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♪[THEME MUSIC]♪
>>> COLOMBIA? METADINA?
YOU KNOW, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR?
NAH, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO LEAVE COLOMBIA.
I'VE GONE AROUND EUROPE.
I'M GOING TO GO TO CANADA, MONTREAL,
I'M GOING TO GO TO COURSEN COLLEGE,
STUDY ENGINEERING. NO, I DON'T LIKE IT.
FORGET ENGINEERING.
I'M GOING TO BE A DESIGNER WITH BE
GET INVOLVED WITH DESIGNING.
I'M GOING TO BE CREATIVE.
IF I'M A DESIGNER, THERE'S ONLY ONE
PLACE TO BE, NEW YORK CITY.
I'LL COME TO NEW YORK. THE GRETCH BUILDING? INTERESTING.
I HAVE A LEADER DESIGNER TODAY,
COLOMBIA-BORNE CANADIAN, MY FRIEND,
ANDRES ESCOBAR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE, MICHAEL.
>> TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PARENTS, HOW
THEY ENDED UP IN COLOMBIA BECAUSE
THEY WERE BOTH FROM SPAIN ORIGINALLY, RIGHT?
>> MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS MOVED TO COLOMBIA AND
ACTUALLY FOUND LATER MY FATHER'S FAMILY ACTUALLY
COMES FROM LEON.
THE GREAT GRANDPARENTS CAME
FROM SPAIN TO COLOMBIA. ANY IDEA WHAT YEAR?
>> I WOULD SAY EARLY 1900s. AND THEN MY
GRANDFATHER WAS A MERCHANT.
>> THIS IS YOUR GRANDFATHER FROM
YOUR FATHER'S SIDE?
>> CORRECT. FROM MY FATHER'S SIDE.
>> HE WAS A MERCHANT?
>> HE BROUGHT LOCOMOTIVES TO COLOMBIA,
THE ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE, THE COAL LOCOMOTIVE.
>> HE WASN'T A MERCHANT.
HE WAS A MAJOR INDUSTRIALIST.
>> YES. I MEAN, GIVEN THE 1920s HE WAS
AN IMPORTANT INDIVIDUAL.
>> HE BROUGHT THE LOCKE MOTIVE TO COLOMBIA?
>> YES.
>> THAT WAS ON YOUR FATHER'S SIDE.
>> ON MY FATHER'S SIDE.
>> HOW ABOUT YOUR MOM'S SIDE.
>> ON MY MOM'S SIDE THEY WERE MORE CATTLE
RANCHERS IN FLATLANDS, NEAR THE --
BETWEEN THE ANDES AND VENEZUELA AND BRAZIL.
>> THE CATTLE PEOPLE, HOW DID
THEY MEET THE LOCOMOTIVE PEOPLE?
>> THERE'S A TOWN WHERE MY MOM'S FAMILY SETTLED.
AND MY FATHER, WHEN HE WAS
APPOINTED LATER ON HE WAS A SENIOR
VICE PRESIDENT OF A VERY LARGE COMPANY.
HE WAS ADJACENT TO THE TOWN.
THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED, DID THE
SECRETARIAL WORK OR THAT SORT OF WORK,
THEY WERE PEOPLE FROM THE ADJACENT TOWN.
MY FATHER WAS AN ENGINEER THAT CAME
TO RUN THE DEPARTMENT WITHIN HIS COMPANY AND --
>> HE MET THIS INTERESTING WOMAN, MAYBE?
>> IT SO HAPPENED TO BE MY MOM.
HE WENT INTO THE CAREER THAT HIS
FATHER HAD STARTED.
WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE TRADE.
MY DAD BECAME ONE OF THE DIRECTORS.
OF THE FEDERAL GORILLAS, WHICH IS THE TRAIN WAYS OF-
>> NOW WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER, YOU TOLD ME THAT LATER ON,
YOUR FAMILY MOVED LIKE INTO A COMPOUND.
I MEAN, THE BUSINESS, THE COMMUNITY,
THE COMPANY THAT HE WORKED FOR, THEY HAD A
CORPORATE CAMPUS OR A --
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT IS THE TOWN I MENTIONED.
THEY HAD BASICALLY BROUGHT GEOLOGISTS,
ENGINEERS, DOCTORS.
