Ask a New Yorker: Nice meeting you, Elie. How are you doing?
Elie: Well, I’m in a celebratory mood. I’m very happy to meet you
because this is my 60th birthday year and I’m now just planning a celebration
on that very soon. I’m having an event that will be a lot of fun for me.
I just came from The Plaza Hotel across the street to make arrangements for
this party that will be terrific.
Ask a New Yorker: Congratulations! Excellent, sounds great. Let’s jump
right in: I love the phrase your father, Abe
Hirschfeld, used that “cars don’t catch colds”. Please
tell us a bit about the family business and how it got started.
Elie: Well, you know my father came to America in 1950 from living in Israel.
Prior to that he had lived in Poland and his parents spoke to him in Yiddish,
and then he moved to Israel where he learned Hebrew and Arabic, and then he
came to America, where he learned English. So he used to say he speaks seven
languages but none of them well. Dad came to America with nothing. He had very
little education and came here with only spirit. Remarkably he tackled not only
a language deficiency but no economic resources. So he started the business
by buying a small building. He traded it within a few months at a higher price
and thought, “my goodness, this is fun!” and started doing that
to reach a certain capital where he could buy a few building in midtown Manhattan.
He thought as he looked around, “We need parking in New York City”.
He saw these parking lots. Parking lots have no protection for cars, yet in
town up till that time all parking garages on several levels were fully enclosed
structures. As a fully enclosed structure by law you needed sprinkler systems.
You needed heating, you needed ventilation. You needed all kinds of systems.
So he imagined parking lots vertically stacked, opened. It was a very economic
way of building parking facilities. When asked that question, “What happens
to the cars?’” He came up with that line, “cars don’t
catch colds”.
Ask a New Yorker: So from there what happened?
Elie: Dad was primarily doing garage developments in New York City. He built
the Yankee Stadium garage. He built garages for Prudential; there are several
in Rockefeller Center. He became known as the garage king of New York City.
In about 1978 I had joined him already. There was a project that he gave to
me to take on, the construction of the very last parking garage on a free-standing
basis. The last free standing parking garage that the city allowed to be built
was right behind the Empire State Building.
Ask a New Yorker: You’re on fire, keep going.
Elie: Well, the garage business at that time ended but coincidentally at that
time Dad bought a site on East 61st Street between First and Second Avenue.
He had in mind a further development of this open air building concept and imagined
tennis courts built vertically one on top of another. So he started to build
what was known at that time as the Vertical Club following the open air garage
development model and built these tennis courts stacked two on a floor open
to the elements. It turned into a bit of a struggle because in fact tennis needs
more protection from the elements. So I looked around at that time to find a
sport operator to take on this facility and turn it into more of a complete
sport club. I successfully found for us a division of Bally, Bally Health spas.
They took on the conversion of the building into a spa that was continued to
be called The Vertical Club. So that was really the next evolution of our business.
Ask a New Yorker: What motivates Elie?
Elie: Elie enjoys work and pleasure and New York and not New York. I think I’m
just a normal kind of person. I love my work. I love my sports. I’m involved
in many areas. I love real estate. I’m blessed to be doing it in New York,
the greatest city in the world. I’m lucky enough to be able to contribute
to the face of the city and I’m not alone. I mean, people involved in
this work are vast. In fact there are brokers who are contributing to the work.
There are tradesmen of all kinds, mechanics, and doorman. There are so many
people involved in the real estate. I’m in a lucky piece of it, it’s
true. But I feel myself connected with everybody. There are PR people in the
work. So I think it just special for all of us. I’m very motivated in
my work and I love it.
Ask a New Yorker: What’s the best trait/characteristic that Abe passed
onto you?
Elie: Well, I don’t know if he passed it on well enough. He had a wonderful
trait which was instinct. Dad could move strictly on guts, instinct and just
excitement. Something would come to him; he would want to do it. He would decide
instinctively, quickly whether to sell, whether to buy, whether to bring in
this or that. I am slightly different. I sort of feel that I have a more, well,
cerebral approach, a more thought-out approach. Sometimes it works to my advantage
sometimes it may not. And certainly his approach wasn’t always perfect.
There are many areas in which he was imperfect. When we brought these two skills
together I thought they really worked exceptionally well. In terms of what I
try to work on more, is actually my instictiveness.
Ask a New Yorker: How was Abe as a disciplinarian? Personally, on occasion I’d
get the belt or the paddle.
Elie: Dad was vocal. So when he was upset, he would let you know. He wouldn’t
hold back. That was in the nature of his instinctive response. So his response
would be vocal, to be stern, to be strong, to be expressive how he felt. So
with my son I’m more…I hold back the stern-ness. We discuss in a
calmer tone. Dad was very vocal, very strong.
Ask a New Yorker: As you mentioned you love your sports. I’m fascinated
by your Ironman accomplishments. What a grueling race!
