Blackstone Returns To NYC Office After Deadly Shooting
Blackstone has reopened its office one week after a mass shooting that killed four people, including a senior executive on its real estate team.
Staff were notified last week that they can return to their desks at the alternative asset manager’s headquarters at 345 Park Ave. starting Monday, according to an internal memo shared with Bisnow. Employees still have the option to continue working remotely this week.
Starting Monday, Aug. 11, Blackstone will return to its regular schedule, in which most employees are expected to be in the office five days a week. Accommodations will be provided to those who aren't comfortable returning, the company told staff.
The firm is additionally offering counseling to employees, according to the memo, first reported by Bloomberg.
On July 28, around 6:30 p.m., a shooter entered 345 Park and opened fire in the lobby, killing Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust CEO Wesley LePatner, a police officer and a security guard. He then took the elevator to the 33rd floor, occupied by the building’s owner, Rudin Management. There, he shot a Rudin employee before killing himself.
The lone gunman was later identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas. Officials said that he appeared to be targeting the NFL, which is also headquartered in the building, but entered the wrong elevator.
In its memo, Blackstone said that it has been working with Rudin, the New York Police Department and outside security contractors to enhance its security measures at 345 Park and its other offices globally, beyond those made in previous years.
“The well being and peace of mind of our employees is the priority,” the memo says.
Blackstone was among the first major companies to call its employees back to the office five days a week in 2021. The firm reportedly invested $20M in coronavirus-related safety precautions to do so.
Blackstone has been based out of 345 Park since 1988. Last year, it expanded its lease in the 44-story building from 750K SF to just over 1M SF. Under the deal, the company occupies 28 floors, or roughly 55% of the Midtown office, through at least 2034.
