At the desk of: Victor Elmaleh

If real estate is a war of attrition, the smart money might be on
Victor Elmaleh, 92. Soldiering on while many of his peers have
called it quits, Elmaleh, the chairman of the development company
World-Wide Group, recently unveiled 250 East 57th Street, a bowling-
pin-shaped condo-rental hybrid with a pair of new public schools.
Cranes at the 59-story tower, which was designed by Skidmore, Owings
& Merrill, can be seen from Elmaleh’s corner office. But there is
just as much to admire inside: paintings, musical instruments and
mementos of his victories in squash, which he still plays twice a week.
Physical fitness is key to his great health, which, unlike real estate
deals, “is one of the few achievements in life you can take credit for
yourself,” he says.

At the Desk of