top ten tech creative office spaces downtown brooklyn new york city business metropolitan exchange flatbush avenue al attara clocktower building metrotech center fulton livingston city point ekalb avenue court elm place jay street

There’s no better place in New York City to start or grow your business than Downtown Brooklyn. Boasting a business district with more than 17 million square feet of office space, a historic and vibrant shopping center, a burgeoning residential community, 11 colleges and universities, nearly 50 arts and entertainment groups, a professional sports franchise, and exceptional public transportation and open spaces, it’s no wonder that many creative and tech companies are choosing to grow their businesses here. And with the development of a master plan for the Brooklyn Tech Triangle in the works, the area is only going to get more desirable. The time to start looking for space is now. So, to help acquaint you with the Downtown Brooklyn office market, we’ve created a handy cheat sheet for some of the top tech and creative office spaces available. Additionally, our own resident expert, Tom Conoscenti, is here to help provide assistance in finding space in Downtown Brooklyn, so don’t hesitate to reach out: 718.403.1647.

1) FOR THOSE IN NEED OF A LITTLE CREATIVE INSPIRATION: Metropolitan Exchange (33 Flatbush Avenue)
To walk the floors of this seven-story building is to enter a mind-boggling world of carousel horses, antique furniture, and a diverse array of start-ups – in other words the perfect creative incubator to nurture your idea to reality. Among the companies calling the Metropolitan Exchange home: a biotech company, an organic fashion designer, and a coffee importer. The rooftop garden with miniature fish pond completes the only-in-Downtown-Brooklyn experience. For more information, contact Al Attara at 718.858.7979.

2) FOR THE TECH PRODUCER OR MANUFACTURER: Clocktower Building (25 Gold Street)
Boasting a newly renovated 14,000-square-foot space with 15-foot ceilings and a penthouse loft with freight access (not to mention stellar views of Manhattan), the historic Clocktower Building is well-suited for a tech manufacturer in need of roomy production space. Famous former tenant Etsy built its DIY empire within its walls, which could be a good indicator of your own firm’s future success. For more information, contact Rob Iannucci at 718.596.0504.

3) FOR THE COMPANY LOOKING TO ESTABLISH ITS STREET CRED: MetroTech Center
Demonstrate to the Street that you’re worth that million-dollar venture round in every way, not just by your groundbreaking new technology, but by the company you keep. Your neighbors in MetroTech Center would include corporate heavyweights like Chase, tech stars like MakerBot, advertising gurus UniWorld Group, and media giant El Diario La Prensa. At the heart of MetroTech is the 3.5-acre Commons which is always playing host to interesting outdoor programming like the annual BAM R&B Festival and a rotating installation by the Public Art Fund. For more information, contact Ali Esmaeilzadeh at 718.923.5302.

4) FOR THE COMPANY LOOKING TO SET UP ITS FIRST NEW YORK OFFICE: Brooklyn Renaissance Plaza (335 Adams Street)
With the 376-room Marriott Hotel taking up this 32-story office tower’s ground floors, the Brooklyn Renaissance Plaza is an ideal location to set up your East Coast office and host out-of-towners from your home base. The 1.4 million-square-foot development also features an underground parking garage and dining options less than a block away: Shake Shack, Panera Bread, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, and the soon-to-open American BBQ & Beer Company. For more information, contact Stan Markowitz at 718.263.3800.

5) FOR THE MICROBUSINESS LOOKING TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE: Green Desk (147 Prince Street)
Space options can be limited for firms with a handful of employees or the solo entrepreneur still holed up in a home office. That’s why the flexible month-to-month lease options available at Green Desk could be the perfect option – and affordable too, with rates starting at $229 and spaces available for designers looking to open a small shop or showroom. Amenities include access to kitchen, storage, and conference room space. And putting the “green” in its name, the building offers an environmentally-friendly bike sharing program. For more information, contact Dana at 718.412.8450.

6) FOR THE VISIONARY START-UP: Upper Floors of Fulton & Livingston Streets
You may know Fulton Street and its neighboring Livingston Street for their ground floor retailers like Macy’s, Express, and Exclusive Eyewear. But these streets also hold some hidden gems for a company that’s not afraid to design its own office digs. Many of the second and third floors of the historic buildings along Fulton and Livingston Streets are vacant, but in need of renovations. It will require a little vision, but the pay-off for a company that locates here will be not only a space customized to fit its needs, but also unparalleled transit accessibility and proximity to Brooklyn’s premier shopping district. For more information, contact Tom Conoscenti at 718.403.1647.

7) FOR THE COMPANY THAT LIKES SHINY NEW THINGS: City Point (1 DeKalb Avenue)
Want to locate your company in a brand new award-winning, LEED-certified building with a private rooftop terrace and breathtaking views of Fulton Street? Look no further than City Point, Downtown Brooklyn’s newest hotspot with retailers like Armani Exchange and Century 21 coming soon. City Point also boasts nearly 11,000 square feet of raw open plan space available on the top floor, making it a truly unique product in the Tech Triangle. Not to mention, a plethora of shopping just outside your door and active public programming going on in the public plaza – known as Albee Square – that serves as your front yard. For more information, contact Laurence Roberts at 212.906.9090.

8) FOR THE COMPANY LOOKING TO PATENT TECHNOLOGY: 16 Court Street
You worked hard to invent and produce your mind-blowing technology, now you need to protect it with a patent. Why not set up shop in an area known for the number of nearby attorneys? While this proximity might not ordinarily be a selling point (insert lawyer joke here), in your case, the quick access to expertise could very well mean the difference between success and failure. You would also join new tenants, Blumberg Excelsior, a leading producer of legal forms and software, which just signed a deal to relocate its offices from Manhattan. For more information, contact Robert Hebron at 718.625.0011.

9) FOR THE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR: 25 Elm Place
Inspiration will come from your do-gooder neighbors when you locate your office in this building with 60,000 square feet available that currently serves as home to the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Independence Care System, and an 1199 SEIU Employment Center. But just because you’re in the business of helping make the world a better place doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to a few perks: count easy transit access (minutes away from the Hoyt Street and Jay St-MetroTech subway stations) and food options (Brooklyn Fare is around the corner) among them. For more information, contact Robert Hebron at 718.625.0011.

10) FOR A COMPANY ON THE CUSP: 408 Jay Street
And by CUSP, of course, we are referring to NYU-Poly’s Center for Urban Science and Progress which is slated to start classes in Fall 2013 and will be located within the MetroTech area, literally steps from the doorstep of this building with up to 6,000 square feet available. The Freelancers Union liked it so much they are opening a primary care practice (with yoga studio!) later this fall. Smaller companies will like the affordable rents of $25 per square foot, and your employees will no doubt love the commuting convenience – with 10 subway lines all within a one-minute walk. For more information, contact Joe Jemal at 212.239.8580.