Richard Meier and Lloyd Blankfein Grab Their Shovels in Newark

Matt Chaban — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:05:00 -0400

It is almost impossible to live inside one of Richard Meier’s fabulously sleek homes without a net worth exceeding eight figures. From Hamptons homes to the Perry Street “lofts,” those glass sentinels overlooking the Hudson, Mr. Meier’s architecture is synonymous with the high-end. But just across the river, in Newark, 200 lucky teachers will be able to call a Richard Meier apartment home.

The project was cooked up two years ago by the RBH Group, a private developer, who is using investments from the Berggruen Foundation and Goldman Sach’s Urban Investment Group, showing the innercity does pay. In addition to the 200 apartments for teachers, the complex includes two school buildings housing three charter schools and a daycare center, as well as ground floor retail throughout.

Yesterday’s groundbreaking drew a slew of bigwigs, including Governor Chris Christie, Mayor Corey Booker, Lloyd Blankfein and Mr. Meier himself, for whom is was a homecoming of sorts. “I was born in Newark and have vivid memories of visiting my families' business in downtown Newark,” Mr. Meier said. “This is a sort of homecoming for me and an opportunity for me to apply a lifetime of skills learned in the world arena to the revitalization of a major area of the city’s downtown.”

Checking out renderings for the project, The Observer is starting to think we went into the wrong line of work.

mchaban [at] observer.com | @MC_NYC

Observer » Richard Meier and Lloyd Blankfein Grab Their Shovels in Newark

Richard Meier and Lloyd Blankfein Grab Their Shovels in Newark