AI Real Estate Platform Orbital Leases 11K SF at 40 West 25th Street
By Mark Hallum September 9, 2026 10:52 am
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An artificial intelligence platform used to aid real estate attorneys is relocating its Manhattan office just a few blocks north, Commercial Observer has learned.
Orbital signed an 11,185-square-foot lease for the entire sixth floor of the Kaufman Organization’s 40 West 25th Street in a move from 18 West 18th Street, which has served as a temporary office, according to tenant broker JLL.
Asking rent and the length of the lease were not immediately disclosed, but the average office asking rent in Midtown South was $85.73 per square foot in the second quarter of 2026, according to a report from CBRE.
“Orbital wanted an office that could support its next phase of growth while helping the company attract and retain the right talent,” JLL’s Valentin Stobetsky, who represented the tenant alongside Evan Margolin, said in a statement. “We worked closely with the team to identify a space that met its operational needs and provided the accessibility, energy and amenities its employees value. The full floor at 40 West 25th Street delivers that ideal combination.”
Grant Greenspan and Michael Kaufman represented Kaufman Investments, the division of the Kaufman Organization that officially owns the building alongside AXA Insurance.
Founded in 2018, Orbital has additional offices in Los Angeles and London and supports more than 250,000 property transactions each year, according to JLL.
“New York sits at the heart of both the U.S. legal and real estate industries, making it a natural headquarters for Orbital as we continue building technology purpose-built for the asset class and reshaping how real estate transactions get done,” Will Pearce, CEO and co-founder of Orbital, said in a statement.
Other tenants in the 12-story building include vintage clothing retailer Hearts of Gold, which signed a 6,671-square-foot lease in 2023.
Kaufman and Axa bought the landmarked building in 2020 for $48.5 million.
“Orbital’s decision to establish a presence at 40 West 25th Street reflects the growing demand we’re seeing from AI and technology-driven companies for high-quality space in established, amenity-rich neighborhoods,” Greenspan, a principal at Kaufman, said in a statement.
Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.
