Amazon, which recently told 350,000 employees it wants them all back in the office five days a week, apparently needs more room for them.
Jeff Bezos’ tech and retailing behemoth is in talks to lease all of HSBC’s 350,000 square feet at 452 Fifth Ave. when the bank moves to The Spiral next year, sources said.
Amazon is negotiating with tower owner PBC, an Israeli real estate giant. Different teams of JLL brokers are working both sides of the talks but none could be reached for comment.
An expansion to 452 Fifth, which is also known as 10 Bryant Park, would put Amazon staff next door to its Manhattan headquarters, the former Lord & Taylor Building at 424-434 Fifth Ave., where it has 2,000 employees
Sources cautioned that a signed lease is far from certain.
HSBC is the anchor tenant at 452 Fifth and its exit will leave a gaping availability.
The tower recently attracted several new tenants, including private equity firm 17Capital, which took 16,298 square feet early this year.
The asking rent on that lease was $160 per square foot, the Real Deal reported.
Amazon has struck huge deals in the city, most notably its $1.1-plus billion purchase of the L&T site in 2020.
But it has also walked away from several leases that looked like sure things, including for 400,000 square feet at Harborside in Jersey City.
When Amazon violated terms of a letter-of-intent with the Durst Organization for a large block at 1133 Sixth Ave., a court awarded Durst $21 million in damages.
