Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Relocates HQ to 9K SF at 119 West 125th Street

The nonprofit Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (UMEZ) is moving its nonprofit headquarters to 119 West 125th Street in Harlem, Commercial Observer has learned.

UMEZ, which finances community development in Upper Manhattan, inked a 9,000-square-foot lease at the 17-story mixed-use development between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell boulevards, according to Taconic Partners, a developer on the project. The nonprofit was itself a lender on the construction of the 414,000-square-foot complex, called the Urban League Empowerment Center, which officially opened its doors in late 2025. 

The lease term and asking rent for UMEZ’s new sixth-floor office was not disclosed, but the Class A office space likely commands a premium for the Harlem market, where office rents generally range from $30 to $55 per square foot, according to Metro Manhattan Office Space estimates.

Newmark’s Chris Mongeluzo, Brian Cohen, Eric Zemachson and Chris Ventura represented ownership in the transaction, while Wharton Property Advisors CEO and President Ruth Colp-Haber represented the tenant.

“UMEZ is a venerable, long-standing institution in Harlem, and I can’t think of a more appropriate building for them to take up residency,” Colp-Haber said in a statement to CO.

The Urban League Empowerment Center was developed in a public-private partnership led by Empire State Development alongside Taconic Partners, L+M Development Partners, Prusik Group and BRP Companies. The block-through complex features 90,000 square feet of office space and 84,000 square feet of retail, as well as 171 affordable residences in a 17-story tower along West 126th Street.

“This lease further solidifies this groundbreaking building as a leader in impactful, mission-driven development and an economic driver for the community,” said Taconic Partners’ George Tsapelas in a statement. “It is fitting for UMEZ to join the building as a tenant after years of supporting the larger development.”

UMEZ’s new headquarters will allow for a convenient relocation from its 55 West 125th Street offices, located just south across Malcolm X Boulevard. The nonprofit has operated in the neighborhood since 1995, facilitating economic development through job creation, corporate partnerships, strategic investments and small business assistance. 

Blair Duncan, CEO of UMEZ, said in a statement that the relocation marked an exciting next chapter for the nonprofit. 

Other office tenants throughout the complex include civil rights organization the National Urban League, the Studio Museum in Harlem, scholarship provider United Negro College Fund and Virginia Union University. The Urban League Empowerment Center will also host the city’s forthcoming Urban Civil Rights Museum.

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

Emily Davis can be reached edavis@commercialobserver.com.