Developing hands-on.

Patience and creativity. These have defined Izak Senbahar's real estate career over the past 16 years and helped spur his emergence as one of New York's top independent residential developers. His latest project, Grand Beekman, a new 32-story luxury condominium residence at 400 E. 51st St., is certainly a testament to these crucial virtues. It took more than a decade to assemble the complex site and now Senbahar is breaking ground. The elegant tower will be the first new major residential development within the exclusive Beekman Place enclave in more than 25 years.

With his distinctive hands-on style, Senbahar is immersing himself in every detail of the project. Working with Costas Kondylis, New York's preeminent luxury high-rise residential architect, Senbahar conceived a classic exterior structure for Grand Beekman to capture the grace and grandeur of its surroundings. The building's limestone and cast stone facade takes architectural cues from River House, a celebrated 1930s residential building at 52nd Street and the river, while its entranceway evokes a more intimate scale resembling the mansions on Fifth and Park Avenues.

For the interior design, Senbahar spent more than a year in search of the world's finest materials and finishes to add distinction to the classic structure. The result: Grand Beekman's 89 graciously proportioned residences will feature Bulgarian white limestone, German Dura marble and mahogany flooring, among numerous other international treasures.

Senbahar was born in Istanbul in 1959 and moved to the United States in 1977 to attend Catholic University, in Washington, D.C. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, he moved to New York City, where he earned a master's degree in finance from New York University in 1983. Senbahar took a position as a gold trader for the French financial firm Sucre et Denree and soon became the head trader of the metals desk. But his stay on Wall Street would be a short one.

While contemplating accepting an offer from Goldman Sachs & Co., Kiska - the major Turkish construction company -- approached Senbahar about helping them to enter the United States market and build residential high-rises in Manhattan. Excited about the unexpected opportunity, he rolled-up his sleeves and began what would be his first of many patient endeavors in New York's real estate thicket. Two years later, construction began at 353 Central Park West to create 17 extraordinary new floor-through luxury units. The development, at a then untested location, quickly sold out and commanded premium prices.

Not one to shy away from challenges, the group's next project involved developing a 108-unit condominium at the site of a former gas station at 94th Street and Second Avenue. Once complete, Senbahar then partnered with developers Nourullah and Steven Elghanayan and purchased a site on Third Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Streets to create The Elektra -- designed to be a 33-story condominium. Close to the project's completion in 1992, the entire building, containing 166 units, was sold to Beth Israel Hospital for employee housing.

In addition to developing new buildings, throughout the years Senbahar has also accumulated blocks of condominium units in buildings such as 116 Central Park South and 120 E. 90th St.

With the exception of a SoHo-style loft condominium -- with the trendy Cities restaurant at street-level -- that he developed in Washington D.C., all of Senhabar's projects have been in Manhattan. His focus is local. "The small island at the center of the world is where I want to be." But his reach for quality touches every corner of the world.

In addition to Grand Beekman, which is expected to open in the fall of 2002, Senbahar is on the drawing boards for several additional projects in Manhattan.