Sunset Pier 94 Studios Opens in Manhattan, Delivering Local Jobs, Workforce Training, and $6.4 Billion in Economic Impact

Sunset Pier 94 Studios Opens in Manhattan, Delivering Local Jobs, Workforce Training, and 6.4B in Economic Impact

Manhattan’s first purpose-built film studio advances New York City’s local content, workforce development, and community investment goals

NEW YORK, NY Manhattan’s first purpose-built film and television studio campus has officially opened on the city’s West Side, marking a major milestone for New York City’s creative economy and its commitment to local content, workforce development, and inclusive economic growth.

The 232,000-square-foot Sunset Pier 94 Studios campus was developed through a public-private partnership designed to address the long-standing shortage of modern studio space in Manhattan while ensuring public investment delivers measurable local outcomes. The facility includes six purpose-built sound stages, 145,000 square feet of production support space and offices, and on-site parking, all engineered to support large-scale, high-volume film and television production within New York City.

The studio’s design supports modern production needs, including high clear heights, efficient set construction workflows, and integrated office space, enabling productions to operate fully on site while remaining embedded in the local economy.

Sunset Pier 94 Studios was developed with a clear focus on local content requirements, ensuring that economic benefits remain in New York City and directly support local workers, businesses, and communities. Key outcomes include approximately 400 permanent local jobs supported through ongoing studio operations, hundreds of union and production jobs generated through on-site filming activity, dedicated workforce development and training funding embedded into the project framework, priority employment and training pathways for local residents into film, television, and media careers, and an estimated 6.4 billion in total economic impact projected over the next 30 years.

Production activity launched immediately upon opening, with major television projects leasing multiple sound stages and production office space. Strong demand for remaining capacity signals sustained interest in Manhattan-based production aligned with New York State’s film and television tax incentive programs.

As part of its local content commitments, the project includes targeted investments in industry-specific workforce development programs designed to connect New Yorkers, particularly individuals from historically underrepresented communities, to long-term careers in film, television, and media production. Programming includes skills training aligned with union and studio standards, paid internships, job placement pipelines, scholarships, and individualized case management. These programs began operations prior to the studio’s opening, ensuring a trained local workforce is prepared to meet immediate and future production demand.

Beyond job creation and workforce training, Sunset Pier 94 Studios delivers meaningful community benefit investments, including 25,000 square feet of new waterfront open space and pier access, enhanced public access to the Hudson River Park, new public restrooms and community amenity space, safety and infrastructure improvements to adjacent bike paths, and resilient waterfront design supporting long-term climate adaptation.

By pairing state-of-the-art production infrastructure with local workforce pipelines, community investment, and public accountability, Sunset Pier 94 Studios demonstrates how large-scale creative developments can meet local content expectations while driving sustained economic growth.

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