Why Conde Nast Might Move To "Creepy" Ground Zero

Last week, it was revealed that publisher Conde Nast was mulling moving to One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower). The Observer spoke to one Conde executive who pointed out that at their current building, 4 Times Square, "We're paying below market rent here, and at some point, it goes to market. That's a huge jump. When we moved to Times Square, market rent was nothing like what it will be when our lease expires." Still, other Conde veterans are down on a move to Ground Zero, offering, "The place is a cemetery. It's creepy," and "There's not one person from editors on down who wants to move down there. Even people who could walk there don't want to move there."

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By Jen Chung in News on May 19, 2010 4:09 PM

Comments [rss]

hanbush

If I had a Frank Gehry cafeteria I wouldn't want to move either.

artimustgone

Note to Gothamist editors: Please please please stop calling it the "Freedom Tower." Nobody else uses the name, which was a political gimmick that should be allowed to fade from use as quickly as possible.

Fergs34

Boohoo. Bitch when your company moves you from midtown to Stamford, CT.

JRod5417

These people have nothing legitimate to complain about. I would kill to work in lower Manhattan again. My company shipped us out to Jersey City. Now that, my friends, sucks!

jules1000

I want to have their problems.

chrisk

our office moved down here from midtown. i can confirm it sucks. and for me, its not a transportation issue (eg metro north access or whatever). it just sucks. the only thing better is the architecture and the fact that the island is narrower so all subways are pretty close. everything else sucks.

Stewart

Did they interview anyone intelligent?

The building where the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occurred now belongs to NYU (I think it's the Brown building). Is that "creepy" too?

yamon

Not knowing the demographics of the work force this will be pure speculation, but I hazard a guess

a) most find midtown more convenient for trans

b) they don't like change - and who WOULD be in favor of moving offices, it's a major PIA

c) they are plain and simple fuckchops

The quicker this building fills up the better off nyc is - regardless of how "creepy" it is...which it isn't after near 10 years ya stupid facks.

aveB4life

I work down here and it sucks balls.

longacre

Not that it was ever a real hip neighborhood, but once more construction is completed and more people are working down there, new restaurants and bars and shops will pop up.

Kojak

Its not so bad... during the week anyway...

At least you have stone street. Tourists don't waltz around there.

theLtrain

OOO a chipotle and a duane reade. Slammin' block dude.

EastRiver

More likely they're just being elitist snobs who don't want to leave midtown.

longacre

This. Even WSJ moved uptown.

kane

Even people who could walk there don't want to move there.

If they could walk there, don't they already live in the area?

alice17

They don't want their office to move there. Understand?

yg

Actually I don't. If they live in the area, that implies that the "creepiness" factor does not affect them. What is then the problem with working in the area?