One Landmark Square
One Landmark Square in Stamford, Connecticut
General information
Architectural styleNeo-Futurism
Location1 Landmark Square
Stamford, Connecticut
Coordinates41°03′17″N 73°32′17″W / 41.054700°N 73.538015°W / 41.054700; -73.538015
Construction started1970
Completed1973
CostUS$35,000,000 (equivalent to $230,727,136 in 2022) [1]
OwnerSL Green Realty
Height
Roof295 ft (90 m)
Technical details
Floor count22
Floor area300,000 sq ft (28,000 m2)
Lifts/elevators7
Design and construction
Architect(s)Victor H. Bisharat
DeveloperF. D. Rich Company
References
https://www.emporis.com/buildings/129193/one-landmark-square-stamford-ct-usa

One Landmark Square, also known as Landmark Tower, or simply Landmark, is a 22-story, 295 ft (90 m) skyscraper located at One Landmark Square in Stamford, Connecticut. It is currently the third tallest building in Stamford, after Park Tower Stamford and Atlantic Station, and from 1970 to 1990 was the tallest building on the coast between New York City and Boston.[2][3] It is currently the tallest office tower in Stamford. One Landmark Square was designed by Palestinian architect Victor Hanna Bisharat, who designed many other buildings in Downtown Stamford during the city's urban renewal efforts in the 1970s and 1980s.[4]

Bisharat designed the building after his own aesthetic preferences. [5][6] It has been described as an imposing tower with a swooping form[7] and scalloped-shaped entrances,[8] and has been compared to the TWA Flight Center, designed by Eero Saarinen,[7] and the Cathedral of Brasília, designed by Oscar Niemeyer.[9]

History

In 1960, F. D. Rich Company successfully gained control of the Stamford downtown urban renewal project, which was estimated to cost over $250 million. The original project plan included 14 office buildings known as Stamford Forum, three moderate-income housing developments, and a luxury hotel.[10] Landmark Tower was planned as the centerpiece of the entire 118-acre renewal area, as designed by Bisharat.[3] Bisharat said Robert Rich, then co-owner of F. D. Rich, accepted his design for Landmark Tower when he watched Bisharat.[11]

Lawsuits against the city and the Urban Redevelopment Commission regarding inadequate relocation housing following the use of eminent domain caused 8 years of delays to Rich's construction downtown, including Landmark Tower.[8] This delay allowed the Rich to construct Bisharat's other buildings at High Ridge Park off the Merritt Parkway in North Stamford.[12] Construction of Landmark finally began in 1970, almost 10 years after receiving initial approval for the project, and was completed three years later in 1973.

In the 1970s, Landmark featured a large ice-skating rink at the corner of Atlantic and Broad Streets, a penthouse restaurant called the "Landmark Club", and art from the Whitney Museum's Stamford Branch.[13] Five other buildings were built around Landmark Tower, in the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, to form Landmark Square. Landmark buildings 2 thru 6 were designed by architect Moshe Safdie and were constructed by F. D. Rich Company.[4]

By the late-80s, the Rich Company was feeling the impacts of the late 1980s recession as major companies merged, moved, and laid off workers. Numerous other buildings were built in the declining market in order to maintain their contract with the Stamford Urban Redevelopment Commission and make construction deadlines. The losses due to overbuilding were insurmountable for F. D. Rich Company and several of the Rich Company's properties, including Landmark Tower and many other office buildings, were surrendered to a variety of lenders in “deed in lieu of foreclosure” transactions.[14] The entire Landmark Square complex was deeded to the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1991.[15]

Recent years

Since 1992, Stamford Downtown has presented Heights & Lights which features Santa Claus rappelling down the side of the 22-story Landmark Tower, a holiday tree lighting, live music, and a fireworks show. Rappelling Santas have included the general manager of the New York Yankees, Brian Cashman, and professional baseball player and manager Bobby Valentine.[16][17]

Official logo for the City of Stamford featuring Landmark Tower, and One Stamford Forum

