Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Leases 9,000 SF at Harlem’s Urban League Empowerment Center

The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (UMEZ) has secured a 9,000-square-foot lease to relocate its headquarters to 119 West 125th Street in Harlem. The sixth-floor office is situated within the Urban League Empowerment Center, a 414,000-square-foot mixed-use complex that completed construction in late 2025. UMEZ previously acted as a lender during the development phase of the project.

The public-private project was spearheaded by Empire State Development in partnership with Taconic Partners, L+M Development Partners, Prusik Group, and BRP Companies. The 17-story development encompasses 90,000 square feet of office space, 84,000 square feet of retail, and 171 affordable housing units along West 126th Street. UMEZ joins several prominent institutional tenants, including the National Urban League, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the United Negro College Fund.

Newmark brokered the transaction on behalf of the landlord, while Wharton Property Advisors represented UMEZ. The nonprofit will move from its nearby location at 55 West 125th Street, cementing long-term institutional occupancy within Harlem's newest commercial hub.