Immersive arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf plans to open its first location on the East Coast after signing Manhattan’s largest retail lease this year.
Meow Wolf agreed to a 20-year deal spanning nearly 75,000 square feet at Pier 17 across multiple floors in the Seaport neighborhood, Seaport Entertainment Group said Tuesday in a statement.
The East River waterfront location will be Meow Wolf’s seventh permanent exhibit after it was founded in 2008 as an art collective that turned discarded materials into immersive experiences, Seaport Entertainment said. Meow Wolf has other permanent exhibits in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Las Vegas; Denver; Dallas; and Houston; with a location in Los Angeles also set to open.
The deal ranks as 2025's largest retail lease in New York, CoStar data shows.
Construction at Pier 17 for Meow Wolf is expected to begin in the third quarter, said Seaport Entertainment, which was spun off from Howard Hughes to own, operate and develop properties it bills are “positioned at the intersection of entertainment and real estate.”
An opening date and Meow Wolf's art-inspired interactive theme have yet to be announced. Exhibits elsewhere have featured quantum travel, a supermarket and a house with a mystery for visitors to solve.
Meow Wolf will join tenants The Rooftop at Pier 17, the concert venue known for its outdoor summer concert series, and Lawn Club, a hospitality concept featuring classic lawn games.
“The Seaport is a place where New York’s history and future intersect, making it the perfect home for Meow Wolf,” said Jose Tolosa, CEO of Meow Wolf, in the statement. “This city has always been a driving force in global art and culture, constantly evolving and redefining itself.”
Known as the port area that helped grow New York's economy in the 17th century, the Seaport today features a slew of shops, restaurants and entertainment concepts including the Tin Building by chef Jean-Georges, a marketplace converted from the former Fulton Fish Market.
For the record
CBRE served as dual leasing agent with Mary Ann Tighe, Gerry Miovski, Evan Haskell, Brett Shannon, Zachary Price and Jacob Rosenthal representing Seaport Entertainment Group, and Cassie Durand, Sacha Zarba and Aylin Gucalp representing Meow Wolf.