The potential device comes after a series of mail bombs were sent in the last week to senior Democrats like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, broadcaster CNN and businessman George Soros.
Police are on the scene at the New York Times office on Eighth Avenue.
Finance Editor David Enrich tweeted a picture of a police van captioned: “Right now at New York Times. Suspicious package.”
Climate and Environment reporter Hiroko Tabuchi said: “Police activity outside New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan after a report of a suspicious package.
“We haven’t been evacuated though, and there doesn’t seem to be much activity in the lobby either.”
The New York Police Department bomb squad later gave the all clear.
The envelope in question turned out to just contain papers, but precautions were taken because the employee it was addressed to was considered at risk of being a target.
In an internal email the New York Times told employees: “Earlier today the FBI notified us that a Times Editor was on a list of potential targets of the suspect in last week’s rash of suspicious packages.
“This evening a suspicious envelope addressed to that employee was discovered in the newsroom mailbox.
“NYPD responded and removed the envelope from the premises for further testing.
“The police have now told us that the package contained only papers and was harmless.”
More to follow…