New York and Miami-based hospitality brand Bondi Sushi has leased 4,400 square feet of space in the 1221 Avenue of the Americas office complex in Rockefeller Center, owner Rockefeller Group has announced. The parties involved disclosed no details regarding the specific terms of the deal, including lease length and asking rent.
Market data from property consultancy CBRE provides a guide to local price levels. According to the data, average prime retail rents in the neighbouring Plaza District along Fifth Avenue between 49th and 59th Street stood at $2,471 per square foot in the third quarter of 2026.
Expansion in an established Midtown location
For Bondi Sushi, the lease marks the chain's fifteenth location. Only in January, the company opened a new branch by Bryant Park at 461 Fifth Avenue, adding to further outposts across Manhattan and Brooklyn. David Hess, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Bondi Sushi, explained that menus and interior concepts have evolved in tandem. Planned additions include food and beverage offerings tailored specifically to larger groups, ranging from business lunches to events in private dining rooms.
On the landlord side, Marisa Gadlin, Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President at the Rockefeller Group, welcomed the transaction, noting that the concept brings a fresh and sophisticated dining offering to the property for office tenants, local residents and visitors. Gadlin handled the deal alongside Eric Gelber and Jordan Kaplan of CBRE. The tenant was represented by David Abrams and Jeff Jacobson of brokerage firm Masonre.
Dynamics across office and residential use
David Abrams of Masonre highlighted that Midtown Manhattan is once again playing a leading role in daytime footfall. Conversions of office buildings to residential use have ensured that the district's vibrancy now extends across the entire week rather than just five days. The combination of office workplaces, residential use and theatre offerings provides a resilient basis for this trend.
The tower at 1221 Avenue of the Americas comprises a total floor area of around 2.6 million square feet and is located between West 48th and West 49th Street. Office tenants in the building include international law firm Vedder, media company NBC Universal and law firm Mayer Brown. Other hospitality venues in Rockefeller Center include the steakhouse Del Frisco's.
