Versant Expands to 250K SF at Columbia Property Trust’s 229 West 43rd Street

Media company Versant has committed to a long-term expansion at the historic 229 West 43rd Street in Midtown Manhattan, increasing its footprint by 84,509 square feet. The firm, which initially leased 164,545 square feet at the property last year as temporary swing space, has signed an 18-year deal to occupy a total of 249,054 square feet across six floors in the Columbia Property Trust-owned building. The expansion includes the 11th, 12th, and 14th floors, with plans to incorporate custom media studios and an outdoor terrace on the 12th floor. Asking rents for the office space ranged from $70 to $85 per square foot.

The 16-story property, originally built in 1913 as the headquarters for The New York Times, is currently 96 percent leased. Versant plans to utilize the expanded space to house operations for its portfolio of media brands, including USA Network, E!, and SYFY. The building's office portion was acquired by Columbia Property Trust in 2015 for $516 million, while the retail component was purchased by Forum at Times Square in 2025.