BOMA/NY presents annual Awards for Excellence.

Commissioners Gaston Silva, R.A. (New York City Department of Buildings) and William J. Diamond (New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services) took to the podium at the 26th BOMA/NY Annual Awards for Excellence ceremonies in February to honor the "best of the best" at this professional association awards event, which was hailed as the "premier competition of its kind," by BOMA/NY President Hannah Nakhshah. More than 600 were in attendance at the awards ceremony held at the New York Marriott Marquis.

"Six months ago at our 30th anniversary luncheon, we pledged before these same commissioners that BOMA/NY was setting a new goal - to make New York standards the leaders for our industry," said Nakhshab. "We have accomplished that today four of our award winners have gone on to win the next level of competition in the Mid-Atlantic region - one of the most competitive in the nation. Our vision - to be the source for quality and innovation in the industry - has been validated by New York's outstanding performance."

The winners of the 1997-98 BOMA/NY Awards for Excellence are:

Outstanding Local Member: Edward A. Riguardi, RPA/CRE/CPM;

Modernization/Restoration: 1251 Avenue of the Americas;

Historic Building: Eleven Madison Avenue;

Corporate Facility: 1585 Broadway;

The above four awards also won at the mid-Atlantic level).

New Construction: New York Mercantile Exchange;

Operating (100,000-500,000 square feet): 565 Fifth Avenue;

Operating (500,000 square feet+): 180 Maiden Lane;

Government Building: U.S. Courthouse at 500 Pearl Street;

Civic Betterment: Volunteers of America, Greater New York.

Outstanding Member

This award honors a member whose leadership skills, active participation in the association, business and community activities "exemplify the consummate industry professional."

Edward A. Riguardi, RPA, CRE, CPM, chairman of Colliers ABR, Inc., and a BOMA/NY member since 1969, was selected this year for his nearly three decades of tireless service to the Association and the industry in the political, social and business arenas. A BOMA/NY Past President (198081), he has held numerous committee assignments. As Education Committee Chair, he was instrumental in creating the BOMA Institute and establishing the RPA designation a benchmark of excellence in the field. His expertise in all aspects of real estate has helped to build bridges and foster improved relations between both local and state governments and the building industry, as well as between BOMA/NY and other industry associations. As a representative of the industry perspective, he has served three New York City Mayors, helped to develop updated codes and regulations, and as a member of the Realty Advisory Board, helped end the strike of Local 32B-32J, which represents cleaning personnel, porters and related jobs. He was president of Koeppel Tenet Riguardi before becoming Colliers ABR chairman.

Modernization/Restoration: 1251 Avenue of the Americas

This award honors outstanding renovation and modernization projects that "set new standards for the industry." 1151 Avenue of the America's $50 million capital improvements program, and its transformation from a corporate icon to a 21 st Century multitenant headquarters facility, captured this year's Modernization/Restoration Award. The lobby, encompassing the entire ground floor and sheathed in beige Italian marble, was a major focus point of the renovation. The new lobby introduced custom-designed lighting, terrazzo floor accents, and specially-commissioned stained glass artwork crowning the 30-foot high windows.

A corridor of retail space at the rear repeats the decorative motif, creating a cohesive ground-floor design. Two escalators carry passengers to the C-1 level East Concourse, featuring two video walls displaying art, news, tenant-supplied programming and cultural events listings. This level connects to the Rockefeller Center Concourse and the subway system.

Historic Building: Eleven Madison Avenue

This award honors buildings 50 years old and older which preserve their historic integrity, while modernizing to accommodate the latest technological advances.

Metropolitan Life recently completed a $300 million restoration to bring Eleven Madison's technical standards well into the 21st Century, while preserving its rich architectural heritage. The restoration was carried out in strict compliance with its statute as a landmark listed on the U.S. Department of Interior's National Register of Historic Places. The four-year transportation required demolishing the interior down to its steel frame and Alabama limestone skin before replenishing it, as well as authentically reproducing and replacing each window. Within the walls is a network of the newest technology, including an efficient HVA.C system, upgraded electrical telecommunications capacities and modernized elevators.

Corporate Facility: 1585 Broadway

This award recognizes a single-use facility for its esthetics, efficiency of operation, and its impact on the metropolitan business community. The property must be at least 50 percent occupied by a corporate entity.