METAL ENGINEERS INTO THE MINE, I'M TALKING ABOUT A COAL MINE,
TO DEVELOP ALL THE KNOW-HOW AND
TECHNIQUE TO BE ABLE TO USE THE IRON.
SO THEY DEVELOPED THESE TOWNS.
THEY BUILT THEIR OWN HOSPITALS,
THEIR OWN CLUB, THEIR OWN
INFRASTRUCTURE, THEIR OWN POLICE FORCE.
IT WAS LIKE A GATED COMMUNITY.
THEY ACTUALLY CREATED THEIR OWN
SPORTS COMPLEX WHERE THERE WAS TENNIS TEACHERS.
>> THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LIKE
WHERE THE ROUSH COMPANY HAS CREATED
SOMETHING IN VIRGINIA A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO,
PUT ALL THEIR COMPANIES OVER THERE.
THEY TOOK A VERY LARGE MILEAGE OF
ACREAGE AND THEY BUILT A PLANNED COMMUNITY.
THIS SOUNDS -- THIS WAS REALLY A PLANNED COMMUNITY.
>> VERY MUCH SO. VERY MUCH SO.
WE GREW UP WITH MY FRIENDS WERE SONS
OF SWISS PEOPLE, AMERICANS.
I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FATHERS FRIEND
WAS FROM MILWAUKEE.
SOME OF THEM WERE FROM ARKANSAS.
THEY WERE ALL DIFFERENT SORTS OF
PROFESSIONS THAT WERE PART OF THIS
WHOLE CONGLOMERATE.
>> YOU TOLD ME THAT WHEN YOU WERE
GROWING UP, YOU TRAVELED ALSO A LOT.
YOUR FATHER WAS EDUCATED IN EUROPE.
>> YES, WE TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY.
WE USED TO TRAVEL WITHIN THE COUNTRY
AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.
AND MY FATHER'S FAMILY GREW NOT
ONLY MY FATHER BUT MY UNCLES AND
EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY EDUCATED ALL
THEIR CHILDREN ABROAD. SO WE ACTUALLY WERE,
WHEN WE CAME TO AGE, WE WERE EITHER SENT TO A
DIFFERENT COUNTRY OR ASKED IF WE
WANTED TO STUDY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
>> WERE YOU EDUCATED ABROAD?
>> NO, NO.
>> I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT 18 YEARS OF AGE
I'M TALK BEFORE YOU CAME TO CANADA.
>> NO, NO.
>> WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS "JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR" MOVIE?
>> IT CHANGED MY OUTLOOK ON LIFE.
>> YOU HAD AN EPIPHANY?
>> YES. WHAT WAS THE EPIPHANY?
>> I LIKED JESUS CHRIST, HE WAS FREE, REBEL,
LONG HAIR, FUN.
>> YOU DECIDED 11 YEARS OF AGE NOT
TO CUT YOUR HAIR AGAIN.
>> YES. I WAS THE ONLY KID IN THE PRIVATE
SCHOOL THAT HAD LONG HAIR.
>> WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS SAY ABOUT
THIS NONCONFORMIST KID?
>> THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT BUT MY DAD GIVEN THE FACT THAT
HE HAD GONE TO SCHOOL IN FRANCE,
HE WAS SOMEWHAT, LET'S CALL IT, LIBERAL.
MY MOM WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE.
EVEN IN TODAY WHEN I SEE HER, SHE
SAYS TO ME, YOU HAVEN'T CUT YOUR HAIR, HONEY.
I SAID, NO, MOM, NOT YET.
>> WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP, DID YOU WANT TO --
DID YOU WANT TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
YOUR DAD WHO WAS AN ENGINEER?
>> INITIALLY EVERYONE DOES.
BUT I NEVER REALLY FELT THAT THAT WAS
MY CALLING IN LIFE.
I DABBLED WITH DIFFERENT THING,
ENGINEERING, MEDICINE, I DIDN'T
KNOW QUITE WHAT I WANTED TO BE.
YOU GET MIXED SIGNALS.
IT IS THE SOCIETY KIND OF LIKE PUTS
THAT PRESSURE ON YOU.
AND BY DEFAULT YOU END UP DOING
SOMETHING YOU DON'T NECESSARILY WANT.
I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE THAT I
WENT MY OWN WAY, DECIDED ON MY OWN PATH.
>> DOES YOUR MOTHER STILL LIVE IN COLOMBIA?
