The Real Deal New York

The Real Deal on the town…

Elliman's Dottie Herman and Howard Lorber party at Mexican fiesta at 949 Park Avenue

May 06, 2011 11:48AM
By Adam Fusfeld

The Real Deal New York
More Slideshow
prev

  • From left, Suzan Kremer, Dina Lewis, Dottie Herman (Pres. and CEO), Melanie Lazenby and Chris Matser (Melanie's mom), all of PDE (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Adam Rothman (PDE), D'Laine Mindreaux (GuardHill Financial) and Heather Meissner (PDE) (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Anne Young, Catherine Auerbach Jared Randolph (all of Brown Harris Stevens) (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Penny Crone (Prudential Douglas Elliman and Mark Forney (Ardour Capital) (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Karen Mansour (PDE Director of Development Marketing) and Leonel Piraino (PDE 949 Park Fine Homes Specialist) (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Linda Rubin (PDE) and Vannessa Kaufman (Sotheby's International Realty) (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • 949 Park Avenue brochure (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Michael Lorber (Director of Business Development for DE Worldwide) and Fredrik Eklund (PDE Managing Director) (credit, Richard Lewin)

  • From left, Adrian Castillo (BHS), Fredrik Eklund (PDE) and Glenn Winnick (BHS) (credit, Richard Lewin)

next
prev
  • Cinco_54.JPG
  • Cinco_13.JPG
  • Cinco_36.JPG
  • Cinco_17.JPG
  • Cinco_47.JPG
  • Cinco_18.JPG
  • Cinco_58.JPG
  • Cinco_04.JPG
  • 69394_Cinco_06.JPG
next

Though the Mexican empanadas, tequila and piñatas were typical of Manhattan Cinco de Mayo celebrations yesterday, the location certainly was not: a new condominium between 81st and 82nd streets along Park Avenue. That contributed to the large crowd at 949 Park Avenue last night — 145 brokers, by the count of Fredrick Eklund, one of three Prudential Douglas Elliman agents exclusively marketing the building — packed into one of the glassy development’s six units, all duplexes.

alternate text

The crowd was dodging “Million Dollar Listing” camera crews filming an episode for the show, premiering in the fall, as well as the staircase, and a jam-packed elevator corridor where visitors were angling to get to the roof.

Several brokers noted that the 1,989-square-foot unit felt small for its $4 million starting price, but John Gomes, another member of Elliman’s marketing team, noted that two of the units are already sold, two more are in contract, leaving two available for sale. “They’re unique, and certainly not for everybody,” he said, noting the floor-to-ceiling master bedroom windows, but, he said, Vera Wang was among the people who checked out units earlier in the week.

Zach Vella, head of the Vella Group that developed the building, admitted he struggled to decide how to layout the 12-story building before ultimately settling on six duplexes. Vella, who was among The Real Deal’s rising stars in the April issue and the subject of positive press in the New York Post last month, said the complimentary coverage has opened doors to new opportunities for development, and he has a few deals in the works in Tribeca. Why Tribeca, and not West Chelsea, where new developments seem to rise every month? “There’s too much inventory there,” he said. “And I love Tribeca.”

Tags: 949 park avenue, dottie herman, Fredrik Eklund, Howard Lorber, leonel piraino, prudential douglas elliman, ve equities

Related posts

Comments are closed.