Blackstone Said to Seek $2.25 Billion Sale of NYC Office Tower

Blackstone Group LP is preparing to sell a New York office tower for more than $2 billion as it seeks to take advantage of rising demand for prime U.S. real estate, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Blackstone has hired Eastdil Secured LLC to market 1095 Avenue of the Americas, a 42-story building that will soon be the headquarters of Verizon Communications Inc., said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The property may fetch about $2.25 billion, the person said, which would rank among the highest prices ever paid for a U.S. skyscraper.