>> YES.
>> HOW ABOUT BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
>> ONE OF MY BROTHERS IS IN LONDON, ENGLAND.
MY SISTER ALWAYS LIVED IN COLOMBIA.
>> HOW DOES THE KID FROM COLOMBIA
ONE DAY DECIDE TO GO -- I DON'T KNOW
HOW YOU FOUND DAWSON COLLEGE IN MONTREAL.
>> THE WHOLE IDEA WAS THAT MY DAD HAD THIS IDEA THAT
ANDRES SHOULD GO TO PARIS.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HIS FRIENDS
WERE, THAT'S WHERE HE GOT HIS DOCTOR DEGREE.
HE WANTED ME TO GO TO PARIS AND TO GO
TO SCHOOL IN LUZERNE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GO THERE BECAUSE
IT WAS MY FATHER'S IDEA.
I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA THAT I WOULD
GO TO A PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD
SPEAK FRENCH AND ENGLISH.
MONTREAL SOUNDED LIKE A GREAT PLACE.
I SAID TO MY DAD, WHAT ABOUT MONTREAL?
HE SAYS, OKAY.
>> AT THAT TIME YOU HAD NO FACIAL HAIR.
WE HAVE A PICTURE OF YOU AS A STUDENT IN MONTREAL.
THE HAIR WAS LONG BUT THERE WAS NO FACIAL HAIR.
WAS IT WHEN YOU MET BELLA?
>> A LITTLE AFTER.
>> SO HOW DID YOU MEET BELLA?
>> I WAS ACTUALLY IN A PARK AND I
SAW A GIRL THAT I LIKED.
A GOOD LATINO-AMERICAN.
>> SHE WAS PORTUGUESE.
>> YES. WE DABBLED IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
SHE UNDERSTOOD A LITTLE BIT.
I UNDERSTOOD A LITTLE BIT.
THEN SHE BASICALLY WAS INSTRUMENTAL
IN TEACHING ME HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH.
>> SO WHEN DID YOU MEET BELLA?
>> 1980.
>> THAT IS 36 YEARS AGO.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> YOU'RE A STUDENT AT THIS TIME AND AT THAT TIME,
YOU WERE STILL STUDYING ENGINEERING.
WHAT HAPPENED -- WHAT MADE THE
CHANGE FROM ENGINEERING TO INTERIOR DESIGN?
>> I THINK THAT I MET WITH --
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF REALLY INTERESTING AND VERY
COOL PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSITY.
I WENT TO TALK TO AN ACADEMIC
ADVISER AND HE WAS FRANK AND HONEST
AND SAYS TO ME, DO YOU REALLY LIKE
WHAT YOU'RE DOING? I SAID, NOT REALLY.
HE SAID WHY DON'T YOU GO INTO
SOMETHING MORE CREATIVE?
I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CREATIVE.
THE STEREOTYPE IN SOUTH AMERICA,
IF YOU'RE NOT A DOCTOR, PRIEST, ENGINEER.
SO HE SAYS, TRY IT OUT.
I TRIED IT OUT AND I LOVED IT AND I EXCELLED IN IT.
I TOLD MY FATHER, LISTEN, I'M
SWITCHING TO THIS CAREER. HE GOES, OH.
>> WHEN YOU WERE LIVING IN MONTREAL
AS A STUDENT, DID YOU WORK OR DO YOU
ONLY GOOD TO STUDIES?
>> NO, I WORKED. MY FATHER IN LAW HELPED ME OUT
QUITE A BIT. I WORKED AT CONSTRUCTION SITES.
I USED TO CARRY CINDER BLOCKS AT THE BEGINNING.
THEN I HELPED DEMOLISH.
FOR A WHILE I WAS CUTTING WITH A CARBINE
BLADE THESE TERRA-COTTA TILES IN THIS CASTLE,
EATING DUST AND EVERYTHING ELSE,
THE TEMPERATURE WAS LIKE --
>> YOU SAID TO ME, YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW
WENT INTO BUSINESS.
>> NO, WHEN HE CAME TO CANADA HE
WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE BUSINESS.
IN MONTREAL, IN THE EARLY '60s HE
WAS A NEEDLE TRADE CITY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF FABRICS AND MATERIALS.
ACTUALLY THIS TRADE DISAPPEARED,
WHEN IT STARTED GOING TO ABROAD.
