From small enterprise to major construction firm

Real Estate Weekly, Jan 26, 2005

John Gallin & Son, Inc.:

The venerable New York City construction firm of John Gallin & Son, Inc., is capping a 118-year history under four generations of family ownership with two major interior projects in the burgeoning Times Square/42nd Street district.

When Ann Taylor, the tony women's retailer, chose 7 Times Square for its new corporate headquarters, they immediately tapped Gallin for the huge project, which covers 12 floors and totals 300,000 square feet in the 1.2 million square-foot tower.

Apart from the sheer size of the project, this is no typical buildout. Most of Ann Taylor's employees are women, and the new space will reflect that, in everything from the structure of the offices to the number of restrooms installed on each floor.

At the same time, Gallin, which has overseen several projects for the Research Foundation of CUNY, is currently building its new office interiors on West 41st Street at the ex-Herald Tribune space, where they will occupy 60,000 square feet.

"We've had a long, rewarding relationship with both of these organizations," says Mark Varian, president of Gallin & Son, Inc. "We're thrilled to be working with them again on projects of such significance."

Through the years Gallin has handled major assignments for some of the best-known names in New York City, including the Museum of Modern Art, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, NBC, Prudential Securities, The Durst Organization, New York Yacht Club, the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Nixon Peabody LLP, Bessemer Trust Company, Morgan Guaranty Trust Co., Wachovia Bank, and Tishman Speyer Properties. Gallin was also the general contractor for the New Yorker magazine when it moved its corporate headquarters for the first time in 40 years to 20 West 43rd Street

From its start in 1886 as a small masonry and concrete company, John Gallin & Son, Inc. has seen two world wars and endured the challenges of Prohibition and the Great Depression.

Despite the strong external influences and inevitable internal changes of the company throughout the decades, John Gallin & Son, Inc. continued to evolve into a thriving construction company that today is run by direct descendants of the original John Gallin.

During the late 1940' s, the firm took advantage of the building boom of that era and built its own offices on Gold Street, which became its headquarters for more than 40 years.

"It's amazing to think about one man opening his small masonry business so long ago, having no idea that his company would continue into two more centuries and provide a living and career for so many of his descendants," says Mr. Varian.

The company's longevity is reflected in the relationships with its clients, many of which go back over 40 years.

In the 1950's, Bill Gallin, a grandson of the founder, succeeded his father as president and Bill's brother, Tom, joined the firm. Several notable projects were built during this era, including the interiors of the new Air France passenger terminal at New York's Idlewild Airport, St. Cecelia's rectory in Harlem, The Great American Insurance Company at 99 John Street and the stages at Yankee Stadium for the Silver Jubilee Mass of Francis Cardinal Spellman for the Archdiocese of New York.

During this time the firm also won numerous awards and accolades for construction excellence, such as the Fifth Avenue Association's "Architectural Award for Excellence" for Best Store Front Alteration for Pakistan International Airlines at 608 Fifth Avenue.

In addition, a New York Times article entitled, "Six Architectural Wonders to See on a Two-Mile Walking Tour of New York," proclaimed that I. Miller's Shoe Salon, designed by Victor Lundy, at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street was a site not to be missed.

When the World Trade Center was being built in the 1970's, Gallin performed interior work on three of the financial institutions on the plaza level: The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, The Republic Bank, and the Swiss Bank. Also at the World Trade Center, the firm completed a $21 million, 240,000 square foot relocation for Guy Carpenter & Co., a Gallin client for over 30 years.

During the construction boom of the 1980's, the firm was headed by John Gallin, who during his twelve year tenure as president, oversaw a number of projects for a wide range of clients, such as The New Yorker, Zurich Reinsurance, Warren Gorham Lamont and Delphi Capital. He trained the fourth generation of Gallins, including its current president, Mr. Varian, a nephew of the Gallins, and Christopher, Michael, and Tom Gallin.

He was also instrumental in the firm's move from 40 Gold Street to 102 Madison during the millenium.

Gallin has a strong reputation for assisting its clients through the initial financials, management of the project and final installations of the furnishings. In addition, the firm's role in supervising construction of new corporate interiors is expanding as technology evolves with Gallin coordinating specialized furniture and datacom installations required for state-of-the-art office communication systems.