In 1996, Reckson Associates Realty purchased the entire six-building Landmark Square complex, including Landmark Tower, from Metropolitan Life Insurance for US$77 million. Over the next few years, Reckson invested another US$50 million to restore the complex and bring it "into the 21st century". Improvements included replacing hundreds of windows with energy efficient glass, renovating the lobbies, restrooms and elevators, adding new landscaping to the complex's two plazas, constructing an onsite cafe with indoor seating, and adding a New York Sports Club on-site.[18] Reckson was later acquired by SL Green Realty in 2006 for US$4 billion.[19]

In 2005, the area that was once the ice rink was cleared to improve pedestrian access to Landmark Square and add ground floor retail. This new retail building was completed in 2006 and includes a large restaurant space and multiple retail outlets.[20] Tenants in the new retail building include HSBC Bank and Blackstones Steakhouse.[21]

Since 2017, the City of Stamford has featured Landmark Tower in their official logo along with One Stamford Forum, another urban renewal building.[22]

Major tenants

Landmark Tower at One Landmark Square at night

Current

Former

References

  1. ↑ Charles, Eleanor (May 1, 2005). "A Landmark Becomes Less of a Fortress". The New York Times. p. 11. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "Urban Renewal | F. D. Rich Company". fdrich.com. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  3. 1 2 "Tall Tower Is Planned in Stamford". The New York Times. Feb 23, 1969. p. R1.
  4. 1 2 "Past Projects | F. D. Rich Company". fdrich.com. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  5. ↑ Associated Press (Aug 31, 1975). "Architect Reshapes Stamford". The Hartford Courant. p. 9D.
  6. ↑ "New developments dent legacy of 'father' of Stamford's skyline". StamfordAdvocate. 2018-06-16. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  7. 1 2 Times, Paul Goldberger and Special To the New York. "STAMFORD'S RENEWAL: SUN BELT IN CONNECTICUT". Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  8. 1 2 Horsley, Carter B. (Apr 9, 1972). "Stamford Renewal Chugging Along". The New York Times.
  9. ↑ Goldberger, Paul. "On Corporate Image Building". Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  10. ↑ Knight, Michael (Jun 13, 1976). "Stamford A Small Hub Of Wealth And Power". The New York Times. p. 224.
  11. ↑ Tracy, Nancy M. (Jun 27, 1982). "Story Behind Stamford's Redevelopment Is a Rich One". The Hartford Courant. p. B1.
  12. ↑ Charles, Eleanor. "Commercial Property /Stamford, Conn.; A Pioneer Business Park That Confounded Critics". Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  13. ↑ Rice, Andrew (June 2002). "Devil's bargain: Luring big business to Stamford, Connecticut, nearly destroyed it". Architecture. Vol. 91, no. 6. VNU Business Media, Inc. pp. 45–52. ISSN 0746-0554.
  14. ↑ Dunlap, David W. "Stamford Reinvents Its Downtown Once Again". Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  15. ↑ Rosenkrantz, Holly (Jun 3, 1996). "Metropolitan Life seeks buyer for Landmark Square complex". Fairfield County Business Journal. 35 (23): 3.
  16. ↑ "Yankees GM Brian Cashman rappels down the One Landmark Square building in Stamford, CT". yesnetwork.com. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  17. ↑ "Heights & Lights | Stamford Downtown - This is the place!". stamford-downtown.com. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  18. ↑ Charles, Eleanor. "In the Region/Connecticut; A New Type of Landlord Buys Stamford Properties". Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  19. ↑ Deutsch, Claudia H. "SL Green Acquires Reckson Associates for $4 Billion". Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  20. ↑ Charles, Eleanor. "A Landmark Becomes Less of a Fortress". Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  21. ↑ "Stamford steakhouse flipped to Greenwich restaurateur". StamfordAdvocate. 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  22. ↑ "City of Stamford Economic Development |". www.choosestamford.com. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  23. ↑ Charles, Eleanor (2003-11-30). "In the Region/Connecticut; New Offices, a 12 Mile Move, a $40 Million Tax Break". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
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