Overview

It’s not the very newest construction in the city, but it’s certainly some of the nicest. The Time Warner Center (formerly the AOL Time Warner Center) has multiple components including 225 fabulous condominium residences, a high-end shopping mall, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, CNN Studios, an extensive Jazz center (part of Lincoln Center) and some incredibly fabulous restaurants. Time Warner is, of course, an anchor tenant for the commercial space as well. While everybody knows about this incredible spot, I’m surprised it’s not a more famous and popular destination at this point–nearly three years old. I suppose it isn’t all that exciting if you consider what Columbus Circle was five years ago and what it is today. But things are changing… and fast.

Condos

As for the condos, the prices and fame of the residents is shocking. In early 2005 David Martinez, a hedge-fund manager, bought the duplex penthouse along with an additional half floor for a total of roughly $55 million. From the 76th and 77th floors, one can only imagine what his views are like. I suppose visiting the observatory at the Empire State Building would give you some idea, even though the views from Time Warner, sitting at the southwest corner of Central Park, are surely better. Lesser known is the sale of the 80th floor of the north tower to Sandie Tillotson, the founder of Nu Skin. Her timing for the purchase was precise–early 2001, and the investment remains perfectly sound today.

You’ll also find Kelly Ripa (Live with Regis & Kelly) on the 73rd floor, Ricky Martin on the 65th floor, and John Stryker on the 62nd floor. John Kluge’s son, Veronica Atkins, and Keith Reinhard (chairman of DDB Worldwide) are in the building as well. I can’t remember everyone else at this very moment, but after you get through the American buyers, the international buying list is equally impressive. I watched a special on “E” last year which talked about Anna Anisimova’s huge spread at Time Warner. She’s from a Russian billionaire family and attended my alma-mater, New York University.

Restaurants

The restaurants at Time Warner are amazing as well. Two of the world’s most expensive restaurants, Masa and Per Se can be found on the 4th floor of the south tower. Masa is Japanese and Per Se is American Nouveau. Also in the building are the handsome and delicious Café Gray and Porter House. These are ‘less expensive’ alternatives, although what does that really mean when the tabs are still averaging $200/couple. Landmarc is the newest addition to the south tower, an offshoot of a great restaurant in Tribeca, and Asiate is the gem of the north tower, located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. If you’re looking for a light bite, try the incredible and huge Whole Foods on the basement level. This place is jammed all day and into the evening because of their fresh and healthy selection of foods.

Shops

The retail spaces at Time Warner are very interesting. I actually spoke to a CEO who was offered a long-term lease in Time Warner back in 2000 who explained to me that the prices were too high for the somewhat undesirable Columbus Circle area, which still had an unproven amount of foot traffic. When the mall first opened, I thought his foresight was genius, as the Time Warner center was curiously new and most of the foot traffic stayed on the first floor. However, the public is catching on and recently the place gets pretty crowded.

The main, central space on the first floor is occupied by a Williams Sonoma, and nearby are Thomas Pink, Hugo Boss, L’Occitane, Tumi, Tourneau, and Godiva. Borders has the main space on the second floor and the side spaces are occupied by the likes of J Crew, Sephora and Bose. The third level is headlined by the ‘Samsung Experience’ a huge space full of plasma televisions, cell phones, laptops and Internet stations. You can’t buy anything at this store, but you can get the ‘experience’ and have a lot of fun.

Final Word

The Time Warner Center is an amazing addition to the skyline, perhaps the most important since the Millenium. The building has a ‘high-end following’ throughout which has grown in popularity over the past 24 months. The common spaces on the first, second, and third floors are constantly lined with red carpets, camera crews and celebrities. Between the wealthy residents, plethora of restaurants, the Mandarin Oriental, and the Jazz center, this seems to be a true hot spot.

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