It was the first award announced at the BOMA International Convention held last month in Seattle and made history in the category in which New York has excelled over the past decade—575 Fifth Ave., the headquarters of L'Oreal USA and the BOMA/NY Pinnacle Award winner for Corporate Facility in 2010-2011, successfully won at the International level, besting seven other competitors from across the country and Canada.
In winning the award, the Energy Star-certified 575 Fifth Ave., owned by MetLife and managed by Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., took home the highest honors in the building ownership and management industry—the BOMA The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY). It was the fifth winner from New York in this category since 2000; no city has won as many Corporate Facility awards in that time period.
Accepting the award on behalf of the building team, BOMA/NY president Louis Mantia said, "This TOBY award validates MetLife's vision-repositioning 575 Fifth as a world class headquarters for one of the great global brands-and stands as proof positive that exceptional teamwork wins the day. New York is the headquarters capital of the world, and at BOMA/NY we are proud that once again, we brought home a Corporate Facility TOBY Award to the city that defines corporate excellence."
Joining Mantia on stage for the award acceptance were Frank Freda, executive managing director-global facilities management at Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., and BOMA/NY's Executive Director, Roberta M. McGowan, CAE.
Previous International TOBY Corporate Facility winners have included The Hearst Tower (2010-11), the Sony US headquarters on Madison Ave. (2007-8), Chase Metrotech Three and Four in Brooklyn (2000-1), and the Bertelsmann Building in 1999-2000.
In the mid-1980s, cosmetics global giant L'Oreal selected the 35-story post-modern tower, 575 Fifth, for its new U.S. headquarters. By 2005, when MetLife acquired the building, L'Oreal had expanded to occupy 80% of the tower. Ownership undertook a renovation to accommodate L'Oreal's present and future needs, while repositioning 575 for a state-of-the-art renovation of its base, public spaces, and 21st Century sustainability as an Energy Star tower. The well-crafted and expertly planned repositioning of the building, in conjunction with its innovative tenant, community and preparedness programs, set the standards for a new generation of Fifth Ave. properties. By retaining the headquarters of L'Oreal, 575 Fifth has helped restore the viability of this venerable avenue as a headquarters destination. Tags: