Shown (from left) are: Paul Eagle, managing director, Perkins + Will; Danielle Grossenbacher, FIABCI World president 2015 - 2016 and UN Representative for FIABCI; Werner Schmidt, public information officer of the UN Capital Master Plan; John Gering, managing partner at HLW International and Elizabeth Belenchia,
Prix d’Excellence sponsor and UN representative for FIABCI.
The $2.15 billion Capital Master Plan to renovate the United Nations Headquarters in New York was recognized as the best real estate development of the year by FIABCI-USA, the International Real Estate Federation’s U.S. Chapter. After 70 years of service as a center of world diplomacy, the United Nations and lead contractor Syska Hennessy completed its multi-year, multi-billion dollar phased Capital Master Plan last year and turned the aging compound into a more sustainable, secure, efficient, safer and accessible facility fit for the 21st century.
“As NGO members of the UN Economic and Social Council, we were able to return to the refurbished UN Headquarters earlier this year to see firsthand this impressive revitalization,” stated FIABCI-USA president Ruth Kruger. “There is no better symbol of excellence in real estate and concern for the environment than this careful restoration,” said Kellee Buhler, president-elect of FIABCI – New York/Northeast council and licensed associate broker with TOWN Residential.
The presentation was held at 50 United Nations Plaza, the luxury New York City residential condominium directly opposite the United Nations. UN dignitaries, FIABCI members, top real estate professionals from New York City and other key markets will be in attendance.
“50 United Nations Plaza is an ideal venue to present the 2015 FIABCI-USA Grand Prix award considering its pedigree as the first residential project in the United States designed by Foster + Partners with spectacular views of the UN and landmark buildings of the New York skyline,” said Nicole Beauchamp, President of FIABCI–USA New York/Northeast Council and Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Engel & Völkers New York Real Estate.
Additional projects that received awards in the 2015 FIABCI-USA Grand Prix category and are now in contention for the World Prix d ’Excellence were the Special Purpose Property Award to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago; the Luxury Residential Award to the Montage Residences at Kapalua Bay, Maui, HI, represented by Lisa Hatem Real Estate Company; the Residential Low-Rise Award to Ka Malanai, Kailua, HI, developed by D.R. Horton-Schuler Division; and the Residential High-Rise Award to ONE Ala Moana, Honolulu, HI, developed HHMK Development LLC, a partnership comprised of Howard Hughes Corporation, The MacNaughton Group and Kobayashi Group.
Shown (from left) are: Paul Eagle, managing director, Perkins + Will; Danielle Grossenbacher, FIABCI World president 2015 - 2016 and UN Representative for FIABCI; Werner Schmidt, public information officer of the UN Capital Master Plan; John Gering, managing partner at HLW International and Elizabeth Belenchia,