'The Finer Touches': Plaza District Boutique Workplace Gets Glow-Up

A premier office tower in Manhattan’s Plaza District, 510 Madison Avenue, is on the verge of completing a multimillion-dollar revamp of its lobby, coupled with a reimagining and expansion of its client amenities spaces.

The 345K SF, 30-story boutique building, home to a roster of elite hedge funds and other financial services firms, was a leader in amenitization when first completed in 2010.

“It was the perfect time for a refresh,” says Heather Kahn, senior vice president of leasing at BXP, the building’s owner. “In today’s dynamic marketplace, our clients expect the best, and we’re committed to delivering it.”

BXP’s major capital program for the building includes the creation of new client lounges and conference spaces as well as complete overhauls of the building’s fitness studio, sixth-floor lounge and outdoor garden terrace.

“The program ups the hospitality quotient,” Kahn said. “It’s also part of BXP’s broader hospitality-driven strategy, which we have been implementing across our workplace portfolio in New York and across the country.”

NYSE-listed BXP, a real estate investment trust, has recently incorporated client lounges and other new amenity offerings at other trophy assets, including The General Motors Building and 7 Times Square, Kahn said.

“Each building is unique,” Khan added. “For instance, at 601 Lexington Avenue, we opened a food hall and regularly host events in the building’s public plaza.”

Evenings On The Terrace

When a client recently vacated their traditional office space on the building’s sixth floor, BXP opted to take the space back and transform it into a second client lounge that opens out onto a terrace.

“This space offers a distinct experience from the ground floor, featuring plush lounge seating and perched workspace — forgoing traditional conference rooms,” Kahn said. “The design is more open and inviting.”

The terrace itself has also been completely transformed into an airy oasis with lush plantings, new seating and an outdoor bar.

“We were inspired by the building’s clients, who were using outdoor spaces to host their own clients and were organizing more evening events,” Kahn said.

Overall, the improvements were geared towards giving the building’s clients more choice, she added.

“Clients today want more,” Kahn said. “They want breakaway spaces where they can meet with their colleagues to collaborate, host visitors or take a break from their own four walls for heads-down work,” Kahn said. 

Across its portfolio, BXP is committed to providing on-site opportunities to promote a more productive lifestyle for its building clients, Kahn said.

“If our clients want to work at their dedicated desks, they can do so,” Kahn said. “If they want to spend 30 minutes in a different environment, they can do that too.”

In 2025, hospitality-driven workplace design is essential to ensuring a premier building’s success, she said.

‘Comfortable But Professional’

At 510 Madison, BXP’s approach to hospitality starts with the entry experience. In the lobby, clients and visitors are greeted with soothing tones, luxurious materials and bespoke artwork. 

“Hospitality also means shared common spaces that are warm and welcoming, with a sense of place that’s a cross between work and home,” Kahn said. “The vibe is comfortable but still professional.”

That hospitality continues into the clients’ own spaces, where the building’s experienced site management team frequently checks in and addresses clients’ needs, she added.

Finally, the approach encompasses the finer touches.

“It’s also about the spa-like scent of the cleansers in the fitness studio showers, which are the same high-end brands you’ll find in a luxury hotel,” Kahn said.

‘Bright and Remarkable’

Surrounded by other top-tier buildings, world-class shopping, and amazing restaurants, 510 Madison’s location on the corner of 53rd Street in Manhattan’s Plaza District has always been its biggest draw, Kahn said.

“It’s a boutique tower at a coveted address,” Kahn said.

The building’s slab heights of 13’6” and ten-foot floor-to-ceiling windows make 510 Madison’s column-free spaces “bright and remarkable,” she said.

“The building’s floor plates are in a sweet spot, in terms of size, for boutique financial firms,” Kahn said.

Beginning in late 2025, several floors in the building will be available for lease.

“We believe that enhancing the building’s offerings drives leasing velocity,” Kahn said. “For our super-high-end clients, only the very best will do.”

This article was produced in collaboration between BXP and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.