(For those who don’t know, an Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of
long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC)
consisting of a 2.4 miles swim, a 112 miles bike and a marathon run, raced in
that order and without a break. All Ironman events have a strict time limit
of 17 hours to complete the race. The Ironman race starts at 7 AM. The mandatory
swim cut off for the 2.4 mile swim is 2 hours 20 minutes. The bike cut off time
is 5:30 PM. All finishers must complete their marathon by midnight.)
Elie: Well I’ve done two Ironman Triathlons. In 1990, when I was forty,
I took on the challenge to do the Hawaii Ironman, which is really the grand
championship of them all, comparable to performing, if you will, in Wimbledon.
So I was lucky enough to get accepted into that race. It’s an invitation
qualification race. Not on the spur of the moment. I had become a triathlete
five years earlier. Once you become a triathlete the romance and attraction
of the ironman has to be on your mind some place. Not that you might ever think
of doing it, but you think of it as someone who picks up a tennis racquet and
is just going to imagine being in Wimbledon one day. And so it was for me. I
began to love the sport of Triathlons in shorter distances. I just hoped one
day to do the Ironman. I then decided a year and a half earlier to train for
it as a 40th birthday present to myself. I decided to take my family at that
time to move to Israel, which was just another present to myself. I had two
children who went to school in Israel. I trained there also, to prepare for
the heat of the ironman. I trained very hard complete it. I did. I had a fabulous
time doing it.
Ask a New Yorker: What was your time?
Elie: All Ironmen close the clock at 17hrs, it’s a standard wherever the
race might be. I did it in 13 hrs. I’m very pleased because I completed
60% of the field, meaning that I beat 1/3 of the entire field. It also turned
out I defeated 1/3 of men my age with that time, which is satisfying. As I mentioned,
this is my 60th year. I got the enchantment to do an Ironman this year and just
completed it very recently, on January 29, 2010. I completed the Israel Israman
Negev. Ironman. It was a wonderful challenge. I trained very hard for it. It
was a delight to do it now, 20 years later. I had an extra joy in the process.
My daughter has turned into a triathlete herself, of her own choosing. She decided
about 3 years ago to start and we’ve done several together. When I wanted
to do this event I asked Daniella if she would like to do this with me. She
said, “Dad, I don’t think I can do the full Ironman, but if there
doing a ½ Ironman, I can do that.” And there was a ½ iron
man in the same day. So the two of us went to Israel together and had a magnificent
time. I did the full Ironman and she did the ½ Ironman.
So I have the joy having done triathlons now, this is my 27th year. It’s
been a great joy for me all the while. It keeps me fit, motivated. It’s
a little bit unusual how many people come into the sport. They do one; two,
three, four or five and then they sort of withdraw from it because it’s
quite taxing. I’ve had the joy to continuing for 27 years in the sport,
I hope I continue a little longer, it’s been a unique pleasure for me.
see http://www.hirschfeldsport.com/hs-sp.htm
Ask a New Yorker: You’re lucky, no injuries?
Elie: I’m very lucky, no injuries. I have injuries in other sports. I
do skiing and tennis. I’ve had injuries in other sports, but not in triathlon.
Ask a New Yorker: What’s your skiing prowess about?
Elie: I took up skiing as a child at ten years old. Started with a little rope
tow, actually couldn’t even hold onto the rope tow. But I came to love
it. I became a certified ski instructor when I was graduating college and I
wanted to take time off from my studies. I was able to combine going to law
school in New York on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then went up to my
ski hill in Vermont and taught skiing on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
I was able to run that duel life. It was a wonderful period of my life.
Ask a New Yorker: Where else do you ski?
Elie: I have place that I keep in Sun Valley, Idaho. I’ve had it now for
thirty years. That is my favorite place in the world to ski on a regular basis.
Ask a New Yorker: Have you ever done helicopter skiing?
Elie: Funny you should ask. I’ve done helicopter skiing about 15 times,
maybe a little more than that. I did it about 15 years in a row from about the
period 30 to 45 of my age. Then two years I took my daughter, who’s a
fantastic skier, heli-skiing. I go to the Canadian Rockies. Next week I’m
taking my son to the Monashees in the Canadian Rockies. He’s also a great
skier. I’ve long looked forward to the time I could take my children skiing
in the helicopter. I just can’t wait.
Ask a New Yorker: That’s very cool. Here’s an interesting transition,
what’s the best pastrami sandwich in New York City?
Elie: Good question, Fine and Schapiro
on the West side of Manhattan.
Ask a New Yorker: If there’s one thing you could change about New York
City what would it be?
Elie: I wouldn’t interfere with it arbitrarily. There are little complaints.
All of us arguing about everything is the way it ought to be.
Ask a New Yorker: Passions of Elie. Let’s discuss your love for theater.
