Great article in The Real Deal, by C.J. Hughes, about Cecilia Benattar, who played an essential role in developing the GM Building and blazed a trail for women through a male-dominated industry more than 50 years ago.
Here are some excerpts…
“Born Cecilia Rickless in 1931 in Manchester, England, she grew up in a working-class family, [her son] Simon said. Her father was a botanist who scraped together a living from selling plant-based medicines at markets.”
“Benattar had earned her stripes by playing a key role in the development of Midtown’s iconic General Motors Building. And she pulled off the feat back in the 1960s, when women in offices were often employed as secretaries. “She would never take no for an answer,” said Simon Benattar, 56, one of Benattar’s four children. “She would walk through walls, and nothing could stop her.” ”
” It was up to Benattar to convince the manufacturing giant [General Motors] not only to relocate its Eastern headquarters from 1775 Broadway, but also to become a joint partner on the $90 million endeavor. ”
” At one point, according to family lore, Benattar filled a room with strangers when meeting with the General Motors board of directors, to make it seem like she had a larger, and more powerful, operation than was the case. ”
” The McKim, Mead & White-designed Savoy-Plaza Hotel had to be demolished to make way for the white-marble office tower [GM Tower] — a move that was met with outrage by locals. And before knocking down the storied hotel, the English-accented, 5-foot-2 executive had to evict hundreds of residential tenants and personally fire all of the hotel’s staff, according to Life. ”
” And Benattar would not give an inch in negotiations, according to Geoffrey Wharton, a former lawyer at the firm Weil, Gotshal and Manges, which was an early tenant in the building [GM Tower] ”
” Wharton recounted that Benattar said: “I allowed you the discretion of the color of the ink. Beyond that, I wasn’t interested in your comments.” ”
Link to full article: https://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/recalling-the-toughest-woman-in-real-estate/
CGNYC 