Hudson Square Emerges as Manhattan Media and Tech Hub, Drawing Google, Disney and Other Major Tenants

Hudson Square has shed much of its industrial-era gloom, winning significant new tenants and posting its strongest leasing performance since 2019, according to neighborhood officials.

The Lower Manhattan district — roughly a trapezoid bounded by Clarkson and Canal streets and lying between West Street and Sixth Avenue — drew more than 4 million square feet of commitments from Google and Disney last year and this year, and has attracted 16 creative and media companies since those deals were announced. The Hudson Square Business Improvement District reported 915,000 square feet of new leases and renewals in the past 12 months.

The area’s office inventory totals about 12 million square feet, and vacancy has declined to 16.5% from 17.9% a year earlier, the BID said. When excluding two outlier properties — the century-old 345 Hudson Street and the brand-new 555 Greenwich Street — the vacancy rate falls to 11.4%.

Leasing momentum accelerated in the first quarter of 2025, with a 366,000-square-foot renewal by Horizon Media and a new, 32,000-square-foot lease for Brooklinen, which relocated from DUMBO to 225 Varick Street. Disney occupies its new New York City headquarters at 7 Hudson Square, and Google’s expanded footprint across the neighborhood has coincided with a cluster of other media and creative tenants.

Industry data compiled by the BID indicate that the mix of renovated industrial structures and newer office developments has helped reposition Hudson Square as an attractive alternative to established media and tech corridors elsewhere in Manhattan. Brokers and tenants have cited the neighborhood’s proximity to commuter routes, its inventory of open-plan office space, and recent capital investments in local real estate as factors supporting demand.

Developers and landlords have responded with both renovations of older properties and delivery of new construction intended to meet the needs of content, advertising and technology firms. The addition of high-profile headquarters and large renewals has helped absorb space across multiple buildings, contributing to the drop in headline vacancy.

While Hudson Square’s vacancy remains above the tightest levels in Manhattan, the narrowing gap is notable after a period in which many office markets nationwide faced elevated vacancy rates. The BID’s figures show leasing activity concentrated in both large blocks of space and smaller deals that reflect a continued appetite among creative and media firms to cluster near industry peers.

The neighborhood’s recent leasing activity marks a shift from its industrial past toward a media- and technology-oriented office market, with continued attention from national tenants and local companies alike. Observers say future leasing trends will hinge on broader office demand in New York City, delivery schedules for new buildings and how landlords continue to adapt older properties for modern workplace needs.

For now, Hudson Square’s combination of large headquarters commitments and a steady stream of creative-company moves has altered the neighborhood’s trajectory, helping to integrate it more firmly into Manhattan’s media and technology landscape.