>> HOW DID HE GET INVOLVED WITH THE
RESTAURANT WHERE YOU WERE WORKING
THE RESTAURANT ON SUNDAYS YOU TOLD ME.
>> I THINK THE WHOLE IDEA WAS HE WANTED TO FIND A
METHODOLOGY TO MOVING OUT OF THE FACTORY AREA.
HE WENT TO THIS RESTAURANT AND HE
HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL
PORTUGUESE RESTAURANT THAT
WAS MORE LIKE A SOCIAL CLUB FOR
PORTUGUESE PEOPLE.
AND ON SUNDAYS, HE NEEDED SOMEBODY TO HELP,
TO GO OPEN THE DOORS, BUY THE BREAD, MAKE THE SANDWICHES.
>> TASTE THE WINE?
>> TASTE THE WINE, YES, OF COURSE.
AND I USED TO START VERY EARLY
IN THE MORNING.
I USED TO PREPARE, SET EVERYTHING UP
AND PEOPLE WOULD START TRICKLING
AROUND 9:00, 10:00 IN THE MORNING
BECAUSE THEY WILL EITHER WERE GOING
TO CHURCH AND THERE'S VARIOUS
HOURS WHEN PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH, 9:00
OR 10:00 OR 12:00 AND IN BETWEEN,
THE HUSBANDS WHO DIDN'T WANT TO GO
TO CHURCH WOULD STAY THERE AND
HAVE A DRINK OR HAVE SOMETHING WHILE WAITING.
>> THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR PART-TIME JOBS.
>> YES, YES, I LOVED IT.
>> WHEN YOU FINISHED DAWSON,
YOU SAID THERE WERE CERTAIN PEOPLE INSTRUMENTAL IN
HELPING YOU OUT WITH YOUR DESIGN BUSINESS IN CANADA.
>> MOST OF THE PEOPLE, BY PURE
COINCIDENCE, MOST OF MY FRIENDS WERE IN THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY. HOW? IT JUST HAPPENED.
>> JESUS WAS JEWISH FIRST.
>> 100%. MY VERY GOOD FRIEND, MICHAEL,
MIKE USED TO SAY YOU HAVE TO COME
AND PLAY VOLLEYBALL WITH US.
WE USED TO PLAY VOLLEYBALL.
AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS PLAYING
VOLLEYBALL WITH US ACTUALLY WAS THE
SON OF THE OWNER ç OF SOME SORT OF BUSINESS.
WHETHER THEY WERE GENERAL
CONTRACTORS OR DEVELOPERS OR REALTORS.
AND THESE PEOPLE EVENTUALLY BECAME INSTRUMENTAL,
STARTING -- MY BUSINESS STARTED WITH THEM.
>> RIGHT. YOU WERE SAYING YOU WERE ONE OF
THE FAMILIES WAS INVOLVED WITH THE
SUPERMARKET BUSINESS.
YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH THE DESIGN OF
THE SUPERMARKET, THE INTERIOR OF THE SUPERMARKET.
>> YES, YES, ONE OF THE FAMILIES ACTUALLY WAS A
VERY INSTRUMENTAL, VERY FORWARD-THINKING FAMILY
IN QUEBEC, THE STEINBERG FAMILY.
THEY OWNED A SUPERMARKET CHAIN
THAT WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL,
FOUNDED BY SAM STEINBERG. VERY LARGE FAMILY.
AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WERE
GOING TO ALSO GO INTO DEVELOPMENT
BECAUSE THEY WOULD BECOME THE ANCHOR OF THEM ALL.
THEY BUILD THESE MALLS, BUILT A
STEINBERG'S IN ONE END, FIND ANOTHER ANCHOR.
>> WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THEM?
>> I DESIGNED THE VERY HYPERMARKET.
TYPICALLY THE SUPERMARKET WAS
10,000 TO 15,000 SQUARE FEET.
THEY EMULATED A CONCEPT THAT
EXISTED IN EUROPE WHICH WAS A MUCH
LARGER SURFACE, 45,000, 50,000 SQUARE FEET.
>> LIKE THE SUPERSTARS.
>> CORRECT.
>> THEY DID IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THEY USED TO BE CALLED A DAILY MARKET.
THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE SEPARATE,
ALMOST LIKE GOING TO A REAL MARKET
WHERE YOU FIND THE BEST BREAD, THE BEST FISH.
