Immersive Art Experience Meow Wolf to Open 75K-SF Exhibition at Pier 17

Immersive arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf will open a massive new art exhibition at Seaport Entertainment Group’s Pier 17 in Lower Manhattan.

Meow Wolf, known for its psychedelic art and storytelling experiences, has signed a 20-year lease for nearly 75,000 square feet across multiple floors of the Seaport District complex at 89 South Street, according to the landlord.

The deal represents Meow Wolf’s first East Coast outpost and seventh permanent exhibition, after debuting in Santa Fe in 2008 and opening locations in Las Vegas, Denver, Houston and the Dallas suburb of Grapevine, according to its website. The company is also set to soon open an outpost in Los Angeles.

“The Seaport is a place where New York’s history and future intersect, making it the perfect home for Meow Wolf,” Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa said in a statement. “This city has always been a driving force in global art and culture, constantly evolving and redefining itself. As someone who has proudly called New York home for over a decade, I’m excited to see how Meow Wolf will contribute to that creative momentum and become part of the fabric of the greatest city in the world.”

The asking rent was unclear, but a report from Cushman & Wakefield found retail rents in Lower Manhattan averaged $233 per square foot during the fourth quarter of 2024.

CBRE (CBRE)’s Cassie Durand, Sacha Zarba and Aylin Gucalp brokered the deal for the tenant, while Mary Ann Tighe, Gerry Miovski, Evan Haskell, Brett Shannon, Zachary Price and Jacob Rosenthal — also from CBRE — represented the landlord.

A spokesperson for CBRE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Construction of Meow Wolf’s new space is expected to begin during the third quarter of this year, while an opening date has yet to be announced, Seaport Entertainment said. Meow Wolf’s venues let visitors explore a variety of immersive multimedia exhibits, with adult admission prices starting at $40.

“The Seaport has a well-established reputation as one of New York City’s premier entertainment and dining destinations,” CBRE’s Durand said in a statement. “What attracted Meow Wolf to Pier 17 was Seaport Entertainment Group’s vision to add complementary entertainment experiences and their ability to provide additional tenant branding opportunities and customer engagement at a scale unique to Manhattan.”

Other Pier 17 tenants include music venue The Rooftop at Pier 17, restaurants The Fulton and Carne Mare, and global hospitality and lifestyle brand Grupo Gitano, which plans to open a 13,605-square-foot restaurant there this year.

“Meow Wolf’s unique approach to storytelling through art, and support of local artists, is perfectly aligned with the Seaport’s history as a hub for creative invention and artistry in New York City,” Anton Nikodemus, CEO of Seaport Entertainment, said in a statement.

The addition of entertainment tenants at Pier 17 comes after Seaport Entertainment took over the entire South Street Seaport from Howard Hughes Corporation in August when the former became a separate, publicly traded company, as Commercial Observer previously reported. Seaport Entertainment was formerly a subsidiary of Howard Hughes.

Now, in addition to Pier 17, Seaport Entertainment’s portfolio includes 478,000 square feet of retail space in the Seaport District, a mixed-use development at 250 Water Street, and the Tin Building food hall, CO reported.

But 250 Water Street might not belong to Seaport Entertainment for much longer, as the company is looking to sell all or part of the development site after winning the right to develop a 27-story residential building on the currently vacant lot, Crain’s New York Business reported.

Howard Hughes bought the property in 2018 for $180 million, but it’s unclear what price Seaport Entertainment is looking to sell it for, according to Crain’s.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.