Editors’ Note

With more than 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, Louise Sunshine is currently the Development Director of Alexico Group LLC. From 1975 to 1985, she served as the Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, and in 1986, she founded The Sunshine Group, Ltd., a premier predevelopment planning, marketing, and sales agent of new luxury condominium developments. After serving as the President and CEO of The Sunshine Group for 19 years, Sunshine took on the post of Chairman Emeritus of the Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group from 2005 to 2006. In addition, she founded Domineum.com, a global online media company set to launch in the fall of 2008, and currently serves as its Cochairwoman. Sunshine received a BA from Brandeis University and attended New York University as a postgraduate.

Company Brief

Alexico Group LLC, a real estate development firm based in New York, currently has a $2 billion portfolio of projects under development in Manhattan, including The Mark Hotel and Residences, The Laurel at 400 East 67th Street, and 56 Leonard Street. Alexico Group partners Izak Senbahar and Simon Elias collectively have over 50 years of experience in the fields of development, construction, ownership, and management of Manhattan residential real estate. With a portfolio that has included some of New York’s most prestigious properties, they are recognized leaders in their field, with a commitment to high architecture and design, as evidenced by 165 Charles Street by Richard Meier, The Alex, Grand Beekman, and 353 Central Park West, among others. The partners are also active on a broader domestic scope and internationally, including ownership of hotels in Great Britain and Israel.

You seem to have a lot of projects in the works at the moment.

I am busier today than I have ever been. I am currently working on three of the most high-profile buildings in Manhattan: The Mark Hotel and Residences, The Laurel at 400 East 67th Street, and 56 Leonard Street. I am overseeing the architecture, layout design and finishes, amenities, and predevelopment planning, as well as playing an intricate role in the marketing and positioning of each development. I have also formed Domineum.com, a global online media company, with my son Paul Sunshine and Richard Pandiscio. I am ecstatic at the potential of Domineum.com; it will power the global condominium marketplace.

There are quite a few new properties going up in New York. How do you differentiate Alexico’s properties from the rest of the pack?

To put it quite simply, Alexico properties are different because we stand for quality, we value design, and we leave no detail overlooked. Alexico has years of experience developing the kind of homes that discerning people want to live in.

What makes The Laurel unique in the marketplace?

The Laurel, a LEED-certified construction, stands out for many reasons, including its eco-friendly design, the exquisite finishes, extraordinary layouts, and an unparalleled amenity program. Designed by award-winning architects Costas Kondylis & Partners, The Laurel’s unique façade is made of glass and Indiana limestone. The Laurel has a state-of-the-art HVAC system, gourmet kitchens that feature Gaggenau stainless steel ovens and MaxFire range hoods with vented duct systems, and master bathrooms that have radiant-heated, honed white marble mosaic floors. The Laurel Club, a private two-story recreation space, features a private theater-style screening room, an elegant dining room and catering kitchen which converts to a conference room equipped with the latest audiovisual and communication technology. The Trophy Club at The Laurel, a bi-level fitness and triathlon training center, features two resistance training pools and a 50-foot lap pool, which is the first of its kind offered in a residential building. We also offer on-site parking and bicycle/carriage storage, which are highly coveted amenities for Manhattanites.

Have you been pleased with the way the development of The Mark has progressed?

Yes, The Mark is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and has attracted buyers from all over the world. The Mark is an international development with an international team, including world-class developers, Izak Senbahar and Simon Elias; acclaimed Paris-based designer and Legion of Honor recipient, Jacques Grange; celebrated Milanese restaurant Sant Ambroeus; Frenchman Frederic Fekkai’s pampering salon and spa; and artisan-crafted modern artifacts from around the world, as curated by the renowned Pierre Passebon, owner of the Galerie Du Passage in France. The Mark’s global buyers are interested in life beyond luxury and want to live in a place that will be known for decades to come as one of the best addresses in the world.

Does the property in Tribeca cater to a different market?

Yes. When you use Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron as your architects, you attract a global audience of potential buyers that transcends the normal purchaser profile for Tribeca. Both architects have won international and critical acclaim and are known all over the world for such masterpieces as the Tate Museum of Modern Art in London and the Beijing National Stadium. 56 Leonard will cater to the buyer who appreciates art and design.

Throughout your career, you have been focused on blending art with real estate. Will that continue?

Yes, I have always maintained that great homes and great art live together. In all Alexico developments, we have commissioned original artworks, from some of the world’s most renowned sculptors, artists, photographers, and designers for display in our public spaces.

Did you ever imagine you’d have found such success in the real estate industry?

It’s one thing to create beautiful brochures and fabulous displays, but now I have the opportunity to have a direct impact on the building’s creation. My mission today is to use my knowledge and experience to impact people in the most profound way: the way they live. This has been an extraordinary privilege for me and incredibly rewarding.