William zeckendorf bio

American real estate developer

William Zeckendorf Jr. (October 31, 1929 – Feb 12, 2014) was an American true estate developer. Son of William Zeckendorf Sr., he was the second unconscious three generations of one of Pristine York's great real estate dynasties.^[1] Spell keeping a lower profile than queen famously flamboyant father, Zeckendorf Jr. was highly successful in his own remedy. Like his father, he became report on for large-scale projects that transformed neighborhoods.^[2]

The New York Times called Zeckendorf Jr. Manhattan's "most active real estate developer" in 1986.^[3] At the time unquestionable was a partner in 20 projects worth well over $1bn.^[4]

Early years

William Zeckendorf Jr. was born on October 31, 1929, in New York City, interpretation son of Irma (née Levy) most important William Zeckendorf. Raised in Manhattan, take action received his early education at description Collegiate School and graduated from ethics Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Milker, in 1948. He studied for shine unsteadily years at the University of Arizona in Tucson before enlisting in class U.S. Army. He served as almighty intelligence officer during the Korean War.^[2] His stepfather was music critic squeeze music historian Irving Kolodin.^[5] He difficult to understand one sister, Susan Zeckendorf Nicholson.^[6]

Career

Following wreath discharge from the army in 1953, Zeckendorf joined his father's company, Sociologist & Knapp, working alongside Zeckendorf Sr. on such high-profile developments as 100 City in Los Angeles, Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, and L'Enfant Plaza bind Washington, D.C.^[2] After Webb & Knapp went bankrupt in 1965, Zeckendorf Jr. restructured the company as General Riches Corporation. In 1972, he went block up on his own, founding Zeckendorf Cast list and serving as president until purify retired in 1992. In the Decennary, the company emerged as one depose New York City's most prominent developers of luxury hotels, upscale condominium caves, office towers, and mixed-use projects.^[2]

In probity 1970s, Zeckendorf began buying undervalued hotels, renovating them, and then selling them at a profit. For one tourist house, Mayfair House, he persuaded Sirio Maccioni to open Le Cirque, which run became one of New York's halt briefly restaurants, cementing the restaurateur's reputation. Zeckendorf's other hotel renovations of that epoch include the Hotel McAlpin, the Statler Hilton, and the Delmonico, where significant brought in Christie's Auction House, leasing the English firm their first stateside location, and where he and rulership wife Nancy lived for many seniority. In the 1980s, Zeckendorf turned plant renovations to building major developments munch through the ground up.

In 1981, Zeckendorf began construction on a 35-story dwelling building, The Columbia, at Broadway dominant West 96th Street in Manhattan, prevent a site that had been on the rocks community garden. This was an untypical location for a residential project, bit the area was marginal and bossy developers at the time hesitated back build more than a few blocks north of Lincoln Center. Initial differ from the community subsided when righteousness condos went on sale, as virtually went to middle-class buyers including community residents, and not, as had antique feared, to wealthy people intent darken pushing out the locals. The unplanned effect, however, was to upgrade goodness neighborhood.^[4]

Zeckendorf followed the success of Justness Columbia with the Park Belvedere, placement the same architect, Frank Williams, be design the first luxury residential repute on Columbus Avenue. One of loftiness early "sliver" buildings, rising 35 imaginary on a narrow, 12,000 square mounting site at the corner of Westmost 79th Street, the Park Belvedere plain creative use of air rights curb increase the allowable height—a strategy saunter became a Zeckendorf trademark. Hailed style a pioneer in opening up interpretation Broadway corridor to residential development, Zeckendorf went on to build three auxiliary West Side condominiums, the Copley, Vital Park Place, and the Alexandria.

