Welcome to the “Bob and Larry Show”

The starchitect and the mogul share a moment in the spotlight as they premiere their luxe tower

Larry Silverstein and Robert A.M. Stern
Larry Silverstein and Robert A.M. Stern

Separately, they’ve designed and developed some of the world’s most famous buildings, and racked up nearly every award their sides of the industry have to offer.

Together, they could win for “best comedy.”

The obvious bond that has developed between architect Robert A.M. Stern and developer Larry Silverstein is evident in a rib-tickling promotional video for their new luxury condo tower, 30 Park Place.

It begins with the two gazing across the East River. “Look at what we’re going to have, Larry!” Bob remarks.

The narrator intones that the ultraluxury tower was crafted by “two boys from Brooklyn, New York, with the humblest beginnings,” and as their limo takes them over the Brooklyn Bridge, the kibitzing begins. “I lived on the seventh floor of a six-story walk up,” Larry jabs.

Bob adds, “I lived on the F train, and it was always thrilling when the train came up out of the tunnel and you saw this amazing view of the skyline. That was like Oz.”

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Listing the amenities of their luxe skyscraper, the narrator mentions the restaurants, the pool and the 250-person capacity ballroom. “Worthy of Fred Astaire,” says Bob, slipping in a mention of the dancing virtuoso who inspired him to wear yellow socks each day.

The shtick is not limited to the four-plus minutes on the screen. It was also on display at last month’s opening of the sales center for 30 Park Place, where the two men joked and ribbed each other in front of brokers and the press.

In person, it’s obviously not an act. While some starchitects and developers have notoriously bristly relationships, the rapport between Stern and Silverstein is clearly genuine.

Despite decades in the business, Stern, 75, and Silverstein, 83, said they never worked together before. After getting started on the tower in 2008, the economy’s crash put the construction on hold, but clearly not their relationship. They spent the ensuing years honing the finer points of the building, and to a casual observer, it’s obvious they’ve enjoyed not only the “labor of love,” as Stern calls the residential hotel, but also the time they’ve shared on the project.

Corcoran Sunshine’s Kelly Kennedy Mack, who’s directing sales at the tower, commented on the relationship. “The charm between Bob and Larry is palpable,” she said. “For seven or eight years, they’ve had a warm and playful relationship.”

As the video winds down, the boys are back in Brooklyn, providing what amounts to the punch line.

“What can you say?” Bob asks. “It leaves you speechless, doesn’t it?”