Durst developing 11th Avenue tower

Real Estate Weekly, Dec 25, 2002

The Durst Organization announces it is developing a 37-story apartment building, The Helena, on West 57th Street, at the northwest corner at 11th Avenue, in Manhattan. Durst has hired Rose Associates as owner's representative for The Helena.

"We have not been involved in new residential development for more than 15 years," note Douglas Durst and Jody Durst, co-presidents of The Durst Organization. "Given Rose's superb reputation in that regard, we cannot think of a more appropriate owner's rep."

"Although both the Durst and the Rose families have been active in New York City for many decades, they have never formally worked together," says Adam R. Rose, president of Rose Associates.

The Helena will contain over 500 apartments, an unusually large health club, and an underground garage, says Rose. Fox & Fowle, which designed the Conde Nast Building for Durst (Four Times Square), is the design architect. "As Manhattan has continued to grow in popularity, its residential market has been moving further and further west," says Rose. "The Helena exemplifies and expands this trend."

Site preparation work has been completed for The Helena, and occupancy is anticipated in autumn of 2004.