Walk through the bow-tie intersection of 42nd and Broadway, and your eyes probably drift toward the flashy digital screens or the ball drop. But look slightly south. There sits 5 Times Square New York NY 10036, a skyscraper that basically defined the early 2000s corporate "clean up" of the neighborhood. It's a massive, 38-story glass-and-steel monolith that most people just know as the old E&Y building.
Lately, things have changed. Big time.
The tower isn't just a static office block anymore. It has survived the shifting tides of Manhattan real estate, the departure of its anchor tenant, and a massive $150 million renovation designed to keep it from becoming another obsolete relic of the pre-remote-work era. If you’ve ever wondered why this specific corner of Midtown matters to the global economy, or what it’s like to actually work inside that glass curtain wall, you’re looking at the right spot.
The Architecture of a Modern Landmark
Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) designed this thing to be sleek. They didn't go for the gothic flair of the Woolworth or the Art Deco vibes of the Chrysler. Instead, they focused on transparency. Completed around 2002, the building offers about 1.1 million square feet of space. It’s got that distinctively sharp, angled footprint that hugs the intersection of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street.
It's massive.
The glass facade was a huge deal back then. It was meant to symbolize the "new" Times Square—moving away from the gritty, neon-soaked 1970s and toward a corporate, polished future. For nearly two decades, Ernst & Young (EY) was the face of the building. Their logo was a permanent fixture of the skyline. When they decided to pack up and move to One Manhattan West, people genuinely wondered if 5 Times Square would survive. Manhattan is full of empty "zombie" offices, after all.
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The $150 Million Face-Lift
RXR Realty and David Werner Real Estate Investments didn't just sit on their hands when EY left. They knew that in 2026, a "good" office isn't enough. It has to be an "experience." They poured roughly $150 million into a massive repositioning project.
The lobby is the standout. Honestly, the old lobby was fine, but the new one is spectacular. We're talking about a soaring, 30-foot ceiling and a curated digital art installation that makes it feel more like a boutique hotel than an accounting hub. They also added a 50,000-square-foot amenity suite. You've got a fitness center, a golf simulator (because, of course, Midtown), and tons of collaborative lounge spaces.
Why the Location at 10036 Still Works
Location is the one thing you can't renovate. Being at 5 Times Square New York NY 10036 means you are literally on top of one of the most connected transit hubs on the planet. The Times Square–42nd Street station gives you access to the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, and S trains. For a CEO trying to convince employees to stop working from their couches in Brooklyn or Queens, that commute is a huge selling point.
Who is Moving In?
The biggest news recently has been the arrival of Roku. The streaming giant took over a massive chunk of the top floors—about 240,000 square feet. It’s a fascinating pivot. You’re seeing a shift from "Old Money" accounting to "New Media" tech. Roku even gets their own signage on the building, which is basically the ultimate status symbol in New York real estate.
Other tenants include:
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- National Securities (re-upped their commitment)
- PKF O'Connor Davies
- Various retail outlets at the base (though these flip often)
It’s becoming a "vertical village." You have tech, finance, and professional services all sharing the same elevators. It’s a microcosm of the current New York economy—diversified and surprisingly resilient.
The Ghost of "Old" Times Square
People forget that this site used to be part of the "deuce." Before the tower went up, this area was a chaotic mix of theaters and shops that weren't exactly family-friendly. The development of 5 Times Square was part of the 42nd Street Development Project. It was a massive government-led effort to reclaim the area for high-end commerce.
Some people miss the old grit. Most don't. But you can't deny that 5 Times Square New York NY 10036 represents the pinnacle of that transformation. It’s a clean, safe, and highly efficient machine for making money. It’s also surprisingly green for its age. The building has LEED Gold certification, which is tough to maintain for a 20-year-old structure. They’ve upgraded the HVAC systems to include hospital-grade air filtration—a direct response to the concerns of the post-2020 world.
The Practical Realities of Being There
If you’re visiting for a meeting, be prepared for security. It’s tight. You aren’t just walking in to snap photos of the lobby art without an invite. The elevators use destination dispatch—you punch in your floor on a touch screen before you get in. It sounds simple, but it still trips up tourists every single day.
The views? Unreal. If you’re on the higher floors, specifically the ones Roku now occupies, you get a panoramic look at the Hudson River to the west and the insanity of the Red Steps to the north. It’s one of the few places where you can feel the energy of the city without hearing the literal screaming of the crowds below.
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Addressing the Skeptics
Critics argue that Times Square is "over." They say the future is in Hudson Yards or the Flatiron District. But the data doesn't really back that up for 5 Times Square. The building has seen healthy leasing activity despite the broader office market struggle. Why? Because it’s a "Class A" trophy asset. In a down market, companies flight to quality. They leave the dingy B-class buildings and move into places with gymnasiums and high-speed elevators.
What to Do Near 5 Times Square
If you find yourself at the building for work or a visit, don't eat at the tourist traps directly outside the door. You're better than that.
- Walk two blocks west to 9th Avenue. That’s where the actual food is.
- Check out the Knickerbocker Hotel. It’s right across the street and has a rooftop bar (St. Cloud) that offers a great perspective of the building you just left.
- Bryant Park is your backyard. It’s a five-minute walk east. It’s the best place to eat a sandwich and pretend you aren't in the middle of a concrete jungle.
Actionable Insights for the Business-Minded
If you are a business owner looking at the 5 Times Square New York NY 10036 area, or just someone tracking the market, here is the reality:
- Monitor the "Flight to Quality": Watch how buildings like this one perform compared to older stock nearby. It's the ultimate indicator of New York's commercial health.
- Transit Proximity is King: If you're scouting office space, the 42nd St corridor remains the gold standard for employee retention simply because of the subway access.
- The Amenity War is Real: Notice that the owners spent $150M not on more desks, but on lounges and gyms. That’s the new baseline for Manhattan real estate.
- Signage Matters: The transition of the building's exterior branding from EY to Roku is a symbolic passing of the torch from traditional services to digital entertainment.
The building at 5 Times Square isn't just a place where people type on laptops. It’s a barometer for the city. It survived the 2008 crash, a global pandemic, and the departure of its biggest tenant. It’s still standing, still shiny, and still one of the most valuable pieces of dirt on the island of Manhattan. If you're heading there, enjoy the lobby—it's one of the few places in Midtown that actually feels like the future.