Making Morgan Stanley's 1.4 million square-foot global headquarters at 1585 Broadway stand apart from other qualifying buildings is its highly sophisticated, state-ofthe-art telecommunications system. Designed specifically to meet the functional and architectural objectives of large corporate technical requirements, it is considered to be one of the most advanced systems of its kind in the world. Additionally, a compact center core design permits floors with few, if any columns, creating expansive and bright work areas. Fourteen-foot high ceilings allow for raised floors to accommodate data and telecommunications cabling.

Operating Building (100,000 to 500,000 s.f.): 565 Fifth Avenue

This award recognizes physical attractiveness, operating efficiency and community impact. With construction completed in 1991, 565 Fifth Avenue elegantly blends a modern style with creative design, making this addition to the Midtown skyline "a new standard for physical attractiveness, operating efficiency and community impact," according to the judges. Standing above the three floors of retail frontage on Fifth Avenue, the exterior structure of the tower has a series of recessed bays or vertical notches running the complete height of the tower, allowing the maximum number of perimeter and corner offices. The lobby features 24-foot high walls of silver-gray Rio Clara marble and floors of white Carrara and Rio Clara marble. A fully computerized security system features television monitoring and a secure card key access system for afterhours and weekend admittance. A 14th floor conference room is routinely lent to recognized charitable organizations as a central meeting location in Manhattan to plan activities that benefit communities across New York City.

Operating Building (500,000 s.f. +): 180 Maiden Lane

This award also recognizes pfiysical attractiveness, operating efficiency and community impact. The 1.1 million square-foot, octagonal, green-mirrored tower overlooking the East River at 180 Maiden Lane captured this award in part for its role in sparking the Downtown neighborhood revitalization and building boom in the 1980's. Bordered by a tree-lined plaza with marble benches, the building features a four-story atrium with 20-foot high live Fichus trees, umbrella-covered seating, an art gallery, news and sundries shop, and a 16-monitor high-tech video wall that doubles as the backdrop for live performances. Tenant amenities include the Ricker Auditorium, executive dining rooms, cocktail facilities, private conference rooms and catering to tenant floors. A network of high-tech infrastructure, including fiberoptic links and satellite telecommunications, keeps this building at the leading edge of technology.

New Construction: New York Mercantile Exchange

Foresight in site selection and development, excellence in design and unique concepts in construction characterize the qualities considered for this award.

The New York Mercantile Exchange at One North End Avenue exceeded this criteria by combining the physical and technological requirements of two of the most advanced trading exchanges into one facility with two separate trading floor operations. To meet these needs, the exchange constructed a 16-story office tower featuring steel frame construction, steel columns and structural concrete floor slabs. Eight escalators provide continuous passage from the first to seventh floors, bypassing the two trading floors, while nine elevators stop on every floor, with additional cars dedicated as trading floor telecommunication capacities and modernized elevators.

Government Building: U.S. Courthouse - 500 Pearl Street

Considerations in this category must be owned by the local, state or federal governments. In 1995, construction ended on New York City's newest - and the nation's largest - Federal Courthouse at 500 Pearl Street, a leading example of a well-designed and community-integrated municipal building. Located near the original 1936 Cases Gilbert Federal Courthouse, the new U.S. Courthouse provides 29 district judge courtrooms, 14 magistrate judge courtrooms, a special purpose ceremonial courtroom and 42 separate judicial chambers. Three of the 26 state-of-the-art elevators are designated for the sole use of judges, while another bank of three is for the exclusive use of U.S. marshals as secure prisoner transports. Fifteen elevators are available for tenants and guests, with the remaining five for building services. 500 Pearl Street also features works by two notable artists: Sounding Stones by Maya Lin graces the western plaza, while Justice by Ray Kasky watches over the lobby.

Civic Betterment Award: Volunteers of America - Greater NY

This award is presented to an individual or organization that has dedicated substantial time and resources to solving the problems of New York and the metropolitan community.

As one of the largest non-profit organizations in Greater New York, Volunteers of America is a recognized leader and innovator in providing much-needed social service programs to the poorest and neediest in our communities. Established on March 8, 1896 in New York City by Ballington and Maud Booth, the Volunteers of America was created as a broad, inclusive social and religious movement with a mission to "reach and uplift all people." Today, that vision is expressed in hundreds of different human service programs for people in need. Although Volunteers of America assists nearly a million individuals across the nation every year, it focuses on its goal to serve any unmet need with creativity and flexibility, and to avoid duplicating services where others are already providing them.