BBVA reached an agreement with Brookfield Properties to move its New York office from 1345 Avenue of the Americas to the new complex at Two Manhattan West. The bank will move to a new 74,000 square feet space on the 8th and 9th floor of the skyscraper.
BBVA’s new headquarters in Madrid has been built according to the strictest sustainability criteria to ensure minimal environmental impact. Thanks to the smart systems built into the new Ciudad BBVA it has been possible to achieve energy consumption rates of 30%. Potable water consumption has been also cut by half and 100% of waste is recycled.
“We are looking forward to moving into a prime building in a very attractive location to provide the best possible experience to our BBVA team in New York. This is one more step in our growth plans in the US, as well as in our commitment to sustainability, by choosing a building powered by renewable energy,” said Regina Gil, Head of BBVA CIB in the U.S. BBVA employees will begin the transfer at the end of 2024. The quality of the building, its amenities, location and environmental aspects were the main reasons for the change in location.
Reducing the impact of BBVA’s activity on the environment is one of the bank’s strategic objectives to fight against climate change and promote sustainable development. With this goal in mind, the design, construction and selection of the Group’s corporate headquarters is also optimized. The bank also has a Global Eco-Efficiency Plan that establishes interannual goals designed to reduce direct impacts by 2025, such as reducing the amount consumed per employee of electricity by 10 percent, of energy consumption by 7 percent, of water and paper by 11 percent and of waste by 4 percent.
A more sustainable office
Construction of Two Manhattan West is now complete, and the building offers state-of-the-art workspaces and amenities. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the complex is LEED-Gold certified. The building features energy efficient design, optimization of electrical service performance, the use of sustainable materials, and the maximization of natural light.
BBVA will move to two floors of the recently completed Two Manhattan West tower in New York – Brookfield Properties
As part of Brookfield Properties’ commitment to transition its entire U.S. office portfolio to be powered by zero-emissions electricity by 2026, Two Manhattan West will procure 100 percent of its electricity needs from run-of-river hydropower facilities located in upstate New York. The real estate firm will also provide digital metrics to each of its tenants, allowing them to monitor the portion of the building’s total electricity consumption for which they are responsible.
“We are pleased to welcome BBVA to its new headquarters at Two Manhattan West, a trophy tower that sets the standard for workplace excellence,” said Callie Haines, Executive Vice President, Northeast Region Head, Brookfield Properties. “As we celebrate the completion of Two Manhattan West, marking the final piece of the transformative Manhattan West development, we are proud to add BBVA to our esteemed tenant roster and look forward to the start of a long relationship with the firm.”
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With the addition of BBVA, Two Manhattan West is now over 80 percent leased. BBVA joins major tenants such as KPMG, global law firms Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Clifford Chance, and investment and technology development firm the D.E. Shaw Group.