ISSUE NO. 8 | MAY 11, 2021 |
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Dear 555 Community,
We are so pleased to share with you the May edition of our 555 Connects newsletter. This month we celebrate the finer things in life – everything from diamonds to art and flowers.
Our tenant spotlight is Kwiat, the legendary family-run luxury diamond purveyor. With more happenings around town, we offer up some must-see exhibitions both close to 555 Madison Avenue and farther afoot – like at the New York Botanical Gardens where both art and azaleas are in full bloom. We also peek inside the Coates family archives and as always, Aleisa answers your questions.
Happy reading.
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The Management Team
Rodney Corporation
Please note: While we send this update to our designated tenant contact, we encourage you to share this newsletter and all issues with your entire staff so we can keep our community connected and informed.
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TENANT SPOTLIGHT
Family and Business
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L to R: Cory, Greg, Lowell, Russell Kwiat |
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Mixing family and business is a good thing in Greg Kwiat’s book. He’s the CEO of Kwiat, a family-owned diamond jewelry business that has been operating in New York City for 114 years. Kwiat was established in 1907 by Sam Kwiat in the original Diamond District on Canal Street. Over the past century, the business has been handed down through the generations. Today, Greg runs Kwiat alongside his father, Lowell, and his two brothers, Russell and Cory.
“When you look at all the great luxury jewelry brands, they were all established and built by families. Ours has remained a family operation the entire time. There’s something really special about that. Knowing that whether you’re a client, a supplier or a business partner, you will have a direct relationship with one of the family members means something,” explains Greg.
Prior to joining the family business, Greg was an investment banker, but his heart wasn’t in it. “I wanted to be a part of something personal, that I could help grow. It is really a pleasure and a joy for me to work with my father and my brothers. We have the same passion for what we do and it’s personal for all of us.”
About ten years ago, the Kwiats moved their corporate headquarters to the Coates Building and joined the 555 Madison Avenue family. Equidistant from the Diamond District on 47th Street and their flagship retail store on the Upper East Side, 555 Madison was convenient -- and ticked another, more nuanced box.
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“We wanted a high-end building that conveyed the sophistication and seriousness of our company. We also appreciated that it was a family-run operation and the owners were people we could establish a long-term relationship with.”
Greg Kwiat
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While only four of the thirty Kwiat employees located at 555 Madison Avenue bear the Kwiat name, they are all family in Greg’s eyes. Wholesale business, finance, marketing and even design work happens from the 555 Madison Avenue location. In fact, the design workshop onsite is where every Kwiat engagement ring and wedding band is handcrafted. It’s also where new design ideas and style innovations take shape that show the enduring elegance of the brand while pushing it forward. |
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“Right now, we are very focused on the future. We are optimistic about the second half of 2021 and that there will be a strong economy. We are preparing for that and developing new lines for launch which include very wearable jewelry, as well as unveiling a new custom cushion-cut Kwiat diamond that we are very excited about.”
Here’s a recent video of the Kwiats talking about the joys of family and business.
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Kusama: Cosmic Nature at the New York Botanical Gardens (Image: NYBG) |
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Some of the world’s greatest cultural institutions are within reach from 555 Madison Avenue. It’s fantastic to see our city re-animate with such incredible programming. Here are some exhibitions you might want to take in while you have the chance. |
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The Spring Madison Avenue Gallery Tour. ARTnews and the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District will host a free public gallery walk on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Experts and curators will lead a group as they explore the galleries and showrooms in the district. Space is limited. More information here.
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Selections from the Collection of Jefferson R. Burdick at the Met features over one hundred baseball cards produced between the 1890s and the 1950s. The collection tells a story both of America’s favorite pastime and of printmaking. The baseball cards collected by Burdick represent the most comprehensive public collection outside of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The exhibition runs through May 31st. More information here.
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Collection of Jefferson R. Burdick |
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Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America at MoMA explores how race structures American cities. The exhibition, which is on view through May 31st, presents 11 newly commissioned works by architects, designers, and artists that explore ways in which histories can be made visible and equity can be built. More information here.
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Voyages at Menconi + Schoelkopf is an exhibition of the great American photorealist painter Richard Estes. The exhibition, which will run from June 14th to July 30th, delves deeply into Estes’s canon, offering a riveting and intimate look at some of Estes’s most impassioned work with pieces created from his world travels, as well as iconic New York City scenes. More information here.
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Express, 2020, Richard Estes
(Courtesy of Menconi + Schoelkopf)
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And if you’re feeling a bit adventurous and want to travel farther, head to the New York Botanical Gardens (NYBG) which is showing Kusama: Cosmic Nature now through October 31st. Contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s spectacular installations feature multifaceted art, including monumental floral sculptures that transform NYBG’s 250-acre landmark landscape. More information here.
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Dancing Pumpkin, 2020, Yayoi Kusama (Image: NYBG) |
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
To Madison via Ship
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Did you know before Benjamin Coates was in the real estate business he was in the shipping business? As our building bears the Coates name, so did some of his ships (like this one photographed here). Several models of ships within the fleet are still on display in the Coates family office on the 31st floor.
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All residents in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut over the age of 16 are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine should they elect to. Vaccination is our greatest tool in the fight against this pandemic. If you have already gotten your vaccination, thank you for doing your part. If not, here’s where you can get more information on vaccine sites in your home state.
Click here if you live in New York.
Click here if you live in New Jersey.
Click here if you live in Connecticut.
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Covid Protocols
Please do your part to keep us all safe. Practice social distancing, wear a mask and adhere to all building protocols including our elevator limits. Please let your visitors know in advance that our building has strict COVID protocols. Please share our COVID protocols with visitors in advance.
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AVAILABLE SPACE AT 555
In response to COVID, we are working with tenants to offer flexible, built-out space as needed on a short-term basis to help accommodate social distancing needs in the workplace. This could be a few private offices or an entire unit. Tell us what you need and we are happy to help.
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Need more permanent space? Here’s what’s available:
22nd floor
5,829 rsf with terrace. White box. Available 6/1/21
26th floor
5,829 rsf. Prebuilt. Available 10/1/21
If you are interested in any of our available spaces or if you would like us to keep you in mind for future openings, please give us a call. We’re always happy to chat!
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Ask Aleisa
You have questions. Aleisa has answers.
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Write to Aleisa for guidance on any concern you have or anything you are simply curious about related to 555 Madison. Write to Aleisa Sulaman with the subject line: Ask Aleisa at aleisa.sulaman@rodneycorporation.com. Here’s a recent letter from a colleague and neighbor.
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Dear Aleisa,
No matter how hard I try, I just keep losing it! Is it possible to have two active building ID cards at the same time? Much like my car keys, my ID has a way of disappearing and then reappearing. A back up pass on hand would be great.
Sincerely,
Losing It
Dear Losing It,
I hear you. I feel like I am constantly in search of my apartment keys! For the overall security of the building, we can only have one active ID card per employee. Once we create a new ID for you, we deactivate the old one to ensure other people who may find it cannot access the building. Two effective strategies I’ve seen for keeping track of the ID is either putting it on a lanyard around your neck or keeping it with your MetroCard in your wallet. I am always here and ready to support you should you need a new card.
Sincerely,
Aleisa
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NEWS TIPS: We also are eager to hear and share your news.
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Thank you for reading our newsletter! |
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