New Onyx towers unite two real estate families.

At the on-site party to mark the "topping-off" of construction at The Onyx Chelsea, Matthew Bronfman and Evan Haymes were joined by their fathers, Edgar M. Bronfman, president of the World Jewish Congress and the former chairman of The Seagram Company Limited, and Stephen D. Haymes, head of Haymes Investment Company.

"The Onyx Chelsea is at the forefront of the exciting Eighth Avenue renaissance in which the Haymes family has been a major participant for many years," said Evan Haymes, the founder and president of Bronfman Haymes Real Estate Partners.

It was Bronfman's grandfather, Samuel, who hired Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, one of the 20th century's most influential architects, to design the Seagram Building, a midtown Manhattan landmark. Today, his grandson, Matthew has hired one of today's top architectural firms, FXFOWLE Architects, P.C. to design The Onyx Chelsea.

"Bronfman Haymes is designing projects that we are proud to put our name on," added Haymes. "With The Onyx we are offering sophisticated boutique condominium living in a neighborhood of celebrated galleries, clubs and restaurants."

Haymes, whose family owns and manages two million square feet of commercial properties including Five Penn Plaza, formed an investment entity with Bronfman while in discussions about possible U.S. investments for an Israeli-based equity fund. Today at Bronfman Haymes Real Estate Partners (BHREP), Haymes oversees development, while Bronfman handles finances.

In addition to The Onyx Chelsea, partners of Bronfman Haymes Real Estate Partners LLC, have interests in over 500 residential units in the New York area including Jade, at 16 West 19th, named after its interior designer Jade Jagger (Mick Jagger's daughter) and The Ikon and The Aurora in Northern Williamsburg.

Before starting BHREP, Haymes was the chef acquisition officer for a privately held real estate private equity company with global assets in excess of one billion dollars. He oversaw the acquisition of six casinos and over 1,900 hotel rooms in Las Vegas, as well as the acquisition of a 225,000s/ f hotel in Miami Beach.

Prior to this position, Haymes spent eight years with Haymes Investment Company as a principal. Haymes Investment owns and asset manages over two million square feet of commercial Class A office property throughout the U.S.

Bronfman is a private equity investor whose expertise is sought after by a diverse spectrum of nationally and internationally known companies. He recently acquired the controlling interest in Israel Discount Bank and is also the owner of the Ikea franchise in Israel. Bronfman is also a shareholder of Blue Square Israel (BSI), Israel's second largest supermarket company and managing director of ACI Capital.