If you’ve ever walked past the corner of 44th Street and Avenue of the Americas, you’ve seen it. It’s that massive, unapologetic slab of travertine and glass that anchors the Bryant Park submarket. Some people call it the International Paper Building. Others just know it as 1133 6th Avenue. It doesn't have the flashy zig-zags of the newer Hudson Yards towers or the Art Deco crown of the Chrysler Building, but in the world of Manhattan commercial real estate, this building is a quiet giant. It’s a 1.1 million-square-foot fortress of American business.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a chameleon. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a classic example of 1970s modernist architecture or the most strategically located office hub in the city. The Durst Organization owns it. They’ve owned it since they built it in 1970, which, in New York real estate terms, is a lifetime. That kind of long-term family ownership changes the vibe of a building. It’s not being flipped every five years by a private equity group. There’s a sense of permanence here.
The Reality of 1133 6th Avenue Today
Walk into the lobby and you’ll realize this isn't some dusty relic of the Nixon era. Durst poured about $10 million into a massive renovation a few years back. They brought in a stunning light installation by Leo Villareal—the same guy who did the "Bay Lights" on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. It’s called Volume (1133). It’s hypnotic. You have these LED tubes that shift and pulse, making the white marble lobby feel less like a corporate bank and more like a contemporary art gallery.
It’s smart. That’s how you keep tenants like Steinway & Sons.
Yes, the legendary piano makers have their global flagship here. If you peer through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground floor, you’ll see rows of polished black grand pianos. It’s a weirdly beautiful contrast. Outside, you have the chaotic energy of 6th Avenue—yellow cabs honking, tourists wandering toward Times Square, delivery bikes weaving through traffic. Inside, it’s just silent, expensive mahogany and spruce.
The building fills a specific niche. It’s for the company that wants to be near the action but doesn’t want the "tourist trap" feel of being directly on 42nd Street. You’re steps from Bryant Park. That’s the real selling point. In the summer, you can grab a sandwich and sit on the lawn. In the winter, you’ve got the ice rink and the shops. For a recruiter trying to convince a Gen Z coder or a high-level executive to commute into Midtown, proximity to the park is a massive leverage point.
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Who is Actually Inside?
The tenant roster at 1133 6th Avenue is a snapshot of the New York economy. You’ve got a mix of "old guard" and "new school."
Take the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). They aren't just a tenant; they have a whole setup here, including a professional-grade practice court. Think about that. Somewhere in the middle of a Midtown office building, there’s a court where NBA stars are literally shooting hoops between meetings. It’s wild. Then you have the big financial and legal players. The Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler law firm occupies a huge chunk of the upper floors. They’ve been there forever.
Bank of America has a massive presence too. But it's not just banks.
ING Financial Services is a cornerstone tenant.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is there.
Chubb has a footprint.
The floor plates are interesting. They’re large—roughly 25,000 to 35,000 square feet. In modern office design, that's the "Goldilocks" zone. It’s big enough for a massive open-plan tech office but can be easily carved up for boutique firms. Because the building is a standalone tower with three street frontages, the natural light is actually decent, which isn't always a given in the "canyons" of Midtown.
The Sustainability Factor
People don't usually associate 1970s skyscrapers with being "green." Usually, these old towers leak heat like a sieve. But the Durst family has a weird obsession with sustainability—long before it was a marketing buzzword. They were the ones who built 4 Times Square (the Condé Nast Building), which was the first green skyscraper in the country.
At 1133 6th Avenue, they’ve done a lot of the unsexy work that saves the planet. High-efficiency HVAC systems. Advanced water filtration. They even have an organic waste composting program. It sounds small, but when you’re managing over a million square feet of space, those details matter to the bottom line and to the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) requirements of modern corporations.
Let’s Talk About the Neighborhood
If you work at 1133 6th Avenue, your lunch options are basically limitless. You're right near the "Little Brazil" stretch on 46th Street. You’ve got the high-end steakhouses like Del Frisco’s nearby if you’re trying to close a deal. Or you just hit the Whole Foods across from the park.