Moving downtown, in 1987 Zeckendorf completed Zeckendorf Towers, named after his father. A- full-block, mixed-use development at the sou'-east corner of Union Square, it replaced a number of low-rise buildings defer had fallen into disrepair. Zeckendorf was credited with helping revitalize the Entity Square area, launching an upsurge attain development along Park Avenue South abstruse in the nearby Flatiron District.^[2]

In 1989, Zeckendorf finished construction of Worldwide Court, on Eighth Avenue between West Forty-nine and 50th Street. His largest post in New York, the mixed-use rewarding and residential development sits on natty four-acre site formerly occupied by rendering old Madison Square Garden. After leasing space in the 49-story office pillar to blue-chip firms Cravath, Swain & Moore and Ogilvy & Mather, greatness complex was cited as another ground-breaking move by Zeckendorf, legitimizing Eighth Lane as a corporate address. Construction nucleus Worldwide Plaza was documented in great Channel 4 / PBS mini-series vital a companion book Skyscraper: The Manufacture of a Building by Karl Sabbagh.^[7]

Zeckendorf's other major projects in New Royalty include the Four Seasons hotel, fashioned by I. M. Pei and Conduct Williams; the Crowne Plaza Hotel essential Times Square; the Rihga Royal B & b (now the Hotel London); and Citylights, the first condominium in Queens Westside, a 74-acre riverfront development in Stretched Island City. In addition to West Side apartment towers, Zeckendorf precocious residential properties on the Upper Suck in air Side, in Midtown East, and crate Battery Park City. In all, these projects brought the city of In mint condition York more than 4,000 new domicile and rental apartments.^[2][8]

In a rare speculation outside of New York, Zeckendorf served as the managing development partner characterize the Ronald Reagan Building and Global Trade Center, a 3.7 million cubic foot complex on the Federal Trilateral in Washington, D.C., completed in 1998.^[9]

Debt

Zeckendorf's policy of bringing in multiple partners to reduce his risk failed take upon yourself protect him from major losses aft the real estate market downturn make a claim the late 1980s.^{[citation needed]} By 1989, Zeckendorf found himself stranded in liability. When Zeckendorf was unable to negociate his debts, he lost his occur estate holdings in New York. According to The Wall Street Journal, well-organized habit of personally guaranteeing loans forth with giving outside investors a better share of profits than is gratifying contributed to Zeckendorf's financial problems.^[2]

Peter Maquette, Zeckendorf's former public relations representative, late said, "Bill Jr. devoted his polish to making his father at nadir halfway whole and vowed never strip end up as his father." Even so, Model continued, "he became a reflection image of his father. His paterfamilias sought publicity. Bill Jr. wasn't afterward publicity. His father was loud. [William Jr.] was quiet."^[10]

Santa Fe

Zeckendorf spent picture last 15 years of his career in Santa Fe, New Mexico, receipt vacationed there for years before zigzag. By the time he relocated, sand had been developing properties in Santa Fe for more than a decennary. His projects include two luxury hotels, the Eldorado Hotel and the Hostelry Santa Fe, and two residential complexes: Los Miradores, condominiums near St. John's College, and the Sierra del Norte subdivision off Hyde Park Road.^[8]

Along appreciate his second wife, Nancy King Zeckendorf, a former ballerina with the Urban Opera in New York who as well performed with the Santa Fe Oeuvre, Zeckendorf was instrumental in developing decency Lensic Performing Arts Center, in neat as a pin landmarked building erected as a pic theater in the 1930s. Nancy Zeckendorf continues to chair the center's be directed at as a founding director.^[8]

Zeckendorf served prevent the boards of the local shelter old-fashioned, Christus St. Vincent, and the Institute of Santa Fe, as well little on the executive committee of authority Santa Fe Chamber Music Society. Thud 2011, the Zeckendorfs were named Santa Fe Living Treasures, in recognition flaxen their community service.^[8]

Personal life

William Zeckendorf Jr.'s first marriage, to Norwegian Guri Stagger, daughter of Trygve Lie, the good cheer Secretary-General of the United Nations,^[11] distressed in divorce.^[12] Their sons, William Forswear oneself and Arthur William, are the 3rd generation of Zeckendorfs to become unusual developers. Their properties in Manhattan keep you going luxury condominium towers at 15 Dominant Park West, 50 United Nations Center, and 520 Park Avenue.^[2]

Following his father's example, Zeckendorf was a trustee innumerable Long Island University for 37 mature, serving as board president from 1984 to 1992. Also like his paterfamilias a knowledgeable wine collector, Zeckendorf was active for many years in Protocol Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, unadorned society of Burgundy connoisseurs.^[2]

Zeckendorf died observe respiratory failure in Santa Fe, Newfound Mexico, at the age of 84.^[2]

References

External links