JJL wins BOMA's Pinnacle Award for IAC Building

According to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), the Frank Gehry-designed IAC Building, 555 West 18th St., has been honored with a Pinnacle Award by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of N.Y. The organization selected the property to receive its 2008-2009 New Construction award. JLL manages the class A, 130,000 s/f building, which is owned by IAC. The Pinnacle Award for New Construction is bestowed on a newly completed building in possession of at least a temporary Certificate of Occupancy. The developers must have demonstrated foresight in site selection and development, and have been responsible for excellent and unique concepts in construction, resulting in the successful and timely completion of a structure that makes a significant contribution to the greater New York area. "The IAC Building is one of the most unique properties ever to grace the New York skyline," said Thomas Panissidi, property manager of the building for JLL, who accepted the award on IAC's behalf. He has overseen daily operations at the property for IAC since 2006. "This spectacular work of art was not only the first Frank Gehry-designed structure in Manhattan, it was the first time the world-renowned architect created an all-glass building. The construction of this distinctive property would not have been possible without a breakthrough in technology that allowed the team to transform the architect's vision into a curving expanse of glass and metal." The wave-like curtain wall was laboratory-tested to ensure its durability before being fabricated in Italy. The panels were then cold-warped, or bent on site, to match the sensuous curves of the façade. The unusual white color of the exterior glass is generated by thousands of baked on ceramic dot patterns that reflect light and reduce glare. The building's supporting columns are tilted, not vertical, and the underlying skeleton is formed by a system of reinforced concrete ribs and columns that slope in many directions. In 2008, the IAC Building received a MASterwork Award for Best New Building of 2007 from The Municipal Art Society of New York. The organization noted that Frank Gehry's vision of billowing white sails along the Hudson River, manifest in the IAC Building, is a beacon for the architectural renaissance of the West Chelsea waterfront area. Each February, BOMA of New York presents its Pinnacle Awards to New York's premier buildings, people and charitable organizations. The local winners are then entered into the national The Office Building of the Year awards, first at the regional level and then at the North American level, which includes all of the U.S. and Canada. Other Pinnacle Award categories include Operating Office Building in several categories, Earth, Renovated Building, Historical Building, Government Building, Corporate Facility, Outstanding Local Member of the Year, Manager of the Year, Civic Betterment and the Henry J. Muller Achievement Award.