A second wintry blast of snow and blizzard-like conditions could not keep the Pinnacle spirit at bay on February 25, when 400 members of the real estate community braved the cold and headed to Chelsea Piers to support their fellow professionals at the 2009-2010 BOMA/NY Pinnacle Awards. The Pinnacle is the New York round of the BOMA International TOBY (The Office Building of the Year) Award, the leading ownership/management award in the real estate industry, and widely considered one of the most difficult industry awards to win.
Thirteen winners were unveiled at the "envelope please," Oscar-style ceremony that has become the trademark of the coveted award, as records were set across several categories.

New to the winner's circle was Colliers ABR, Inc., now Cassidy Turley, which took home two of the statuettes. Malkin Holdings and Related Management Company L.P. also garnered two awards each, with Related taking home the first Pinnacle given to a free-standing retail facility. Trinity Real Estate, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., SL Green Realty Corp., the US General Services Administration and The Hearst Corporation each took home one award apiece, with Hearst setting a record with its win for Hearst Tower—it was the first building to win a Pinnacle in three different categories in three separate years.
"The Pinnacles are tough on the nominees," said BOMA/NY president Edward Fallon, RPA, in opening the ceremony. "They don't let you rest on your laurels; they drive you to operate at the highest level you can. But there is nothing like the feeling that you put yourself to the test, were judged by your peers, and on this one special night, were the best in the business."

The 2009-2010 BOMA/NY Pinnacle Award winners are:
Outstanding Local Member of the Year: Walter Ulmer, III, president of Remlu, Inc.
A champion of team work and shared contribution, Walter Ulmer, III has led BOMA/NY teams to make contributions that have benefitted all members: from shepherding through the publication of two highly topical, practical and critical guides on dealing with pandemics and preparing staff for hi-rise emergency drills, to being the force behind BOMA/NY's popular Department of Homeland Security senior executive seminars. A former career officer in the U.S. Army, Ulmer now heads his own firm, Remlu, Inc., a leading provider of organizational emergency preparedness planning.
Historical Building: The Empire State Building
Owner: Empire State Building Company LLC, Supervised by Malkin Holdings LLC
Management Company: Empire State Building Company LLC
Property Manager: Joseph Bellina, RPA
This newly-minted Energy Star building with its sights set on Gold LEED has proved that even the most famous historic office building in the world can, at 80+ years of age, meet 21st Century standards and exceed them. One of the largest capital improvement projects ever undertaken, and a highly skilled and dedicated team have turned New York's #1 tourist destination into a certified winner by maintaining the best of its priceless architecture in a comprehensively upgraded skyscraper for the ages.
Government Building: The Jacob K. Javits Federal
Building/James L. Watson U.S. Court of International Trade
Owner/Manager: U.S. General Services Administration with ABM Engineering Services
Property Manager: Ottavio Lazzarato
One might recognize it from numerous TV cameos as the headquarters of the FBI and Immigration Service, but the third largest building in the federal office building system is now a star in its own field as a Pinnacle Award winner. Combining two office towers and a courthouse, the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building/James L. Watson U.S. Court of International trade has continually improved its structures to operate more efficiently, undertaken energy-saving initiatives, and upgraded its grounds and facilities to better serve the public.

New Construction: Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market
Owner: Related
Management Company: Related Management
Property Manager: James Harrigan
Directly south of the House the Ruth Built is the five-building shopping and casual dining complex known as Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market, a 1.75 million s/f retail destination that blends historic architectural details with 21st Century technology. Targeted for Silver LEED, Gateway Center features pedestrian bridges with high-tech finishes, dramatic window walls, thoughtfully integrated ornamentation from the site's Art Deco past, and retail esplanades vital to its urban shopping experience.
Civic Betterment: De La Salle Academy
De La Salle Academy was founded in 1984 to serve academically talented, economically disadvantaged sixth, seventh and eighth graders. By providing a strong academic foundation combined with social values essential to well-rounded growth, De La Salle Academy repeatedly graduates college-bound students who are now providing a new generation of leadership.

Henry J. Muller Achievement Award: The Bronx Renaissance
More than 40 years have passed since the first pledges of rebuilding the South Bronx had been made, but The Bronx Renaissance, the public-private plan to redevelop 18 acres south of Yankee Stadium, has made promises a reality. There is now a new Yankee Stadium, upgraded public transportation, a 2-acre park edging the waterfront, and the keystone of the plan - Related's Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market - transformed a blighted facility into a retail destination for an underserved market, while generating more than 4,500 much-needed jobs.
To be continued in the April 13 ODM edition of the New York Real Estate Journal. Tags: