The Recurse Center

The Recurse Center is an innovative computer coding school and placement agency that was founded in Soho.

When their lease neared its expiration, they found they were priced out of the Soho office market. It was time for a new neighborhood.

Being forced out of your founding neighborhood is a stressful, existential moment. The Recurse Center, a beloved coding school born in Soho, was facing just that, with a lease renewal that was simply untenable. The fear was real: could they find a new home that didn't feel like a compromise?

We knew the answer wasn't just about finding cheaper rent; it was about finding a smarter location. We dove into their data and found that a move to Downtown Brooklyn would actually be more convenient for the majority of their students. We then located a newly renovated historic building that offered the best of both worlds: modern amenities without the "clanging radiators and very old style bathrooms" of their former Soho space.

The results were transformative. They immediately cut their base rent by 30%. On top of that, we secured them a Commercial Rent Tax exemption, saving them another 6% annually. They were thrilled. By trading an old space for a new one, they didn't just survive being priced out—they thrived, turning a moment of crisis into a massive upgrade for their business and their community.

“Knowing we needed to leave the neighborhood where we founded our business was stressful—it was hard to know what the future held. Charlotte and David held our hands and guided us through the process until we ultimately welcomed the change as a new opportunity for growth for our business.”

– Sonali Sridhar, Founder The Recurse Center

SECTOR: OFFICE/SERVICES
CITY: BROOKLYN
NEIGHBORHOOD: DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
SIZE: 10,000 RSF

Photos courtesy of Recurse Center