Zeckendorf Development with Global Holdings recently celebrated the 50 United Nations Plaza, one of the first residential towers in the U.S. designed by Foster + Partners, at a ground raising ceremony in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza.
Located adjacent to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at First Ave. and 46th St., 50 United Nations Plaza is scheduled to be completed in late 2014. Residences will range in size from one-bedroom apartments up to 1,100 s/f, two bedrooms from 1,600 s/f to more than 2,600 s/f of space, three bedrooms from 3,000 s/f, and full-floor homes of 6,000 s/f, as well as a two-floor penthouse with 10,000 s/f.
A private motor court and garden leads to a lobby, and a residents-only garage with 87 parking spaces-one for each residence. In addition, there will be 5,000 s/f of retail and restaurant space on First Ave.
"50 United Nations Plaza is destined to become an international landmark, defined by its modern architecture and renowned location," said William Zeckendorf, co-chairman of Zeckendorf. "This neighborhood is of great personal significance to my brother Arthur and I, as our maternal grandfather Trygve Lie was the first UN Secretary General, and our paternal grandfather assembled the land upon which the UN Secretariat building now stands."
Featuring 87 apartments, 50 United Nations Plaza will have views of the UN Secretariat building, the East River, the Chrysler Building and the New York skyline.
"We are thrilled to again partner with Zeckendorf Development on creating another premier New York City residential condominium," said Eyal Ofer, chairman of Global Holdings. "With a location facing one of the most famous and important buildings in the world, 50 United Nations Plaza will attract considerable interest from buyers who recognize there is no other opportunity in New York City to own a home created by one of today's great architects."
During the ground raising ceremony, Zeckendorf Development and Global Holdings unveiled a donation of $100,000 to support Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, a nonprofit community organization whose mission is the beautification, preservation and public programming of the plaza. These funds will be used to engage a professional landscape architect to create a plan to beautify the boundary between 50 United Nations Plaza and Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. The landscape architect will also be tasked with designing a prestigious entrance to the plaza's Katharine Hepburn Garden.
"The collaboration between Norman Foster, Zeckendorf Development and Global Holdings will set new standards for luxury living and create one of the most memorable residential buildings in the world, which will fit securely and independently among New York's iconic towers," said Arthur Zeckendorf, co-chairman of Zeckendorf Development.
The exterior of 50 United Nations Plaza is characterized by deep bay windows, which accentuate the views and broaden the living spaces within. The windows are unified by a horizontal grid of stainless steel tubes that wrap around the building.
According to Norman Foster, chairman and founder of Foster + Partners, "The slender proportion of 50 United Nations Plaza is attenuated by the vertical stacks of bay windows, which give it a distinctive identity. From the apartments within, these bays offer spectacular views of the East River and Manhattan's skyline. The polished stainless steel detailing of the façade is in the spirit of earlier historic towers in the city, and it reflects the sharp quality of light which is special to New York. The building has a strong environmental agenda combining measures to reduce energy consumption with the use of recycled materials."

Zeckendorf Development LLC is led by owners, founders and co-chairmen William and Arthur Zeckendorf. It is a firm with a long history of developing high-end properties. These include Fifteen Central Park West, considered one of the most successful luxury residential developments ever built and 18 Gramercy Park, a newly designed modern classic that evokes the luxury and grandeur of New York's finest cooperative landmarks. The Zeckendorfs' paternal grandfather, William Zeckendorf, Sr., originally assembled the land that now houses the United Nations. Their maternal grandfather, Trygve Lie, was the first Secretary-General of the UN and oversaw the creation of the UN Headquarters in its current location.
US-based Global Holdings, Inc. is led by Chairman Eyal Ofer. Over the years, Ofer has amassed a diversified global portfolio including the development of and investment in a broad range of real estate. Global Holdings specializes in large-scale commercial real estate and the development of high-end residential buildings, in particular Fifteen Central Park West and 18 Gramercy Park South with Zeckendorf Development. Among the company's many projects are investments in several choice properties in Manhattan and a controlling share in Miller Global Properties, a fund that focuses on real estate investments in North America and Europe.

About Foster + Partners: Foster + Partners, one of the most innovative architectural practices in the world today, led by Founder and Chairman Norman Foster, is based in London with project offices worldwide. Over the past four decades the practice has pioneered a sustainable approach to architecture and ecology through a strikingly wide range of work, from urban master plans, public infrastructure, airports, civic and cultural buildings, offices and workplaces to private houses and product design. The studio has established an international reputation with buildings such as the world's largest airport terminal at Beijing, Hearst Headquarters in New York, Millau Viaduct in France, the German Parliament in the Reichstag, Berlin, and The Great Court at London's British Museum. The practice has received over 600 awards for excellence and won over 100 national and international competitions since its inception in 1967. Tags: