How Ben Shaoul went from “Sledgehammer” landlord to one of the busiest luxury condo developers in Manhattan

From the July issue: In late March, developer Ben Shaoul arrived at his Upper East Side luxury condo project and began inspecting a model unit. That very week, the Paris Forino-designed apartment at 389 East 89th Street was slated to make its debut to prospective buyers. The goal would be to sell all 156 units by the end of the year. To most naked eyes, the surroundings, which featured custom Italian cabinetry and a plush purple velvet settee, looked flawless. But Shaoul immediately spotted a minor chip in the paintwork on the doorframe. In between swigging gulps of Diet Coke and barking on his cell phone, he chewed out the construction workers. [more]