Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESRT) (“ESRT”) is one of the first New York City real estate owners participating in the launch of WiredNYC, a rating platform that evaluates the broadband connectivity and infrastructure of office buildings.
The certification rating system, titled “Wired Certification,” will include grades of Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Connected, and broadband information will be shared publicly through a web platform, WiredScore.com. WiredNYC is also designed to serve as a template for other cities across the country, with a goal to expand the program into additional cities by the end of 2014.
“ESRT continues to be an industry leader in the implementation of technological advancements in existing buildings,” says Thomas P. Durels, ESRT’s Chief of Property Operations and Leasing. “WiredNYC is designed to provide transparent metrics for comparing office building technology and internet connectivity, which will enable tenants and brokers to make informed decisions when choosing to relocate offices. We are proud to be among the first to participate in its launch and implementation.”
Mr. Durels adds: “We have achieved Platinum or Gold ratings in all of our Manhattan properties, which means that our buildings have superior levels of internet connectivity and diversity, access to fiber-based broadband, telecom redundancy, capacity for new carriers and designated spaces for telecom within each building.”
The ratings are:
• Empire State Building – Platinum Wired Certified
• 112 West 34th Street – Platinum Wired Certified
• 501 Seventh Avenue – Platinum Wired Certified
• One Grand Central Place – Gold Wired Certified
• 250 West 57th Street – Gold Wired Certified
• 1333, 1350, 1359, 1400 Broadway – Gold Wired Certified
For more information about the rating system, please visit www.wiredscore.com.
About Empire State Realty Trust
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world’s most famous office building. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company’s office and retail portfolio covers 8.4 million rentable square feet, as of December 31, 2013, consisting of 7.7 million rentable square feet in 12 office properties, including seven in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut and two in Westchester County, New York; and approximately 623,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio. The Company also owns land at the Stamford, Connecticut Transportation Center that supports the development of an approximately 380,000 rentable square foot office building and garage and has an option to acquire two additional Manhattan office properties encompassing approximately 1.5 million rentable square feet of office space and over 150,000 rentable square feet of retail space at the base of the buildings.
* ESRT is the asset manager, but not the owner, of 112 West 34th Street and 1400 Broadway. It has an option to purchase these properties.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward looking statements”. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “intends,” “plans,” “pro forma,” “estimates,” “contemplates,” “aims,” “continues,” “would” or “anticipates” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in the forward-looking statements: the factors included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, including those set forth under the headings “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business and Properties.” While forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes after the date of this press release, except as required by applicable law. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could impact the Company’s future results, performance or transactions, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and other risks described in documents subsequently filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to the Company (or to third parties making the forward-looking statements).
