Rolls-Royce Opening ‘VIP Experience Center’ in Meatpacking District
By Lois Weiss December 14, 2023 1:43 pm
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The “Spirit of Ecstasy” is coming to the Meatpacking District.
Rolls-Royce will become the newest automotive company to use the neighborhood to capture customers.
The British-based luxury brand will open a “VIP experience center” in roughly 6,000 square feet of office and terraces at the top of the new development at 50 Ninth Avenue on the northeast corner of West 14th Street, sources said.
Rolls-Royce will have the entire eighth floor, which has 4,783 square feet of interior space wrapped by a south- and west-facing terrace.
Sources said the building’s offices have an asking rent of $150 to $215 per foot.
Aaron Ellison of JLL represented Rolls-Royce while Clark Finney and Howard Hersch, also of JLL, handled the deal for developer Tavros.
JLL and Tavros declined to comment through their spokespeople, and Rolls-Royce did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Although most U.S. customers now configure their Rolls-Royce cars using online tools, the new Big Apple spot will give customers the ability to configure and personalize their vehicles without making a trip to its headquarters in Goodwood, England.
It is unclear when the new VIP center will open.
While this is a corporate-leased office, the car company’s privately owned New York City dealer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manhattan, has a showroom and service center along with 10 other brands at 270 11th Avenue.
Founded in 1904 when Charles Rolls met Henry Royce, the auto company is well known for its hood ornament — a woman leaning forward with the long sleeves of her dress flying in the wind — known as the “Spirit of Ecstasy.”
The Meatpacking District has become home to several upscale and electric auto brands in recent years including Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Genesis and, soon to come, its parent Hyundai. Others like Lexus and Bently have leased short-term pop-ups for events in the neighborhood.
