One Landmark Square
{{Short description|Building in Stamford, Connecticut, US}}
{{Infobox building
| name = One Landmark Square
| image = 1_Landmark_Square_Stamford_Connecticut.png
| image_size = 300px
| caption = One Landmark Square in Stamford, Connecticut
| location = 1 Landmark Square
Stamford, Connecticut
| coordinates = {{coord|41.054700|-73.538015|region:US-CT_type:landmark|display=it}}
| start_date = 1970
| completion_date = 1973
| architect = Victor H. Bisharat
| owner = SL Green Realty
| cost = US$35,000,000 ({{Inflation|US|35,000,000|1973|fmt=eq}})
| floor_area = {{convert|300,000|ft2|abbr=on}}
| top_floor =
| floor_count = 22
| architectural_style = Neo-Futurism
| antenna_spire =
| roof = {{convert|295|ft|abbr=on}}
| elevator_count = 7
| structural_engineer =
| former_name =
| developer = [http://fdrich.com/ F. D. Rich Company]
| management =
| references = {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160507042128/http://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.{{Cite web|url=http://fdrich.com/urban-renewal/|title=Urban Renewal {{!}} F. D. Rich Company|website=fdrich.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-30}}{{Cite news|title=Tall Tower Is Planned in Stamford|date=Feb 23, 1969|work=The New York Times|page=R1}} It is currently the tallest office tower in Stamford. One Landmark Square was designed by American architect Victor Hanna Bisharat,{{cite web |title=A Dubai architectural gem worthy of a museum |url=https://medium.com/@SultanAlQassemi/a-dubai-architectural-gem-worthy-of-a-museum-36ca71ff4bf7 |publisher=Medium}} who designed many other buildings in Downtown Stamford during the city's urban renewal efforts in the 1970s and 1980s.{{Cite web|url=http://fdrich.com/past-projects/|title=Past Projects {{!}} F. D. Rich Company|website=fdrich.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-28}}
Bisharat designed the building after his own aesthetic preferences. {{Cite news|title=Architect Reshapes Stamford|last=Associated Press|date=Aug 31, 1975|work=The Hartford Courant|page=9D}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/New-developments-dent-legacy-of-father-of-13000495.php|title=New developments dent legacy of 'father' of Stamford's skyline|date=2018-06-16|work=StamfordAdvocate|access-date=2018-09-29}} It has been described as an imposing tower with a swooping form{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/11/nyregion/stamford-s-renewal-sun-belt-in-connecticut.html|title=STAMFORD'S RENEWAL: SUN BELT IN CONNECTICUT|last=Times|first=Paul Goldberger and Special To the New York|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en}} and scalloped-shaped entrances,{{Cite news|title=Stamford Renewal Chugging Along|last=Horsley|first=Carter B.|date=Apr 9, 1972|work=The New York Times}} and has been compared to the TWA Flight Center, designed by Eero Saarinen, and the Cathedral of Brasília, designed by Oscar Niemeyer.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/20/archives/long-island-opinion-on-corporate-image-building-the-corporate.html|title=On Corporate Image Building|last=Goldberger|first=Paul|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en}}
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.{{Cite news|title=Stamford A Small Hub Of Wealth And Power|last=Knight|first=Michael|date=Jun 13, 1976|work=The New York Times|page=224}} Landmark Tower was planned as the centerpiece of the entire 118-acre renewal area, as designed by Bisharat. Bisharat said Robert Rich, then co-owner of F. D. Rich, accepted his design for Landmark Tower when he watched Bisharat.{{Cite news|title=Story Behind Stamford's Redevelopment Is a Rich One|last=Tracy|first=Nancy M.|date=Jun 27, 1982|work=The Hartford Courant|page=B1}}
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. This delay allowed the Rich to construct Bisharat's other buildings at High Ridge Park off the Merritt Parkway in North Stamford.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/26/realestate/commercial-property-stamford-conn-pioneer-business-park-that-confounded-critics.html|title=Commercial Property /Stamford, Conn.; A Pioneer Business Park That Confounded Critics|last=Charles|first=Eleanor|access-date=2018-09-30|language=en}} 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.{{Cite news|title=Devil's bargain: Luring big business to Stamford, Connecticut, nearly destroyed it.|last=Rice|first=Andrew|date=June 2002|work=Architecture|publisher=VNU Business Media, Inc|issue=6|volume=91|pages=45–52|issn=0746-0554}} 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.
