The New York Times recently published an article written by Nicolai Ouroussof titled “New York City, Tear Down These Walls”. In the article, he contends that there are some buildings, so ugly in nature, they should be torn down. He goes as far as naming the top contenders. (I personally think he missed a few). I am not as bold as he, to name them here, but I do support his overall position and additionally contend that we are seeing some of the wrong  buildings built in the wrong neighborhoods. If we look to the successes of the past, we will find a commonality in the architecture being intuitive in a way that it adds, not detracts to the landscape. History will soon show us that buildings out of context with their surroundings will not resonate as well, if at all, with the people they are attempting to attract. Would you be comfortable living in a sixty story building in an historic neighborhood surrounded by six story pre war loft buildings?

New York Magazine published a similar themed piece about Starchitects and their possible added value (or not).  I am all for architecture representing progress and being an expression of our society. Hopefully it pays respect to the past and takes us a direction in the future that we can be proud of in the years that follow.

I look forward to going to The Real Deal New Development Forum every year to feel the pulse of the industry and see familiar faces from every facet of the vibrant New York City Development community. This year was no exception. As Director of Marketing for CORE Group Marketing I am put to the task of assembling teams with representatives from a multitude of professions within the development industry. These diverse components are a crucial factor in the overall success of a project and speak directly to the bottom line, achieving the highest price per square foot for the developer client. Representatives from the fields of law, architecture, finance, advertising, web design, building management, A/V products, public relations, media, concierge services and developers were in abundance and it was a pleasure to speak with them to truly appreciate all the effort that produces the Unites States’ most vibrant real estate economy. I look forward to seeing all of you next year with more great projects to work together on. In the meantime, I am curious to know which speaker you enjoyed most and which part of the event was most valuable to you?