Designer Ralph Lauren has expanded its existing office space at the Starrett-Lehigh Building, known as 601 West 26th Street in Manhattan's Chelsea neighbourhood, by 22,000 square feet. The company will thus occupy a total of 280,000 square feet in RXR's building.
The expansion grants the luxury brand access to the second-floor mezzanine, in addition to its existing offices on the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors. Ralph Lauren has signed a 13-year lease, as announced by landlord RXR, without disclosing the asking rent. The average office rent in Midtown South was USD 86.38 per square foot in May, according to a report by CBRE.
Eric Deutsch of CBRE negotiated on behalf of Ralph Lauren, while Daniel Birney and Denise Rivera handled the transaction internally for RXR. Mr. Deutsch did not respond to a request for comment, and RXR declined to comment further.
The current expansion follows a realignment of Ralph Lauren's space utilisation at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. In October 2023, the company last renewed a lease for 250,000 square feet. However, the currently occupied area is significantly smaller than at peak times.
Ralph Lauren began consolidating its offices at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in 2017, leasing 450,000 square feet at its peak in 2018. The current expansion to 280,000 square feet underscores the continued strategic importance of the location for the brand.