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/05/realestate/stamford-reinvents-its-downtown-once-again.html|title=Stamford Reinvents Its Downtown Once Again|last=Dunlap|first=David W.|access-date=2018-09-30|language=en}} The entire Landmark Square complex was deeded to the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1991.{{Cite journal|last=Rosenkrantz|first=Holly|date=Jun 3, 1996|title=Metropolitan Life seeks buyer for Landmark Square complex|journal=Fairfield County Business Journal|volume=35|issue=23|pages=3}}
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.{{Cite news|url=http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20161202&content_id=210092634&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb|title=Yankees GM Brian Cashman rappels down the One Landmark Square building in Stamford, CT|work=yesnetwork.com|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://stamford-downtown.com/events/heights-lights|title=Heights & Lights {{!}} Stamford Downtown - This is the place!|website=stamford-downtown.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-29}}File:Logo of Stamford, Connecticut.svg
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/realestate/in-the-region-connecticut-a-new-type-of-landlord-buys-stamford-properties.html|title=In the Region/Connecticut; A New Type of Landlord Buys Stamford Properties|last=Charles|first=Eleanor|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en}} Reckson was later acquired by SL Green Realty in 2006 for US$4 billion.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/realestate/04realty.html|title=SL Green Acquires Reckson Associates for $4 Billion|last=Deutsch|first=Claudia H.|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en}}
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/realestate/a-landmark-becomes-less-of-a-fortress.html|title=A Landmark Becomes Less of a Fortress|last=Charles|first=Eleanor|access-date=2018-09-29|language=en}} Tenants in the new retail building include HSBC Bank and Blackstones Steakhouse.{{Cite news|url=https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/Stamford-steakhouse-flipped-to-Greenwich-13044008.php|title=Stamford steakhouse flipped to Greenwich restaurateur|date=2018-07-02|work=StamfordAdvocate|access-date=2018-09-29}}
Since 2017, the City of Stamford has featured Landmark Tower in their official logo along with One Stamford Forum, another urban renewal building.{{Cite web|url=http://www.choosestamford.com/|title=City of Stamford Economic Development {{!}}|website=www.choosestamford.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-29}}
Major tenants
= Current =
- Centerplate
- Everest Reinsurance Group
- Tokio Millennium Re.
- Epstein, Becker & Green
- [https://www.landandbuildings.com/ Land & Buildings]
- Reckson/SLGreen Realty
- [https://www.passur.com/ PASSUR Aerospace]
- [http://greenstreetsolarpower.com/ Green Street Power Partners]
- [https://www.garmark.com/ GarMark Partners]
- [https://www.fitzhunt.com/ Fitzpatrick & Hunt, Pagano, Aubert]
= Former =
- Diageo North America{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/30/realestate/in-the-region-connecticut-new-offices-a-12-mile-move-a-40-million-tax-break.html|title=In the Region/Connecticut; New Offices, a 12 Mile Move, a $40 Million Tax Break|last=Charles|first=Eleanor|date=2003-11-30|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-08-06|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
- AON
- Heineken USA
- McKinsey & Company
- Touche Ross Inc.
- [https://www.loxooncology.com/ Loxo Oncology]
- Environics
- Fox Rothschild
- Fleet National Bank
- [http://www.primeenergy.com/ PrimeEnergy Corporation]
- [http://fdrich.com/ F. D. Rich Company]
- [http://www.nipponmagnetics.com/ Nippon Magnetics USA]
- [https://www.amentaemma.com Amenta Emma Architects]
- [https://www.claruscorp.com/ Clarus Corporation]