485 Lexington Avenue
485 Lexington Avenue stands as a highly functional, full-block office tower positioned at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and East 46th and 47th Streets, delivering both scale and efficiency in one of Midtown East’s most transit-oriented corridors. Rising with a strong, modernist profile, the building presents a clean glass-and-steel façade that emphasizes vertical lines and consistent window spacing, allowing for strong natural light penetration across multiple exposures.
The property contains approximately 950,000 square feet of office space across 32 stories, giving it the scale to accommodate both large institutional tenants and multi-floor users while still maintaining efficient leasing divisions throughout the tower. Its massing is defined by a tiered configuration that separates the podium, tower, and upper floors, which in turn creates opportunities for outdoor terraces and differentiated floorplate sizes that appeal to a wide range of tenant types.
Floorplates are notably flexible, with large podium floors in the range of approximately 40,000 to 45,000 square feet that can support dense workstation layouts or hybrid office configurations. These lower floors also benefit from terrace potential, adding a rare outdoor component to otherwise traditional Midtown office environments. Higher in the building, tower floors become more boutique in scale, typically around 14,000 square feet, making them well-suited for headquarters-style users seeking identity and separation within the building.
The lobby experience is designed with a contemporary, polished aesthetic, featuring high ceilings, stone finishes, and a structured reception desk that reinforces a professional arrival sequence. Vertical transportation is handled through multiple elevator banks that separate low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise zones, improving efficiency during peak hours.
At the base, the building integrates retail and service amenities directly into the tenant experience, including food, fitness, and childcare offerings, as well as on-site parking and bike storage—features that increasingly influence tenant decision-making in Midtown East. The full-block frontage along Lexington Avenue further enhances visibility and accessibility, while also allowing for multiple points of entry and service access.
Positioned within immediate proximity to Grand Central Terminal, the building benefits from one of the highest levels of commuter connectivity in New York City, supporting workforce accessibility from across the metropolitan region.
Overall, 485 Lexington Avenue delivers a combination of scale, floorplate flexibility, and infrastructure that makes it a highly adaptable asset for office tenants, particularly those seeking large contiguous space, outdoor elements, and direct access to Midtown’s primary transportation hub.
Technical Specifications
Height:
Approximately 450–500 feet to the roof (mid-rise Midtown tower; not a supertall but substantial within Grand Central cluster)
Floors:
32 stories
Total Building Size:
Approximately 950,000 square feet (rentable)
Floor Plate Breakdown
Podium Floors (Lower Levels):
• ~40,000 – 45,000 SF per floor
• Full-block scale, highly efficient rectangular layouts
• Suitable for trading floors, high-density teams, or large corporate divisions
Mid-Rise Floors:
• ~25,000 – 30,000 SF per floor
• Balanced efficiency + identity
• Ideal for multi-department tenants
Tower Floors (Upper Levels):
• ~13,000 – 15,000 SF per floor
• Boutique full-floor identity
• Strong perimeter exposure and views
Structural + Core
• Steel frame construction
• Central core layout (elevators, mechanical, restrooms consolidated centrally)
• Maximized perimeter window line for offices/workstations
• Curtain wall façade (glass + metal panel system)
Ceiling Heights
• Office floors: typically ~9’–10’ finished ceilings
• Slab-to-slab estimated: ~12’–13’
• Ground floor / retail: ~13’–16’ clear heights
Elevators & Vertical Transport
• Multiple elevator banks (low-rise / mid-rise / high-rise zoning)
• High-capacity system designed for Grand Central commuter traffic
• Separate freight/service elevators
Mechanical / Infrastructure
• Distributed HVAC systems with central plant
• Designed for high-density occupancy loads
• Multiple mechanical zones aligned with building tiers
• Modernized systems supporting Class A tenant requirements
Building Footprint
• Full-block presence on Lexington Avenue
• Runs between East 46th Street and East 47th Street
• Large base allows:
– Multiple entrances
– Retail frontage
– Loading/service access
Key Takeaway for Tenants
485 Lexington Avenue is technically defined by:
• Large podium plates (40K+ SF) for scale
• Smaller upper plates (~14K SF) for identity
• ~950K SF total / 32 floors
• Full-block efficiency + strong infrastructure
This is a volume + flexibility building, not a boutique tower—built to handle both dense occupancy and full-floor users cleanly.