THE BEST COLD CUTS, THEN THEY
MIXED ALL THESE WITH CLOTHING.
THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF SORT OF LIKE THAT.
>> YOU'RE IN CANADA AT THIS TIME,
THEN YOU ALSO DID SOME WORK IN EUROPE,
DIDN'T YOU?
>> IT WASN'T NATURAL, SINCE WE SPEAK SEVERAL
LANGUAGES. I WAS WORKING ON THE SUPERMARKET
END OF THINGS, THERE WERE VERY
LARGE PLAYERS IN EUROPE,
SPECIFICALLY IN SWITZERLAND AND IN
THE NETHERLANDS AND IN BELGIUM.
AND WE DID A COUPLE OF CONCEPTS FOR THESE PEOPLE
UTILIZING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE ACQUIRED
THROUGH THE STEINBERG'S.
>> WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO BRANCH
OUT INTO NEW YORK?
>> I THINK IT WAS JUST PURELY COINCIDENTAL.
AND IT WAS CARL FISHER ARCHITECT
FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL
IN INTRODUCING ME TO THE NEW YORK MARKET.
CARL HAD A PROJECT IN WILLIAMSBURG
WHERE THEY WERE RUNNING A COMPETITION. HE ASKED ME --
>> IT WASN'T A LANDMARK BUILDING,
IT WAS AN OLD RESTORED BUILDING.
>> IT WAS A GUITAR FACTORY, THE
GREDGE GUITAR FACTORY.
HE GOT PERMISSION TO CONVERT THE
BUILDING TO CONDOMINIUM.
HE INVITED ME, HE FELT I HAD THE
FLAIR TO DO THIS JOB.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WIN THE COMPETITION.
>> THAT WAS LIKE 1998?
>> LATE -- YES, LATE '90s, EARLY 2000.
THE ACTUAL BUILDING WAS CONCLUDED 2 --
>> 2001?
>> SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
>> AS WE WERE SAYING, IT'S GREAT
TO BE IN NEW YORK BUT, YOU KNOW, BROOKLYN IS BROOKLYN
AND MANHATTAN IS MANHATTAN.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH MANHATTAN?
>> I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE
MARKET THAT WELL. I THOUGHT THAT BROOKLYN WAS MANHATTAN.
FOR ME, NEW YORK IS BROOKLYN, NEW JERSEY,
MANHATTAN. SO I WAS -- I HAD DONE SEVERAL
PROJECTS IN BROOKLYN, BOTH IN WILLIAMSBURG --
>> YOU DID THE HOTEL.
>> NO, I DID A VERY LARGE PROJECT
FOR THE HUDSON COMPANY FOR DAVID
CRAMER CALLED THE J. CONDO.
>> RIGHT. THE J. CONDO-
>> AND I DID SEVERAL LITTLE PROJECTS.
IN MY MIND I HAD ACCOMPLISHED INCREDIBLE,
YOU KNOW, AMOUNTS OF WORK.
AND I WAS ASKED TO QUOTE ON A PROJECT
DOWNTOWN IN MANHATTAN.
>> IN BATTERY PARK.
>> IN BATTERY PARK CITY.
ONE OF THE LENDERS, ONE OF THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
SAID CAN WE SEE SOME OF THE PROJECTS
YOU'VE DONE IN MANHATTAN?
I SAID, WELL, I'VE DONE THE WILLIAMSBURG,
THE J CONDO. THEY SAID, NO, NO, NO,
WE WANT TO SEE PROJECTS YOU'VE DONE IN NEW YORK.
I SAID UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
THAT TAUGHT ME A GOOD LESSON THAT I
NEEDED TO HAVE PROJECTS IN NEW YORK.
>> WHERE WAS THE FIRST MANHATTAN PROJECT?
>> COINCIDENTALLY, CARL FISHER,
AGAIN, BECAME THE SAVIOR.
HE INTRODUCED ME TO A PROJECT
CALLED 59 JOHN STREET, ON JOHN AND WILLIAM.
>> THIS WAS AN OFFICE BUILDING.
>> IT WAS AN OFFICE BUILDING THAT WOULD BE
CONVERTED INTO A CONDOMINIUM.
IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THAT KIND OF LIKE SET THE WHOLE PATH.
>> PEOPLE CONSIDER JERSEY CITY THE SIXTH BOROUGH.
