Governor Cuomo Announces Excelsior Pass Partnership With the Empire State Realty Trust

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a partnership with Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., which will now utilize Excelsior Pass at all of its New York State properties, leveraging the innovative, verifiable technology to support New York's getting back to work - and fun.

Beginning June 9, 2021, any Empire State Realty Trust tenant or visitor in New York will be able to present their Excelsior Vaccination Pass as proof of COVID-19 vaccination and skip the buildings' screening procedures which include temperature screening. This initiative will roll out to ESRT's portfolio of commercial buildings in New York State, including the Empire State Building and benefit approximately 600 companies. The company's entire portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, including 11 office properties in New York State, with nine specifically located in Manhattan and two in Westchester County, New York.

"The Empire State Building is one of the Empire State's most iconic symbols - and these special events will help New Yorkers safely return to the activities and attractions they have missed and provide yet another reason to get vaccinated," Governor Cuomo said. "For decades, the Empire State Building has represented the entrepreneurial spirit of New York and we are working to get New Yorkers back to the office by utilizing Excelsior Pass at their office buildings, enabling more people to get back to work safely so we can build back better than ever before."

Chairman, President, and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, Anthony E. Malkin, said, "New York is coming back from COVID-19 stronger than ever and we thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership. We are honored to work with the State to support Excelsior Pass through special events at the Empire State Building Observatory, as well as at all of our New York State office properties, as a critical tool to get people back to work - and fun. New York is alive and kicking, and the Empire State Building is here to welcome our office tenants and vaccinated visitors from around the world to the exciting in-person experiences they have always known it for - beginning now and for years to come."

The Empire State Building's iconic Observatory will host an exclusive "Excelsior Pass Sunrise" event for vaccinated patrons on June 13, open to those who present proof of COVID-19 vaccination with Excelsior Pass. From June 10-26, the Empire State Building will offer Excelsior Pass holders and vaccinated patrons exclusive "Excelsior Celebration" access to experience its world-famous Observatories mask-less on Thursday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m., as well as Friday and Saturday nights from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Throughout the promotion, Excelsior Pass holders will have the opportunity to purchase 86th/102nd floor Observatory combination tickets at a discounted rate - giving New Yorkers yet another special reason to get vaccinated. The Empire State Building will also host a vaccine pop-up with NYS over the coming month.

More than 2 million Excelsior Passes have been issued since New York State launched the first-in-the-nation, voluntary platform in March, which is now available in more than 10 languages. Excelsior Pass, which is being utilized by venues, universities, stadiums, businesses, restaurants - and now iconic tourist destinations and office buildings like the Empire State Building - is a free, fast, and secure way to present digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results that's helping to get New Yorkers back to the things they love and miss — safely. As always, individuals can also present alternate forms of COVID-19 vaccination and negative test results directly at businesses and venues.

The Empire State Building will celebrate New York State's progress when we reach 70% through a special lighting that features the State's "Reimagine, Rebuild, and Renew" campaign. A defining feature of the New York City skyline, the Empire State Building lights have captured the world's imagination for decades. New Yorkers can watch the light display from the street, apartment windows, balconies, or a number of outdoor vantage points including:

• Manhattan: Madison Square Park, Bryant Park, Penn Station (33rd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues)
• Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Marsha P. Johnson State Park (Williamsburg), Brooklyn Bridge/Brooklyn Bridge Park, Williamsburg Waterfront, and Washington Street (DUMBO)
• Queens: Gantry Plaza State Park (Long Island City Waterfront)

• Viewers outside the New York City area will be able to watch the show live streamed

About Excelsior Pass: Excelsior Pass - a first-in-the-nation, voluntary platform - is a fast, free, and secure way to present digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results that's supporting New Yorkers building back better and safer than ever before. Users interested in opting in to use Excelsior Pass, which currently has a Vaccination Pass and two different Test Pass options and is available in over 10 languages, can learn more and retrieve their Pass here. Interested businesses and organizations can opt in and learn more here and download digital marketing assets here to help demonstrate to patrons and customers that their business accepts Excelsior Pass. New Yorkers can always present alternate forms of COVID-19 vaccination and negative test results, such as paper forms, directly at businesses and venues.

About Empire State Realty Trust

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the "World's Most Famous Building." The company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of March 31, 2021, which consists of 9.4 million rentable square feet across 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; as well as approximately 700,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.

Empire State Realty Trust is a leader in energy efficiency in the built environment and sustainability space, with 76 percent of the eligible portfolio ENERGY STAR certified and 100 percent fully powered by renewable wind electricity. As the first commercial real estate portfolio in the Americas to achieve the evidence-based, third-party verified WELL Health-Safety Rating for health and safety, ESRT additionally earned the highest possible GRESB 5 Star Rating and Green Star recognition for sustainability performance in real estate and was named a Fitwel Champion for healthy, high-performance buildings. To learn more about Empire State Realty Trust, visit esrtreit.com and follow ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building, "The World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop-culture. Learn more at www.esbnyc.com. 2021 is the 90th anniversary year of the Building which officially opened on May 1, 1931. Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, as well as the world's most popular travel destination by Uber and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world.

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn, Shutterstock, and Global Brands Group, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.