Aby Rosen - Biography

Aby Rosen is a real estate tycoon living in New York. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1960. The son of Jewish Holocaust survivors, he grew up in a traditional Jewish community and environment in Frankfurt. In 1987, he moved to New York City where he apprenticed at a real estate brokerage firm. He has two sons, Gabriel (Gaby) and Charles (Charlie) from a previous marriage and is currently married to Dr. Samantha Boardman, a psychiatrist and socialite. Rosen currently resides at the Julius Forstmann Mansion on the upper East Side in New York City with his wife and two sons. The family summers in Southampton.

Real Estate Holdings

RFR Holding LLC is a partnership controlled principally by Aby Rosen and his childhood friend Michael Fuchs. In the 15 years after RFR Holding was established in 1991, Rosen had acquired a vast portfolio of real estate holdings including the landmark Seagram Building and Lever House.

Noteworthy Developments

Gramercy Park Hotel

Rosen partnered with long time friend and co-founder of Studio 54, Ian Schrager to transform the 123 year-old Gramercy Park Hotel with minimalist architect John Pawson.

610 Lexington

In 2006, Rosen announced plans to develop the site at 610 Lexington Ave in NYC (situated directly behind the Seagram Building) into a glass hotel and condominium tower designed by Sir Norman Foster.

Lever House Art Collection

The Lever House Art Collection is a collection of works commissioned for display at the Lever House by Aby Rosen. It is curated by Richard Marshall, an art historian as well as an associate curator for the Whitney Museum in New York City. The Lever House Art Collection was inaugurated in 2004 featuring a work by Jorge Pardo. Other works have included:

• Bride Fight by E.V. Day
• Hulks by Jeff Koons
• Hello Kitty by Tom Sachs

Outside the United States

Rosen, with partner Fuchs holds a large real estate portfolio in Germany, especially in Frankfurt, his natal city. In early 2007, they bought the headquarter building of the European Central Bank. Furthermore, the company owns the Swift Haus on Jungfernstieg and the Kaufmannshaus on Große Bleichen in Hamburg. The portfolio is currently administrated by their office in Frankfurt.