May 2012
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From Gold to Platinum and Broadcast Fame

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Flamboyant and iconic, the historic base of  Hearst Tower has its roots firmly entrenched in the show business world of William Randolph Hearst and was, in fact, the creation of a Hollywood set designer. Almost a century later, it has been reincarnated as a 21st Century sustainable landmark, and the crystalline faceted tower has become a broadcast star for being, as PBS-TV host Paula Zahn described it, "one of New York’s great treasures."

The TOBY-award-winning tower won that accolade last month as it became the first tower in New York to be recognized as LEED Platinum-EBOM. The Tower had previously been New York’s first LEED-NC Gold (core/shell/interiors) and a working example of how to make green succeed. 

PBS agreed and shot a 1-hour documentary for its Treasures of New York series that aired throughout March and into April. The broadcast, which traced the history of the tower and Hearst’s larger-than-life founder, devoted the second half hour of the program to sustainability features, from the singularly unique Icefall water sculpture and cooling system gracing the Lobby, to its 100 percent use of reclaimed, non-potable rainwater for cleaning, and 100 percent wet food waste composting system. 

City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn (right) summed up the achievement with pride, saying "Hearst has set a great example and we look forward to seeing other buildings follow in its footsteps."

Among the key team members at the tower are: Tishman Speyer, which was centrally involved in construction and has managed it since it opened, WSP Flack + Kurtz Engineering, ABM Cleaning Services and IESI Waste Services.