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The Empire State Building has come a long way since the days when King Kong’s favorite skyscraper was mostly home to shoe wholesalers and dentists’ offices. The great landmark evolved into a mecca for finance and media after Empire State Realty Trust took it over in 2006 and launched a $550 million capital improvement program.
The newest tenant, global management consulting firm Kearney, just claimed the highest two office floors — 78 and 79, where it signed for 27,866 square feet. (Higher floors are broadcasting facilities and the Observatory.)
Kearney is moving from Seven Times Square. The asking rent was $88 per square foot. Empire State was 93% leased as of ESRT’s first-quarter earnings supplement.
![Sunset over the New York City skyline, featuring the Empire State Building and One Vanderbilt, viewed from Hoboken, New Jersey.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/sun-sets-empire-state-building-84742517.jpg?w=1024)
The landlord’s executive vice-president for real estate, Thomas P. Durels, said in an understatement, “Kearney employees will enjoy breathtaking views.” They’ll also have access to 65,000 square feet of new amenities that include a fitness center, seven dining options, a lounge, basketball and pickleball courts and golf simulators.