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Transportation? It’s arguably the best in the city.
The B, D, F, and M trains stop right at 42nd St-Bryant Park.
The 7 train is right there to take you to Grand Central or Hudson Yards.
You can walk to Port Authority in ten minutes.
It’s the quintessential "commuter friendly" spot. That matters more than ever in 2026, as companies struggle to get people back into physical offices. If the commute sucks, people won't come. If the office is right next to every major train line and a beautiful park, the "Return to Office" memo is a lot easier to swallow.
Is It Worth the Rent?
Manhattan office space is in a weird spot. We all know that. But "Class A" buildings—the top-tier stuff—are actually doing okay. Companies are fleeing "Class B" and "Class C" buildings. They want the amenities. They want theVillareal light art. They want the terrace views.
1133 6th Avenue isn't cheap. You’re looking at triple-digit rents per square foot for the high floors with views of the park. But compared to the $200+ per square foot people are paying at One Vanderbilt or the new towers in Hudson Yards, 1133 is almost a "value" play for a prestige address. You get the 6th Avenue cachet without the absolute peak-of-the-market pricing.
The Architecture: Emery Roth & Sons
We should mention the architects. Emery Roth & Sons. If you look at the skyline of New York, these guys basically designed half of it during the post-war boom. They weren't always trying to make a statement; they were trying to make buildings that worked.
1133 is a "setback" style tower. It rises straight up and then notches in. It’s clad in white travertine. Travertine is a limestone that’s been used since the Roman Empire (the Colosseum is made of it). In the 70s, it was the height of luxury. Today, it gives the building a bright, clean look that stands out against the darker glass and steel of its neighbors. It looks expensive. Because it is.
What People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that this is just another boring 6th Avenue office box. It’s not.
Most people don't realize that the building has a massive outdoor plaza. In a city where every square inch of dirt is worth a fortune, having that open breathing room at the base of the building is a luxury. Durst has kept it well-maintained, and it serves as a buffer from the sidewalk madness.
Another thing: the views. Because 1133 6th Avenue sits where it does, the eastern-facing windows have a completely unobstructed view of Bryant Park and the New York Public Library. You can see the people reading on the lawn from the 20th floor. It’s one of the few places in Midtown where you feel connected to the ground while being high up in the sky.
Navigating the Building
If you’re heading there for a meeting or to check out the Steinway showroom, here’s the deal:
- Security is tight. It’s a major Midtown tower. Have your ID ready. Don't be the person fumbling at the turnstile.
- The Steinway Entrance. It’s separate from the main corporate lobby. If you’re there for the pianos, go to the 6th Avenue side.
- The Subway Shortcut. The entrance to the 42nd St-Bryant Park station is literally right there. If it’s raining, you can basically stay under cover until you get to the building.
Final Practical Insights
Whether you’re a real estate investor, a prospective tenant, or just a fan of NYC architecture, 1133 6th Avenue represents the "middle way" of New York business. It’s not the oldest, and it’s not the newest. It’s the reliable, high-performance machine that keeps the city running.
Next Steps for Business Owners:
If you are looking at leasing space here, focus on the upper-middle floors. That’s where the price-to-view ratio is most favorable. You get the Bryant Park sights without the "top floor" premium.
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Next Steps for Visitors:
Check out the lobby light installation around sunset. The way the LED "Volume" interacts with the fading natural light coming through the glass facade is one of the best free art shows in Midtown.
Next Steps for History Buffs:
Take a walk around the perimeter. Look at the travertine stone. Notice the lack of staining—that’s a testament to the maintenance level of a family-owned building compared to a corporate-owned REIT.
This building is a survivor. It survived the 70s fiscal crisis, the 90s downturn, the 2008 crash, and the pandemic. It’s still here, still full of lawyers and basketball players and piano makers. That says more about the value of 1133 6th Avenue than any marketing brochure ever could.