recovery mode

Don't forget all the blood donors. (Mayors Office)

Lloyd Blankfein, Big Real Estate, Diane Von Furstenberg, Vogue Among Major Sandy Donors

Mayor Bloomberg just announced that more than 10,000 people have donated more than $32 million to the Mayor’s Fund for New York City to help with recovery efforts. There are some interesting, if unsurprising names on the list. Big Real Estate—the Rudins, the Speyers, Brookfield Properties, the Related Companies, Glenwood Management among them—were big backers, even as many of their buildings were buffeted by the storm.Lloyd Blankfein made the list, as an individual, as did his firm Goldman Sachs, which is may be smart given the ire directed at Mr. Blankfein for keeping the lights on at Goldman HQ while power was out everywhere else downtown.

There are plenty of other Wall Street outfits, like Barclays, Evercore Partners, Julian Robertson, Stan Druckenmiller and New York Life. Diane Von Ferstenberg, Ralph Lauren, the CFDA, Sketchers and Vogue all donated money (maybe some warm fur coats, too?) as did casino kingpin Steve Wynn, Ron Perelman, the Giants (but no Jets), News Corp., Microsoft, and more. You can see all the cash donors, as well as the companies, like Walmart, Pepsico, North Face, Hunter Boots, JetBlue, Sullivan Street Bakery and Jamba Juice. Read More

Making History

The landmark in question. (Daytonian in Manhattan)

Preservationists Issue Rallying Cry, Prepare to Save Landmarks Law from Big Real Estate

Though the Responsible Landmarks Coalition has yet to take any public action beyond launching its web presence, preservationists are lining up to fight back. The Historic Districts Council just announced a town hall meeting “to defend the Landmark Law” next week. It will be held next Tuesday evening at the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen—a landmark on West 44th Street designated in 1988, no less.

This follows on a strongly worded fusillade last week from HDC director Simeon Bankoff, the preservationists’ own cri de coeur. Read More

Making History

Councilmen Comrie and Lander, the two to beat on Landmarks. (Landmarks! West)

Comrie Denies He Is Challenging Landmarks Law to Fill Campaign Coffers

Is there a war on against the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission? That is what preservationists fear, and there is some concern this is not simply about development issues, but also electoral politics.

According to DNAinfo, Councilman LeRoy Comrie could stand to win funds for his ailing campaign coffers if pro-development, anti-preservation proposals move forward. Read More

the sit-down

RyanFreedman1

Why Corigin Holdings' Ryan Freedman Prefers Apartments

Late last year, Ryan Freedman, the chairman and CEO of Corigin Holdings, played a big role in expanding the real estate and private equity firm’s New York metro platform—both launching a lending division and heavily investing in new assets. The young exec—“I’m younger than the average real estate CEO,” he said in declining to reveal Read More

Rent Check

A Very Big Deal: Cuomo Comes Out for Strengthening Rent Regs

In a move sure to give landlords and brokers serious agita, Governor Cuomo has come out in favor of strengthening existing rent regulations for New York City’s approximately 1 million stabilized apartments. David Freedlander over at PolitickerNY has all the initial details:

Leaning on his time as HUD secretary during the Clinton administration, Cuomo called affordable housing Read More

Big Real Estate

Thirty Bidders Later, Former Morgan Stanley Hub in Contract

Hines Interests is in contract to sell the imposing hexagon-topped former Morgan Stanley hub at 750 Seventh Avenue, multiple sources told The Observer.

Interest from bidders was “through the roof,” according to one person involved in the process, with 20 to 30 prospective buyers, including a number foreigners from the Middle East and Asia. An offshore investor was Read More