Square, and World Trade Center. The Garment District average is also almost equal to the overall NYC office market rental average, which is just over $81 per square foot.
Penn Plaza/Garment office spaces are pretty evenly split between Class A and Class B, but the area has slightly more Class B options. Class A office space in Penn Plaza and the Garment District costs just over $104 per square foot to rent, and right now almost 4 percent of it is vacant and available to new renters. Class B office space in Penn Plaza/Garment costs an average of $60 per square foot to rent, and just over 7 percent of it is available to new tenants.
In more recent years office space tenants have wanted more flexible space options, prompting the opening of coworking locations across midtown and in the Garment District. Coworking providers can be found in spaces on 315 W 36th street, 500 and 530 7th avenue to name a few. Tenants are typically attracted to these coworking spaces for their flexible lease options and large number of amenities.
Getting around: Transportation in Garment District
The Garment District spans the west side of the midtown Manhattan area between Fifth and Ninth Avenue and between 34th to 42nd Streets. It is close to the Theater District, Times Square, Penn Station, the Flatiron District, and Hell’s Kitchen. The Garment District is very walkable with a Walk Score of 99. More than 30,000 pedestrians walk through the district every day. Locals enjoy excellent public transportation.
Businesses that lease offices in the Garment District can travel quickly to and from Times Square, Bryant Park and other popular destinations using one of the many transportation options for city and suburban residents. Access convenient nearby transportation locations at Penn Station and Grand Central Station—both of which are within walking distance—and Port Authority. Among these three transit hubs, commuters can access New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, Long Island Railroad, PATH, and Greyhound.
The Garment District has five subway stations providing easy access to offices there: 34th Street— Herald Square, 34th Street—Seventh Avenue, 34th Street—Eighth Avenue, Times Square—42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal, and 42nd Street—Bryant Park/Fifth Avenue. City residents and business commuters can access the Garment District via the 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, and W trains.
The Garment District is located in Midtown Manhattan to the south west of central park. Because of its proximity to Times Square and Port Authority, Garment District has some of the worst traffic in NYC, and there are not a lot of options to park for those who were to drive. Like most areas of NYC, Garment District streets are in a grid pattern, which makes it easier to navigate. The Garment District isn’t a particularly bike-friendly area.
Nearby airports include the John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Top Commercial Properties For Lease In Garment District
Those in search of office space listings in the fashion capital of the world should first check out these prime locations in the Garment District. What better site than the center of New York, NY? With some of the best transportation in the city, plenty of spaces and units to choose from, and well-known tenants to work alongside, these building listings are some of the best in the district.
– 214 West 39th Street: Built in 1910, 214 West 39th Street is a 12-story building located near the corner of West 39th Street and 7th Avenue. Currently, this location has three units available for rent ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet in size. Chief tenants include companies such as Experience Clothing Company, Taylor Vintage, Triple Fashions, Triple Fashion, and Flag & Anthem. The area around 214 West 39th Street has a Walk Score of 98 and a noise index of .41. Easily access 214 West 39th Street from nearby stations 42nd Street—Times Square or 34th Street—Penn Station on trains 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, or W.
– 1415 Broadway: 1415 Broadway is a highly sought-after location for not only fashion center tenants but also retail and banking tenants. Jones New York, Kellwood, Levi Strauss Co., Chase Manhattan Bank, and ATM facility businesses work out of this location. This 40-story Class A building was first built in 1970 and renovated in 1999. Business tenants and visitors of 1415 Broadway can enjoy relaxing views of the Hudson River. Easily get to this property from 42nd Street—Times Square, 34th Street—Penn Station, or 42nd Street—Penn Station. 1415 Broadway has two partial suites, one suite, and fifteen floors available for rent. Inquire for pricing orrequest a tour of 1415 Broadway.
– 241 West 37th Street: This Class C office building was built in 1913 and has 12 stories and 65 units. Notable business tenants working here include biotechnology company Viome and tour agency Tour America. Those tenants seeking office space will find plenty of availability at 241 West 37th Street. Right now, 29 different units, suits, and floors are available ranging from 685 to 21,760 square feet in size. Inquire for tours and pricing. 241 West 37th Street has a Walk Score of 98 and a Transit Score of 100. Easily access this location via trains 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, or W.
Garment District History: A Global Hub for Fashion
The Garment District began influencing what people wear and how they obtain their clothing back in the 1800s. Before the streets were lined with high fashion boutiques, it used to be home to a large collection of factories. Actually, the garment industry originated in the Lower East Side, where Jewish immigrants lived and worked. Updated workplace standards eventually inspired these workplaces to move near Fifth Avenue.
Middle-class Americans used to make their own clothing, and only rich people hired tailors to sew for them. During the Civil War, these tailors began collaborating to sew clothing in bulk for the soldiers. At the same time, skilled immigrants began moving to New York City, creating a labor force that could work in clothing factories. By 1910, approximately 70 percent of women’s clothing came from buildings in the Garment District. By 1931, the area boasted the most garment manufacturers of anywhere in the world. By 1960, the Garment District produced more than 90 percent of the nation’s garments.
Today, the Garment District is known as the fashion capital of the world and offers a huge variety of niche resources such as dress dying services, full production cutting and wholesale fabric manufacturers—all within one square mile of the midtown Manhattan neighborhood.
In the past year, the City Council has been working on a rezoning plan to help maintain the fashion manufacturing industry for which the neighborhood has long been known. “[This] marks another major milestone in a multi-year process to ensure a permanent home for garment manufacturers in New York City,” said Corey Johnson, the council’s speaker. The plan, which involves tax incentives and rules regarding the ratio of manufacturing space to office space, is intended to help preserve the Garment District’s rightful place as the hub for American fashion.
