Matchmaker, matchmaker: Zeroing in on right team for job.

New York is a city known for its distinctive skyline and the incredible architecture that comprises its landscape. In recent years, many of the world's top architects and designers, as well as its emerging ones, have created new residential developments throughout the five boroughs that have captured the city's attention.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what a particular building would have looked like if a different architect had designed it? How would it have changed the marketability of the building, the street experience, or reshaped the skyline? How do the developer, the architect and design team come together?

The real estate landscape is a constantly changing one, and architecture and design has increasingly become a key creator of value for a property. Building the team of architects and designers could be considered the single most defining moment in the creation of a condominium development. The decision shapes many things, including the building's identity and often its salability.

The developer's vision is the heart and soul of a development, and often they have an idea of what they are interested in seeing in a property, and how they want it conveyed. The team that designs it needs to express that message clearly and beautifully in its structure, facade and layouts. It must foster creativity throughout the design phase as well as produce a distinctive product that is well-executed upon completion.

Corcoran Sunshine often begins working with our developers during this important initial selection phase, aiding the developer by making recommendations based on market research and sales objectives

Corcoran Sunshine collaborates with the developer to find architects, interior designers, landscape architects, and urban designers who have fresh perspectives, and complementary personalities and work ethics.

Recognizing this, Corcoran Sunshine formed the Predevelopment Department composed of formally trained architects to lend their expertise when needed through this stage of planning. Led by Elisa Orlanski Ours, the team uses their training and an extensive knowledge of architecture and design trends, to work with the developer to understand their vision, budget, schedule, scope of work, construction, and more. This is then translated into recommendations. A great example of a dream team is the one at Riverhouse, One Rockefeller Park. I see it as one of the most successful collaborative efforts currently in our industry--the highly engineered green architecture by Polshek Partnership was married with gracefully efficient family floor plans by the layout master, Ismael Leyva Architects and all complemented by the thrilling and inventive finish detailing throughout the residences and amenity spaces by Rockwell Group. The team at Riverhouse has created one of New York's most exciting properties, reshaping Battery Park City and creating homes that residents are eager to occupy.

At the end of the day, it's about keeping design fresh, beautiful and livable and working with our developers to shape New York's neighborhoods one building at a time.

KELLY KENNEDY MACK PRESIDENT, CORCORAN SUNSHINE MARKETING GROUP