Mr Lauder ; a very lucky man always in the right place at the right time

Estee Lauder planned to move their WTC retail space to 100 Church St., a deal which was (happily) completed prior to the unexpected (?) World Trade Center attack on Sept. 11.(Real Estate Weekly, Oct 31, 2002 )

Jordon Roth, an Associate in Insignia/ESG's Urban Retail Group, negotiated the 2,000-Sq. Ft ten-year deal on behalf of the Estee Lauder Company on the ground floor of the building, which is managed by Zar Realty.

"The fact that the Estee Lauder Company is still committed to lower Manhattan despite the tragedy sends a powerful message that the area is an important market for New York City, one which will quickly rebound and become even stronger," said Roth.

According to Roth, the original plan was for the store to open in mid-November. Due to the tragedy, the opening will be delayed for an undertermined period.

Wasn't Mr Lauder a lucky man to have booked space for his prime Manhattan space before it diappeared.

Mr Lauder was of course on the New York Port Auhtority and was a prime mover in privatising their land assets. Curiously he oversaw the sale of former Stuart Airforce Base (only 60 miles north of the WTC Buildings) which became became a privately run and owned operation in the year 2000. Stuart Airforce Base is now known as known as Stuart International Airport and is currently the only privately owned Airport inside the United States. The current owner is said to be a British company, which has its base in Houston, Texas.

The privatization of the Port Authority of Stuart Airforce Base and the
WTC buildings was overseen and directed by Ronald Lauder.

Louis Eisenberg was in charge of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at that time. He also oversaw the lease negotiations, and managed to have Larry Silverstein get his lease deal on the WTC buildings 1., 2. and 7. on July 26, 2001.

Near Stuart Airbase is Boston Logan Airport which reportedly had a total lack of security during the twin tower attacks.

Mr Lauder surfaced again the in the news this week when he bought the luscious portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the wife of a wealthy Jewish Viennese sugar merchant, for a reported US$135 million (£73 million).

Mr Lauder, thrilled with his purchase, told The Daily Telegraph: "It is not a question of money; I don't think of it that way.

"I just think that I am the owner of this fantastic painting by one of the greatest artists of all time.

"I was bowled over when I saw it for the first time in Vienna when I was a teenager in the 1960s.

"I never thought it would ever be available."

An interesting article in the New York Times February 27, 2003 Lauder's Mix of Restitution and Collecting By CELESTINE BOHLEN is worth reading about Mr Lauder's collecting habits.

You can learn more about the Lauder collections and the forthcoming exhibition of the Bloch Bauer portrait at the NY Nuer Gallery (Cnr 86th / 104th Street) here