NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Blackstone Inc. is reopening its New York headquarters on Monday after keeping the office shuttered in the wake of a shooting spree that killed four people, including one of its senior executives.
The firm’s offices at 345 Park Ave. will be open to any employees who wish to return, Blackstone said Friday in an internal memo. The world’s biggest alternative asset manager also gave staff the option to work remotely for the entire week.
A spokesperson for Blackstone confirmed the contents of the memo.
Blackstone real estate executive Wesley LePatner was among those who were killed on July 28, when a gunman opened fire in the skyscraper’s lobby in New York City’s worst mass shooting in a quarter century.
The firm’s leaders, President Jon Gray and Chief Executive Officer Steve Schwarzman, now are trying to help employees process their trauma and loss.
Blackstone, a major commercial property owner, has long been a proponent of having employees in the office five days a week and was among the first to summon them back during the pandemic.
The company has told staff who work at headquarters that it plans to resume a normal schedule on Aug. 11, while accommodating those who aren’t comfortable returning by then. Blackstone also reiterated that counseling is available to those who want it.
The 44-story tower in Midtown Manhattan is also home to KPMG, landlord Rudin Management and the National Football League. This week’s rampage stands to change security in that iconic tower and the rest of Wall Street.
Blackstone also told employees that it has been working with Rudin, the New York Police Department and outside contractors to enhance security measures.
Rudin had already bolstered security in recent years in response to crime in the area and the December murder of UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson.
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