Facebook doubles down on work-from-office with massive NYC lease near Penn Station

The building has long been central to the schemes for renewing Penn Station, with its gorgeous facade abutting Eighth Avenue that many planners believed could be the locus for a new competitor to Grand Central Station after the original Penn Station was torn down decades ago.

While certainly a strong indication that New York Citys tech scene remains vibrant, the move is curious given the tech industrys broad movement toward remote work over the past few months. Facebook itself has said that it is going to allow remote work well into the future, and also will build more regional hubs in cities like Dallas.From our article in May, The Facebook CEO estimated that over the course of the next decade, half of the company could be working fully remotely.

Rumors about Facebook taking the Farley building have persisted since last year, and even Apple was believed to be eyeing the location to expand its Big Apple presence.

Office space of this size and caliber is hard to find, which is likely why Facebook pulled the trigger now instead of waited for more information related to the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the future of work. Nonetheless, the company seems clear in its mentality: workers are going to have more space to come into work, perhaps with some more flexible working arrangements on the side.

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