500,000SF law firm lease is one of city's biggest.

The law firm of Dewey Ballantine LLP has renewed and expanded into nearly 500,000 square feet of office space for its headquarters at 1301 Avenue of the Americas, which is leased and managed by Equity Office, and owned in a joint venture with Lehman Brothers.

The transaction is one of the city's largest office splice leases to be signed in 2003.

Dewey Ballantine's New York headquarters employs approximately 295 attorneys and 395 additional staff members. The firm has 13 offices worldwide.

Brett Greenberg, Equity Office's managing director of leasing for the New York Region, said "Renewing and expanding this firm is right on target with our goal of retaining our top customers and extending their leases with terms that are mutually beneficial."

Dewey Ballantine has Operated from 1301 Avenue of the Americas since 1990.

The law firm currently occupies more than 22 percent, or approximately 405,000 square feet of the 1.8 million-square-foot building's office space.

An 88,000-square-foot expansion is expected to be completed by 2006.

Joseph Thanhauser and Gordon Ogden of Byrnam Wood represented Dewey Ballantine in the above transaction. The brokerage firm also handled Dewey Ballantine's original lease. Greenberg and Joseph Artusa, leasing representative, acted on behalf of the landlord.

1301 Avenue of the Americas is considered one of New York's top-tier assets and is located in Manhattan's prestigious Corporate Row.

The magnificent 45-story building's distinctive architecture and signature entrance and plaza feature exterior sculptures, reflecting pools, planters, and seating.