NYC's New Hollywood: Pier 94 Studio Opens with Dexter Production

NEW YORK, NY – January 15, 2026 – The Hudson River waterfront on Manhattan’s West Side is now home to a new creative landmark. Sunset Pier 94 Studios, the borough’s first purpose-built studio facility, has officially announced its grand opening this month by securing its inaugural tenant: Paramount Television Studios. The high-profile production of Dexter: Resurrection, the second season of the hit Showtime series for Paramount+, will be the first to call the state-of-the-art facility home, marking a major vote of confidence in the city’s production future before the doors have even fully opened.

The deal, announced by joint venture partners Vornado Realty Trust, Hudson Pacific Properties, and Blackstone Real Estate, grants Paramount a 70,000-square-foot lease. This space includes two massive sound stages, dedicated production support areas, and modern office suites, establishing a significant production hub right in the heart of Manhattan.

A New Contender in a Crowded Market

For decades, New York City’s production landscape has been dominated by sprawling studio campuses in Queens and Brooklyn, such as Silvercup Studios and Steiner Studios. Sunset Pier 94 Studios enters this competitive market not just as a new player, but as a different kind of player. Its key differentiator is its unparalleled Manhattan location, offering productions direct access to the city’s iconic backdrops, deep talent pool, and logistical convenience.

The 232,000-square-foot facility was designed from the ground up to meet the demands of modern, high-end productions. It features six purpose-built sound stages with clear heights of up to 36 feet, an on-site mill for set construction, and 145,000 square feet of support and office space boasting natural light and dramatic river views. This combination of prime location and cutting-edge design has generated intense interest.

"Sunset Studios’ success in attracting and retaining top-tier productions across multiple seasons speaks to the caliber of our studios and services," said Victor Coleman, Chairman and CEO of Hudson Pacific. "Robust pre-leasing interest in Sunset Pier 94 Studios underscores the project’s unmatched quality and prime location—there is truly nothing else like it in the market, and we look forward to announcing additional leases soon."

The Power of the Tax Credit

A critical factor driving this new wave of investment is New York State’s aggressive and recently expanded film production tax credit program. In a highly competitive national landscape where states vie for lucrative Hollywood productions, New York has positioned itself as a premier destination. The state program, now extended through 2034 with an annual cap of $700 million, offers a refundable credit of up to 30% on qualified production costs, a powerful incentive that can significantly impact a project's bottom line.

Paramount's decision to bring Dexter: Resurrection to Pier 94 is a direct result of this favorable financial climate. Drew Brown, EVP of Production for Paramount Television Studios, highlighted this synergy. "Last season saw Dexter move to New York City—and now we look forward to following suit, gaining greater access to the region’s incredible creative talent, leveraging a competitive tax credit program and reinforcing our commitment to US production," he stated.

State officials celebrated the announcement as a validation of their economic strategy. "Governor Hochul's expansion of the film production tax credit and initiatives like Production+ are incentivizing companies like Paramount Television Studios—which has filmed in New York for decades—to continue investing in our state," said Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight. The policy has proven instrumental in transforming New York into a year-round production powerhouse.

Big Real Estate Bets on the Content Boom

The development of Sunset Pier 94 Studios is more than just a win for the film industry; it represents a major strategic pivot for some of the biggest names in real estate. The joint venture between Hudson Pacific Properties, Vornado Realty Trust, and Blackstone Real Estate illustrates a growing trend of institutional capital flowing into specialized assets that serve the booming content creation market.

Hudson Pacific Properties is a seasoned expert in this niche, already managing the iconic Sunset Studios brand in Hollywood. For them, Pier 94 is a logical eastward expansion, planting their flag in another global media capital. For Vornado, a dominant force in New York City’s office and retail sectors, the project represents a strategic diversification, leveraging their deep local expertise to enter a high-growth market. Meanwhile, Blackstone, a global investment behemoth, is making a thematic bet on the insatiable global demand for new film and television content, viewing studio space as critical infrastructure for the digital age.

This convergence of expertise—studio operations, local market dominance, and global capital—creates a formidable partnership, signaling to the market that studio real estate is no longer a niche play but a core asset class for savvy investors.

More Than a Studio: A Community Anchor

Beyond the sound stages and star power, the Sunset Pier 94 Studios project was developed in close partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation to deliver substantial public and economic benefits. The project is projected to create 400 permanent jobs and inject an estimated $6.4 billion into the local economy over the next 30 years.

For residents and visitors, the transformation of the pier brings tangible improvements. The development includes a significant extension of the beloved Hudson River Park, adding 25,000 square feet of new waterfront open space and public pier access. The plan also incorporates new public restrooms and crucial safety upgrades to the adjacent bikeway, which have already been praised by local cyclists.

Furthermore, the studio is committed to fostering local talent through workforce development and training programs. These initiatives are designed to create pathways for New York residents, particularly from surrounding communities, to secure well-paying jobs in the film, television, and commercial production industries. This commitment to public-private partnership ensures that the economic benefits of the content boom are shared, cementing the studio not just as a commercial enterprise but as a vital new community anchor on Manhattan's West Side.