Durst Organization scores Empire State Development’s at 655 Third Ave

In another boost for the Durst Organization’s Third Avenue portfolio, the Empire State Development Corp. is moving its headquarters to 655 Third Ave.

The just-signed lease for 117,181 square feet might be Midtown’s largest new lease so far this year.

ESDC will fill five full floors in the 30-story, 425,000 square-foot tower.

The space was previously home to Mitsubishi, which moved to Durst’s 151 W. 42nd St., the former Four Times Square.

The asking rent was $69 per square foot.

The powerful state agency is leaving 633 Third Ave. where it has about the same amount of space.

Once a different, pending lease is finalized, 655 Third will be 85% leased, a Durst rep said.

Durst was repped in-house by Tom Bow, Ashlea Aaron and Bailey Caliban.

ESDC was repped by Newmark’s Moshe Sukenik and Brian Cohen and Manhattan Boutique Real Estate’s Joan Brothers.

The 1958-vintage 655 Third Ave. earned LEED Gold certification in 2019 with new sustainability features.

Durst has five prominent buildings on Third Avenue.

We recently reported that popular Italian restaurant Rosemary’s is coming to Durst’s 825 Third.