Google said its primary reason for buying 111 Eighth Avenue in New York was office space for its growing workforce—not control of the building’s internet infrastructure. The distinction mattered because the property was also known for its dense network connectivity and data-center tenants.
What Google bought
On December 22, 2010, Google announced that it had closed the purchase of 111 Eighth Avenue, also known as 76 Ninth Avenue, from a partnership of Taconic Investment Partners, Jamestown Properties, and the New York State Common Retirement Fund. Google said Taconic Management Company would continue overseeing leasing and managing the building. Google’s announcement
The acquisition followed several years of expansion in New York. Google said it had moved into 111 Eighth Avenue in 2006 and added space at Chelsea Market in 2008. At the time of the purchase announcement, the company reported more than 2,000 New York employees across sales and engineering and said it was hiring across the board. That workforce figure covered Google’s New York offices; it was not a confirmed headcount solely for 111 Eighth Avenue. Google’s announcement
Google’s stated reason: room to grow
During Google’s January 2011 earnings call, an analyst asked whether buying the property reflected a broader effort to secure important physical locations for internet growth. Co-founder Larry Page answered that the primary motive was the office space. In the SEC-filed transcript, he said: “I think our primary reason for purchasing the building there was not the Internet structure there, but rather the office space that we really enjoy using.” Page added that the internet tenants were “great, well-paying tenants” but were not the primary reason for the purchase.
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Jonathan Rosenberg, then Google’s senior vice president of product management, described the space problem in a contemporaneous interview: “With the pace at which we’re growing, it’s very difficult to find space in New York. There are very few buildings in New York that can accommodate our needs. This gives us a lot of control over growing into the space.” Rosenberg also said the property’s large floor plates suited Google’s preference for open offices and collaboration. These comments were reported by Data Center Knowledge on January 20, 2011.
Why the building’s internet connections drew attention
The purchase attracted interest beyond real estate because 111 Eighth Avenue had a reputation as one of the world’s most wired buildings. Data Center Knowledge reported that the property housed data-center operations for Digital Realty Trust, Equinix, Telx, and other providers and networks. That connectivity helps explain why observers considered the acquisition strategically interesting, but it should not be confused with Google’s stated purchase rationale: Page explicitly said office space was the primary reason.
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The same January 2011 report described Google as the building’s largest tenant, occupying more than 500,000 square feet in a property reported to contain 2.9 million square feet. Those are figures reported at the time, not current measurements or occupancy data. Data Center Knowledge
Was the purchase price disclosed?
Google’s announcement did not state the purchase price. Data Center Knowledge said New York media had reported a figure of $1.9 billion; that is a secondary reported estimate, not confirmed consideration in Google’s announcement. Data Center Knowledge
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What the historical record does—and does not—show
The documented rationale is straightforward: Google wanted space and more control over accommodating its New York growth. The building’s connectivity and network tenants formed relevant context, but the available statements do not establish that Google bought the property to control internet interconnection. The cited transaction and occupancy details come from 2010 and 2011 reporting; they do not establish the building’s current owner, tenants, or occupancy.
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