The Hotel Is 642 Feet Tall. Its ‘Architect’ Says He Never Saw the Plans.
An architect lent his license to a New York City developer to approve buildings he didn’t design, according to an investigation by The New York Times.
Amid the glittering geometric towers that dot the Manhattan skyline, the hotel on 11th Avenue in Hudson Yards was designed to stand out. At 642 feet tall, the building soars above the Hudson River, featuring jagged sets of floor-to-ceiling windows that shimmer in the sun.
To all outward appearances, Warren L. Schiffman, who is in his mid-80s and retired, was the architect of record on the project. His professional seal and signature were stamped on its design and those of two other large-scale projects in New York City, a hotel near La Guardia Airport and dual high-rise residences in Queens. All share the same developer, Marx Development Group.
But Mr. Schiffman said he had no active role in those projects, a statement that raises questions about whether the buildings were approved for construction without the oversight and involvement of a registered architect — a requirement in New York State to ensure that buildings are properly designed and do not pose a safety risk.
A document obtained by The New York Times shows Mr. Schiffman’s credentials were used to fake his approval of building designs that he did not review.
The document, a four-page contract addressed to Mr. Schiffman on company letterhead, shows that when Mr. Schiffman retired in 2016 from Marx Development Group, he signed an eight-point agreement with its chief executive, David Marx, detailing how the company’s design firm, DSM Design Group, could continue to use his seal of approval even though he no longer worked there.
Developers can spend several millions of dollars on architect fees for big projects. In exchange for the use of the seal, however, Mr. Schiffman received quarterly payments from the developer that were substantially lower than the norm.
The contract was signed just before the Marx Development Group embarked on three large developments in New York City, including its highest-profile project to date, the Hudson Yards hotel. It called for Mr. Schiffman to “provide your architectural stamp and signature to the DSM Design Group when requested” and to make “best efforts to respond within 48 hours of any request for such service.”
Mr. Shiffman said in an interview he was never asked to review any building plans.
Building professionals in New York City said that the allegations involving Mr. Schiffman were highly unusual.
“Oh, my, goodness gracious, that’s a new one,” said Steven Zirinsky, the co-chairman of the Building Codes Committee at the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects. “Now what’s going to happen with these buildings — who’s watching the store?”