HOW DID YOU THE CANADIAN --
OR SHALL WE SAY COLOMBIA CANADIAN,
END UP IN JERSEY CITY WITH JEFFERSON?
>> I THINK AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THE MARKET WAS
VERY RECEPTIVE AND THE BROKERAGE
COMMUNITY WAS IN THE INFANCY OF THE
MARKETING STRUCTURE WITHIN THE COMPANY.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, I'M TALKING
ABOUT CORCORAN GROUP, MARKETING DIRECTORS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS KIND OF COMPANY.
NOW, SOME OF THEM WERE VERY PLEASED
BY THE WORK THAT I HAVE DONE ON THIS
PROJECT IN BROOKLYN.
AND THEY BASICALLY INTRODUCED ME TO
THE DEVELOPERS WHO WERE DOING THIS PROJECT.
WHEN I DID MY FIRST LARGE
PROJECT IN JERSEY CITY WAS FOR A
COMPANY AT THE TIME CALLED APPLIED.
>> APPLIED DEVELOPMENT.
>> I DEALT WITH DAVID BARRY, A VERY PHENOMENAL GUY.
THEY WERE PARTNERS WITH A FAMILY
CALLED THE PANAPINTO FAMILY IN JERSEY.
IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.
AGAIN, THE SUM OF ALL THESE PROJECTS
BECOME THE PROCESS OF GETTING FURTHER
AND FURTHER INTO THE BUSINESS.
ONCE I HAD CONCLUDED SEVERAL
OF THESE PROJECTS, THEN THERE IS
CERTAIN RESPECT THAT GETS BUILT IN
THE MARKET AND PEOPLE STARTED
ASKING WHO DID THIS PROJECT, WHO DID THIS PROJECT.
IT DEVELOPED INTO --
>> WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY IN DESIGN?
WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO DO?
>> I LOVE TO DO HOSPITALITY.
I LIKE TO DO HOTELS.
THE REASON I LIKE TO DO HOTELS IS
HOTELS HAVE A VERY PARTICULAR MARKET.
THEY'RE ALL NICHED. SOME OF THEM ARE LOOKING
FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE.
>> ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERIORS?
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE WALLS?
ONE HOTEL WHICH I LOVE THAT YOU WERE
INVOLVED WITH WAS THE JADE.
THE CHARACTERISTICS BY PUTTING THE BRICKS,
BY PUTTING THE WINDOWS OVER THERE, IT BLENDED
INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WEST
13th STREET AND GREENWICH VILLAGE.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS HAVE A
LIFE OF THEIR OWN.
IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, I WORKED
WITH WILL O'BIDE, THE PERSON REALLY
BEHIND THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THAT
PARTICULAR BUILDING.
WILL WAS VERY ENGAGING AND WE
BRAINSTORMED AND WE REALLY WANTED
TO BE RESPECTFUL BUILDING THAT THAT
IT RESPECTS GREENWICH VILLAGE.
I WANTED TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN
INSTITUTION THAT HAS BEEN HERE FOREVER.
WHEN SOMEBODY WALKS INTO THIS HOTEL
I WANT IT TO FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN HERE FOREVER.
PART OF THE MISSION WAS HE
WANTED TO HAVE CERTAIN TOUCHES,
INFLUENCE OF ART DECO ARCHITECTURE,
WHETHER IT WAS THE LOWER FACADE, THE ELEVATOR,
THE RESTAURANT, THE ROOMS.
EVERYTHING WAS DONE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
>> WHAT OTHER HOSPITALITY ARE
YOU INVOLVED WITH TODAY?
>> WELL, WE'RE DOING A COUPLE OF
RENOVATIONS OF HOTELS, ONE ON
55th BETWEEN PARK AVENUE AND LEXINGTON.
THAT'S CALLED THE CONCORD HOTEL.
WE'RE DOING -- WE'RE FINISHING HOTEL,
A FULL-SERVICE HOLIDAY INN IN BROOKLYN,
ADJACENT TO THE BARCLAY STADIUM.
WE'RE WORKING ON TWO HOTELS AT THE
HUDSON YARD. ONE IS A LOFT.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE AC HOTEL BY
MARRIOTT NEAR LaGUARDIA AIRPORT
AND WE ARE ç DOING A COMBO A LOFT
ELEMENT HOTEL NEAR JOHN F. KENNEDY.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS ON OUR PLATE.
