By Matt Chaban 11/13/12 11:52pm

Skyscraper Living

Fostering fancy apartments. (Zeckendorf Holdings)

Presenting the Next 15 CPW: Zeckendorfs Unveil 50 UN Plaza, Norman Foster’s First U.S. Apartment Building

Those Zecekendorfs sure do love their starchitects.

From William Zeckendorf’s work with I.M. Pei and Minoru Yamaski in the 1960s and ’70s to his grandsons’ projects with the likes of  KPF and, most notably, Robert A.M. Stern, who created both the brand new 15 Central Park West and the newly renovated 18 Gramercy Park South, the Zeckendorfs have a thing for high design.

Add to that now 50 UN Plaza, a 44-story condo tower on the East Side that will be Lord Norman Foster’s first residential commission in the United States. Mr. Foster is well known for his work on the Hearst Tower, World Trade Center Tower 2 and the new Sperrone Westwater Gallery on the Bowery, as well as a new commission for 425 Park Avenue for L&L Holdings. With this latest commission, he cements his place as an all-around architectural power in the city. Read More

By Elise Knutsen 9/23/11 10:43am

Stratospheric Sales

Scott and Donya Bommer (Photo from Patrick McMullan)

Zeckendorf Sells to Hedgie Scott Bommer, Makes Even More than We Thought

Back in July, The Observer learned that William Lie Zeckendorf had found a buyer for his half of the old Wasserstein pad at 927 Fifth Avenue, which he had purchased for $29.1 million only seven months earlier. The purchase price was rumored to be as high as $34 million, well above the $31.5 million ask and a good explanation for why Mr. Zecekendorf might ever think of selling, given the quick turnaround. It turns out, the sale was even higher than that. Read More