NYC neighborhood brushes off industrial-era gloom to lure major tenants like Google, Disney

Hudson Square is ready for its closeup.

The Lower Manhattan district — more of a trapezoid bounded roughly by Clarkson and Canal streets on the north and south, and between West Street and Sixth Avenue — has become a major draw for some of the biggest names in tech and media.

Sixteen creative and media companies have moved to Hudson Square since Google and Disney gobbled up more than a combined 4 million square feet last year and in 2025.

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According to the Hudson Square Business Improvement District, the area saw 915,000 square feet of new leases and renewals in the past 12 months, its strongest performance since 2019.

The hot first quarter of 2025 included a 366,000 square-foot renewal by Horizon Media and a new, 32,000 square-foot lease for Brooklinen, which moved to 225 Varick St. from DUMBO in Brooklyn.

Overall, the area’s 12 million square feet of offices boast a relatively low vacancy rate of 16.5% — down from 17.9% a year ago, according to the Hudson Square BID.

That rate drops dramatically to 11.4% when excluding the century-old 345 Hudson St. and the brand new 555 Greenwich St., which just completed a combined redevelopment by Hudson Square Properties.

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Home to the city’s printing industry in the early and mid-20th century, Hudson Square is mostly filled with squat early 20th Century buildings that aren’t very picturesque.

However, Jacob McNally, the BID’s vice president of planning and capital projects, credited their flexible layouts, large floor plates and lots of natural light through large windows — and the area’s proximity to mass transit — for the district’s rising stature as a nexus for what many regard as glamour industries.

“These are advantages that appeal to creative and media tenants who depend on collaboration, innovation and access to top talent,” McNally said.

“Plus, our sizable and adaptable inventory supports company growth without relocation, and while rents aren’t as deeply discounted as pre-2010s, the variety of space accommodates a range of budgets.”

Google — which has a footprint that includes offices at 555 Washington St., and 315 and 345 Hudson St. — and Disney, at gleaming new 7 Hudson Square, are the office market’s zillion-ton gorillas.

The district also recently attracted Good Karma Brands to 155 Sixth Ave., digital technology specialists Madison Black to 330 Hudson St., custom printing agency Industrial Designs NYC to 175 Varick St., book publisher Phaidon Press to 180 Varick St., and global digital sports platform Fanatics to 345 Hudson St.

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Hudson Square Properties, a joint venture of major landowner Trinity Church, Norges Bank and operating partner Hines, owns 13 of the buildings, representing nearly half of the district’s office stock.

The neighborhood is abuzz with young workers who are drawn to the creative industries. A BID survey of the area’s demographics found that over 70% of employees in Hudson Square are under 35 years of age.

But for all the area’s recent success, it remains overshadowed by glamorous Soho, Tribeca and the West Village, all of which it borders — despite having a 60,000-strong workforce in the fields of advertising, design, media and communications.

“We’re trying to expand our out-of-neighborhood awareness,” McNally chuckled.

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The district has a growing restaurant scene, with such fine-dining spots as Cesar and Port Sa’id, but lacks retail options.

The BID, meanwhile, is working to beautify Hudson Square’s rougher edges.

It planted more than 500 trees and is planning a massive overhaul of a city-owned plaza that has been mostly vacant for about 100 years.

McNally said the BID’s master plan is fully funded with public money, roughly $4.25 million. 

“We’re partners with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Parks Department to create a lively, recreational space close to the West Village. We hope to make it a gateway between the neighborhoods,” he said.

The BID plans to break ground next spring on the year-long project, McNally added.