UN Agency to Downsize in Midtown Manhattan

December 2, 2025

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The move is part of an apparent trend for the organization to reduce yet upgrade, its office spaces.

The U.N. Population Fund, the reproductive health arm of the United Nations, will be vacating 130,000 square feet at 605 Third Ave. by year’s end and moving into about half as much space a short distance away, at 730 Third Ave., Crain’s New York Business reported on November 26. An agency spokesperson confirmed to Commercial Property Executive all of the information in that news story.

The spokesperson stated that flexible work policies have led to fewer UNFPA personnel coming into the office, in addition to which some were relocated to Nairobi, Kenya.

605 Third Ave. is owned by Fisher Brothers, according to information provided by Yardi Matrix. The U.N. fund’s relocation will cut the 1 million-square-foot building’s occupancy to 83 percent, according to a Fitch Ratings report cited by Crain’s. The agency’s new home at 730 Third Ave. reportedly is owned by TIAA.

The U.N. Population Fund was founded in 1967 as the United Nations Trust Fund for Population Activities, or UNFPA, and kept that acronym when the agency’s name was later changed to United Nations Population Fund.

The UNFPA’s downsizing is part of a larger trend toward a smaller U.N. office footprint in Manhattan.

The global organization reportedly occupies roughly 1.7 million square feet in the borough for about 8,000 employees, yet it now leases only half as much office space in New York City as it did a decade ago.

Less quantity, better quality

In February, the United Nations announced plans to redevelop One and Two United Nations Plaza in Manhattan. About 900,000 square feet will be involved in the $500 million, top-to-bottom renovations, which will be overseen by architectural firm Spacesmith. Cushman & Wakefield is the properties’ asset manager and will handle construction management.

Key elements of the redevelopment will be improved energy efficiency per New York State’s BuildSmart 2025 initiative, fire safety system upgrades and updates to accommodate disability codes.

The United Nations Development Corp., a public benefit corporation founded in 1968, owns the buildings and is funding the redevelopment through as much as $380 million in bonds. Goldman Sachs and Siebert Williams Shank will be the underwriters for that financing.