News
BIG NAMES, BIGGER HEARTS
November 23, 2011
| One of our favorite things about the holidays: how much CRE prosgive back (second fave: turkey with cranberry stuffing... third fave: the exposure of uncomfortable family secrets). |
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| We stopped by Gotham Hall for last week's ninth annual Strolling Supper with Blues & News, where we snapped Great Ink Communications prez Roxanne Donovan, CBRE New York Tri-State CEO Mary Ann Tighe, Hines SVP Tommy Craig, and Hines’ Dan Doty. Strolling Supper raises money for Joan’s Legacy: Uniting Against Lung Cancer, named for Mary Ann’s sister and Roxanne’s sister-in-law Joan Scarangello, a non-smoker who died of lung cancer in 2001. More than 600 guests donated $920k to UALC, which has raised over $7M to fund scientific research to fight lung cancer—over 220,000 people will be diagnosed this year, and it’s the No.1 cancer killer in both women and men. |
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| Laurie Mackin, Wafra Investment Advisory Group’s Paul Mackin, and Joan’s brother, Thornton Tomasetti chairman Tom Scarangello. Plenty of stars were on hand for the event, not only in real estate: spotted were event host and news anchor Brian Williams, master of ceremonies and ABC News reporter Bill Ritter, and Grammy award-winning blues artist Delbert McClinton. The attendees also took part in a silent auction with nearly 100 items, ranging from a Jon Bon Jovi-signed guitar to the chance to be a judge in Nathan’s Famoushot dog-eating contest July 4. (How about a chance to be in the contest?) |
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| We also snapped ardent supporters Fried Frank partner Jonathan Mechanic with Brookfield Office Properties’ Duncan McCuaig and CEO of US commercial operations Mitch Rudin. The trio’s excited about tenants occupying Downtown and the West Side. Look forward to plenty of upcoming leases in the new year, we’re told. |
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| And CBRE New York Tri-State prez Matt Van Buren (second from left, with CBRE’s Kyle Schoppmann, vice chair Stuart Eisenkraft, and Susan Nagler-Cohen) echoes their enthusiasm. We’ll end the year much stronger than we’d have thought. “2012 will surprise us,” he predicts. “There are many deals in the pipeline that will be market moving.” We promised him we’d make him a judge in the Nathan’s hot dog-eating contest if he divulged some of the deals, but he remained mum (must be a Sabrett fan). More good news: office asking rents are projected to increase at an annualized average of 4.9% (Midtown); 6.2% (Midtown South); and 6.8% (Downtown) over the next five years. Donate to UALC here. |
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| Congrats to JLL international director Ray Quartararo, who was honored by the March of Dimes. Above, CBS 2 reporter Tony Aiellopresents the annual award to Ray at the MOD Real Estate Award Breakfast at The Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Harrison, attended by almost 500. MOD is dear to Ray’s heart: in 1999, his sonMichael was born premature, weighing only 3 lbs. But thanks tosurfactant therapy, which MOD helped make possible, he was born healthy. Twenty years ago, children born at 30 weeks had little chance for survival, Ray tells us; 10 years ago, 75% survived, and today, that number’s 99%. Donate to March of Dimes here. |
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| Canstruction also held its annual charity competition at the World Financial Center this month, and its giant structures made completely out of canned food were on display until this week. This year, 26 teams joined in the competition. Here’s Skanska’s “Suspending Hunger,” which won the structural ingenuity award. Its replica of the Brooklyn Bridge used 440 cans of tuna, 860 cans of Polar anchovies, 630 cans of SPAM, 120’ of wire, one roll of 1/8” string, and two bags of rubber bands. Overall, it was 12’ long and 3’ tall at its towers. (Much less traffic on it though.) On Monday, the structures went through a “DeCanstruction” and all of the food was donated to City Harvest. |
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| And here’s the jurors’ favorite: Gensler and WSP Flack + Kurtz’s “Loaded Dice.” Over 8,500 cans (that’s 714 cases!) of veggies, beans, spaghetti rings, and soup were used for the 8’x8’ structure. Other winners included Leslie E. Robertson Associates andGilsanz Murray Steficek (honorable mentions); Gruzen Samton – IBI Group (best use of labels); and Dattner Architects (best meal award). Other Canstructions included Angry Birds, the Titanic, a “Don’t Walk” sign, a Converse sneaker, and Alexander McQueen’s famous Lady Gaga shoes. Donate to City Harvest here. |