Elie: It began during my time at NYU Law School. We would go to neighborhood
theater, places in the village. I just grew to love live theater. It’s
just remarkable to people giving of themselves in this way right in front of
your eyes. It’s just so remarkable even if the show isn’t perfect.
It’s still terrific to feel an experience. I love the movies too. Then
as our business grew, Dad and I got involved in investing in shows occasionally
.Our first investment was with Jackie Mason who did a show on Broadway. So we
invested with him. It was tons of fun. He was tons of fun. It started an interest
that I’ve kept up all this time. http://www.hirschfeldproductions.com/
Ask a New Yorker: Share your passion for collecting art.
Elie: Well, my love of art began with my wife at the time, Marsha. She was a
collector. I thought it would be interesting if I began to collect something.
Inspired by her interest, I thought “What would be special for me?”
and I found this painting offered by Thomas
Hart Benton, a great American artist who mostly paints of the mid-west and
Americana. He did an image of Washington Square Park. This was ten years after
law school, but it inspired me. Just as soon as I bought it I realized, “My
goodness this forms the focus for a collection!” which was New York scenes.
And so with the purchase of that New York painting I almost instantly realized,
“I think I have something here that I really want to pursue”, and
I did and I’m pursuing it now and I’m still into it. Since you’re
asking, I have a date tomorrow to meet with an artist and I’m looking
forward to it very much. I’ve been introduced to Francoise
Gilot through a friend of mine who deals in art out in the west coast and
called me up and said that I may really want to meet Ms. Gilot because she does
have a couple of scenes of New York City. She’s in New York City on the
West side. So I’ll meet her tomorrow at her studio. I’m looking
forward to this very much.
Ask a New Yorker: Do you watch any TV? Seinfeld, American Idol, and The Bachelor?
Elie: I love Seinfeld. Who doesn’t? Of course I watch some TV but mostly
movies. I also love the animal channel. I really do. I try to figure out why.
There are so many reasons. One reason is that you can start it any time and
finish it any time and sort of get the idea.
Ask a New Yorker: I agree. So Elie, let’s say you can invite three people
to dinner who you’ve never met before. Who would you invite?
Elie: A hero of mine is a guy named Dave Scott, who was basically one of the
so-called legends in the sport of triathlon, and was a great Ironman winner
when the sport was known to about fifty people in the world. He be one. Secondly,
is a fellow named Elliot
Abrams. I know him from our studies together in London. But then he went
on to become the chief Middle East person in the State Department, who reported
directly to President Bush on Middle Eastern affairs. I just think he could
answer all kinds of questions that I would like addressed. Thirdly, I don’t
have the answer to that yet.
Ask a New Yorker: At what restaurant in the city would you eat with Dave and
Elliot?
Elie: I was once at these dinners where you just sit next to somebody, some
charity dinner, I’m sitting next to somebody who was very into restaurants.
They spoke about this restaurant and that restaurant they looked at me asked,
‘What’s your favorite restaurant?” I responded, “Well
you know, it’s a place called Home”. And they said, ‘Really,
where is that?” And I thought “No, no, I mean my home. My own home”.
So, the answer is, in my home, there’s no place nicer than that.
Ask a New Yorker: Do you like to cook?
Elie: No I don’t, but my special friend is a wonderful, wonderful cook
and keeps a wonderful, wonderful home and that’s where I’d like
to have this dinner.
Ask a New Yorker: Mets or Yankees fan?
Elie: Yankees fan, ever since I was a boy. Mickey Mantle was one of my favorites,
and of course another favorite was Yogi Berra. But there’s one other often
not named who is another favorite of mine, and that is Elston
Howard, better known as Ellie Howard. So you can understand why I like him.
He’s got my name.
Ask a New Yorker: Do you tweet?
Elie: Sort of… Thanks to my friend here. We tweet together.
Ask a New Yorker: What’s the real estate vibe right now like in the city?
Elie: The real estate in New York is fantastic right now. It’s fantastic
because you have a better chance of affording something right now than any other
time. People are sensing that. Things are heading in the right direction. I
think there’s still pain for people who are saddled with too expensive
real estate. But for those who wish to acquire and grow, now’s the chance.
(Read more of his comments about the real estate market here.)
Ask a New Yorker: Two more questions. One: Larry Silverstein recently on 60
minutes commented on the rebuilding at Ground Zero as being a ‘National
Disgrace’ what are you’re thoughts on this problem?
Elie: I regret that it’s taking all this time. I think Larry’s effort
to blame everyone else may not be entirely correct.
Ask a New Yorker: Last question: What’s your definition of a New Yorker?
Elie: Anyone who loves this town, and there’s lot of us.
Ask a New Yorker: Elie thank you for your time, it was a pleasure meeting you.
Thank you Alexandra Osorio from 5W | Public Relations
for arranging this interview.
