Google Gobbles 57K More Feet in Taconic’s 111 Eighth

The amount of silicon in Manhattan just got bigger. Since Google (GOOGL) first occupied the old Port Authority building at 111 Eighth Avenue back in 2006, New York has been rife with speculation about the day-to-day exploits of the Internet empire. What’s it like to work there? Is it true there’s a slide? Is it a cult? Are they building a parallel Internet? Will dark matter one day be used for server farms?

Google, in its characteristically covert manner, has let on little about what goes on its New York offices (it has since opened an auxiliary office in Chelsea Market as well): Reporters who enter sign nondisclosure agreements; its communication team is a sleek firewall. But whatever they’re doing, they’re doing more of it-the search engine signed a lease for 57,000 additional square feet in the block-swallowing Taconic-owned building.

David Hollander, Stephen B. Siegel and Ken Rapp of CB Richard Ellis represented Google in the deal.

egeminder@observer.com