>> YOU'RE LIKE A COMMUTER, AREN'T YOU?
YOU SPEND THREE DAYS A WEEK IN NEW YORK
AND FOUR DAYS A WEEK IN CANADA OR IS IT VICE VERSA?
>> IT IS LIKE THAT.
THE THREE DAYS I'M IN NEW YORK ARE
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, THE MAIN DAYS WHERE
BUSINESS HAPPENS IN NEW YORK CITY.
MOST OF THE REAL BUSINESSMEN LEAVE
ON THURSDAY EVENING.
AND THEY COME BACK FROM CONNECTICUT
OR FROM THE BEACH ON MONDAY EVENING.
TUESDAY TO THURSDAY, PERFECT.
>> IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR DESIGN
APPROACH EVERYTHING, YOU'VE
ALWAYS STAYED IN HOTELS, RIGHT?
>> I'VE ALWAYS STAYED IN HOTELS.
I HAVE TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND BY UNDERSTANDING
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD
ALLOWS YOU TO GET INFLUENCE AND TO
BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
MAKES PEOPLE TICK.
SO FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST CONCLUDED
A HOTEL IN THE SEYCHELLES ISLAND,
A FIVE STAR RESORT HOTEL.
THE CLIENT GAVE ME A MANDATE.
WE DID IT, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, IT'S OPERATING.
IT OPENED ABOUT EIGHT, NINE MONTHS AGO.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT TWO OTHER
THINGS IN YOUR LIFE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT BELLA AND YOUR KIDS.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, BELLA IS THE PERSON THAT
ACTUALLY HELPED ME BECOME WHO I AM.
VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE
INDIVIDUAL IN HER OWN SKIN. EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE.
I NEVER REALLY GOT ANY SORT OF
AGGRAVATION BECAUSE I HAD TO TRAVEL.
I GET A PHONE CALL, I HAD TO PICK UP AND
GO WHETHER IT WAS TO EUROPE OR NEW YORK CITY.
SHE ACCOMPANIES ME SEVERAL TIMES.
>> AND THE CHILDREN?
>> THE CHILDREN --
>> THEIR NAMES?
>> JOSHUA.
>> JOSHUA IS DOING WHAT.
>> JOSHUA IS WORKING ON CONSTRUCTION.
>> IN CANADA?
>> CANADA. COREY, THE YOUNG ONE, HE'S TURNING 23.
HE IS IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES TEACHING ENGLISH.
HE'S BEEN THERE FOR TWO YEARS.
>> AND SOMETHING NEW, THE LAME GROUP.
WHAT'S THIS? YOUR NEW INVOLVEMENT.
>> AFTER BEING ON MY OWN FOR CLOSE TO 25 YEARS,
I FELT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN A MUCH LARGER
GROUP, A GROUP THAT WOULD ALLOW
ME TO DO DIFFERENT TYPE OF SCOPE OF WORK.
THE IDEA WAS MAINLY FOR PROJECTS ABROAD
LIKE IN DUBAI, THAT AREA OF THE WORLD OR IN THE
CARIBBEAN WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY
PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS MASTER PLANNING,
FULL ARCHITECTURE, FULL INTERIORS.
WE ARE ALL A COMPLEMENT TO EACH OTHER.
>> COLLABORATION IS WHAT YOU SAID TO ME.
>> CORRECT.
>> LAME IS HEADQUARTERED IN CANADA.
>> LAME IS HEADQUARTERED IN CANADA.
IT'S AMONG THE 100 LARGEST FIRMS IN
THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
>> IN THE DESIGN BUSINESS?
>> IN ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND PLANNING, YES.
WE'RE A TOTAL OF 350 PEOPLE.
>> SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING TRAVELS FROM
COLOMBIA TO CANADA.
>> NEW YORK CITY IS NOT -- NEW YORK CITY
IS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE WORLD.
I'M HAPPY THAT YOU ARE MAKING A MARK
ON THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE WORLD WITH YOUR
DESIGN AND PROJECTS AROUND THE WORLD.
>> NEW YORK IS MY FAVORITE CITY IN THE WORLD.
IT'S THE BEST PLATFORM ANYBODY COULD HOPE TO HAVE.
>> THANK YOU.
>>PLEASURE.
♪[THEME MUSIC]♪