Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date:Wednesday, July 14, 1999

Release #282-99

Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter (212) 788-2958


MAYOR GIULIANI AND SUMITOMO REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY REDEDICATE 666 FIFTH AVENUE

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was joined today by Tatsuru Kono, President of Sumitomo Realty and Development Company; John Tishman, Chief Executive Officer of Tishman Realty; and Arthur Bocchi, Senior Managing Director of Sumitomo Realty and Development, this evening to rededicate 666 Fifth Avenue following its $20 million renovation and modernization. This is the first major renovation of 666 since it first opened in 1958.

"The rededication of 666 Fifth Avenue is symbolic of the revitalization of New York City and a reflection of the confidence businesses once again have in the City," said Mayor Giuliani. "The $20 million renovation of this building, which includes a renovated lobby featuring Isamu Noguchi sculptures, new elevators and a state-of-the art security and communications system, will offer companies a better place to do business. As we approach the end of the 20th Century, it is fitting that we rededicate 666 Fifth Avenue, which will now serve as another example of our City's renaissance."

The renovations to the 1.6-million-square-foot, 41-story midtown office skyscraper were funded by Sumitomo Realty and Development Company (New York), owners of the building. Two classic sculptures by renowned artist Isamu Noguchi, Waterfall and Landscape of the Cloud, which were also restored, will remain in the lobby, where they have been signal features of 666 since its opening more than four decades ago.

"All of us at Sumitomo Realty know that, in 666 Fifth Avenue, we are more than the owners of a building," said Tatsuru Kono, President of Sumitomo Realty and Development Company (New York). "We are the trustees of a legacy -- a very special legacy for us, for our tenants and for the people of New York. With the renovation of 666, this address once again is recognized as a leader among great contemporary office buildings."

Among the major architectural changes and other innovations as a result of the renovation of 666 are:

The hand-cleaning of the building's exterior facade to restore it to its original luster; The reconfiguration of the subway station underneath the building in order to open up direct access between the subway and the street; The addition of polished Italian granite columns, gray granite near the elevators, and polished marble at the new concierge desk to provide an enhanced setting for the Noguchi sculptures; Newly-refurbished granite elevators with computerized dispatching; A state-of-the-art security and communications system.

The new 666 contains a total of 78,000-square-feet of retail space, including the National Basketball Association store and Brooks Brothers, as well as 1.3 million-square-feet of office space. The 40th floor of the new 666 features the Grand Havana Room, a stylish cigar bar serving lunch, dinner and cocktails six days a week. Modem amenities at the Grand Havana include conference rooms for business meetings and corporate gatherings, satellite-fed television multi-screens for viewing of simultaneous sports or news events, and a spectacular vista of midtown Manhattan.

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