Building to skyscraper heights from a solid foundation

Real Estate Weekly, July 21, 1999

In the new generation of construction companies emerging in New York City's construction boom, one stands out for its highly visible projects and its successful completion of challenging jobs that require extraordinary levels of attention and expertise.

R.C. Dolner, Inc. has experienced exponential growth and forged a solid reputation among developers, corporations and institutions, many of whom are repeat clients.

Since its founding in 1987, R.C. Dolner has served as construction manager or general contractor on more than 500 projects, ranging from new construction and renovations to interior fit-outs. 1999 is expected to be a banner year for the firm, with such projects on the books as the $85 million renovation of the Hilton Hotel; the construction of the 203-room Tribeca Grand Hotel; 285 Lafayette Street, a luxury condominium loft conversion of a 100,000 square-foot former candy factory; Century Tower, a 400,000 square-foot apartment building in Hoboken, NJ; the renovation of eight buildings at Columbia University's Teachers College; Triangle Plaza II, a 12-screen theater and retail center in Queens; new construction and renovations at the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale; an 80,000 square-foot Stop & Shop in Newburgh, NY; and 250 Church Street, a 200,000 square-foot office renovation.

A Reputation Built on Added Value and Relationships

The company was launched as the recession of the late '80s was bringing new construction in New York City to a crawl. "We took on the most difficult projects, often the ones other construction companies turned away from," explains Roger Chartouni, who founded the firm with fellow construction veterans Anthony Dolce and Stuart Koshner. "Our diversified experience allowed us to not only survive, but to grow and, most importantly, to form a basic philosophy that is still integral to who we are today."

The three partners are personally involved with each and every project. "Roger, Anthony and I attend weekly project meetings and stay very close to our respective projects," Koshner adds. "Problems and changes arise on every project. Our accessibility and capability to weigh the short-term and long-term advantages of various alternatives allow us to select the best approach to meet our clients' objectives."

"There were very few new construction opportunities in the late '80s, so we cut our teeth on interiors," Koshner recalls. One of R.C. Dolner's first projects, The China Grill in the CBS Building on 52nd Street, gained attention for the fledgling company. The early 1990's brought R.C. Dolner major interiors work at two 500,000 square-foot office towers: The Taubman Company's 712 Fifth Avenue, and Teachers' Insurance Company's 17 State Street. Since then, R.C. Dolner has made a name for itself on interiors projects, including work for AXA Reinsurance, Etienne Aigner, SONAT (Southern Oil and Natural Gas), Aquascutum, Schroder and Company, and The Equitable.

Avoiding Surprises

"People come to us because we are efficient and we don't like surprises," says Koshner. "When we are on a 16-week project, there truly are 16 weekly deadlines."

The partners set out to create a company focused on managing the one-of-a-kind projects that require an extraordinary level of care and thoroughness that is not always possible in the industry. "We established R.C. Dolner to provide an alternative based on professional service and our mutual dedication to value added engineering," explains Dolce. "We offer the highest level of professional service, something we believe should be available and often is not. We cater to clients who expect more, demand more and know that if they come to us, they will get more."

Building Relationships

R.C. Dolner prides itself on building relationships as much as building buildings. "What impresses me most about R.C. Dolner is the paramount importance they place on the client relationship. This mentality is extremely rare in an industry defined by thin margins and immediate profits," says Eric D. Hadar, president of Allied Partners Incorporated. R.C. Dolner is currently on its third Allied project. "Instead of looking at each project as an individual profit center, the value of a relationship over time is the driving factor."

Hadar is also impressed with the team of experts R.C. Dolner brings to each project. "These professionals are able and willing to provide a variety of creative, honest suggestions regarding the litany of complex issues faced in any development project," the developer continues. "This mentality enables the developer to choose the best solution for the project, even if that solution may not necessarily be the best for the contractor."

A Leader in Hotel Construction

Most noteworthy is R.C. Dolner's rise to a construction company of choice for hotel projects. This relatively young firm perhaps handles more hotel projects that any other construction company in recent history. In 1997, it was responsible for some 2,000 hotel rooms.

Its bridge sign has been posted on some of the largest hotel renovation and new construction projects in Manhattan. Currently working on the extensive renovation of the Hilton Hotel and the construction of the Tribeca Grand, the firm's impressive roster of hotel projects includes the 369-room Soho Grand, the massive 1058-room renovation and restoration of the Roosevelt Hotel, The Warwick, Beacon, the Metro hotels and several Marriott hotels in the tri-state area.