21st Century Fox and News Corp. won’t be moving to the World Trade Center after all.
Real estate sources told The Post, and the companies later confirmed, that the separate media giants controlled by Rupert Murdoch have decided to keep their headquarters on Sixth Avenue in Midtown.
The companies’ leases run through 2020.
“After much careful consideration we have decided to maintain our New York headquarters and other business operations” at 1211 and 1185 Sixth Ave., the companies said in a joint statement.
“We have extension options that could continue our occupancy on Sixth Avenue through 2025,” the statement said.
Fox and News signed a non-binding letter of intent last June to lease 1.3 million square feet of office and studio space at Larry Silverstein’s planned 2 World Trade Center. The 2.8 million-square-foot tower was to be designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels.
Sources said the decision not to move was entirely for business reasons, and not to do with any issues involving the World Trade Center site.
But a source said 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch, Fox and News Corp. Executive Co-Chairman Lachlan Murdoch and News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson agreed that the complex move would distract from the companies’ global operations and require investment “which would be better directed elsewhere.”
Real estate brokers have previously told The Post that 1211 Sixth Ave. landlord Callahan Capital Properties had made a “compelling” offer to Fox and News Corp. to remain, including building modernization and public space improvements.
However, the offer did not mean the companies are negotiating a lease with Callahan beyond the five-year extension option. The remaining time on the current lease plus the extension gives 21st Century Fox and News Corp. 10 years in which to weigh their next move.
In a statement, Silverstein said that while he was “disappointed” by the decision, “I am immensely grateful to the Murdochs and their team, as well as to the Bjarke Ingels Group and our partners at the Port Authority for their inspired work over the past year.
“Make no mistake, it won’t be long before we find a great company to anchor 2 World Trade Center,” Silverstein said.