André Balazs

André Tomes Balazs (born January 31, 1957) is an American businessman and hotelier. He is president and chief executive officer of André Balazs Properties, a portfolio of hotels across the United States and residences in New York, especially in New York City.

André Balazs
Balazs at the 2012 Time 100 gala
Born
André Tomas Balazs[1]

(1957-01-31) January 31, 1957
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Alma materCornell University
Columbia University
OccupationHotelier, residential developer
Known forStandard Hotels Chateau Marmont
Net worth$700 million [2]
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1985; div. 2004)​
Partner(s)Uma Thurman (2004–2007, 2015–2016)
Chelsea Handler (2011–2013)
Cosima Vesey (2017–present)
Children3

Early life and education

Balazs was born in Boston, Massachusetts.[3] His father, Endre Alexander Balazs, was a research professor at Harvard Medical School, founded the Retina Foundation and the Boston Biomedical Research Institute, and was the director of ophthalmic research at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.[1][4] His mother, Eva K Balazs, was a psychologist at McLean Hospital, and later formed the New New Orleans Jazz Band.[1][5]

Balazs graduated from Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School, a private preparatory school in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[6] He graduated from Cornell University and was a member of the Quill and Dagger society.[7] Balazs also attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where he earned a joint master's degree in journalism and business.[8]

Career

In 1980, Balazs was hired by David Garth Associates to serve as Press Secretary to Bess Myerson, a Democratic candidate for Senator from New York State.[9]

Balazs co-founded Biomatrix with his father in 1988. The biotechnology company developed six hyaluronan products before it was sold in 2000 to Genzyme for an estimated $738 million.[1]

Between 1988 and 1989, Balazs invested in various projects including the Manhattan nightclub M.K. and the Los Angeles supper club b.c. In 1989 he purchased The Mercer Hotel property in SoHo, a 100-year-old manufacturing loft.[10][9][11] In 1990, Balazs purchased and restored the Chateau Marmont.[9] Built in 1929 and located on Sunset Boulevard, Balazs reportedly paid just over $12 million.[12] In 1997, he purchased and updated the Sunset Beach Hotel and Restaurant on Shelter Island.[11] The following year, Balazs opened the redeveloped Mercer Hotel and Mercer Kitchen in SoHo.[13][14]

In 1998, Balazs opened the first of five hotels called The Standard in West Hollywood.[15][16] Balazs subsequently opened and operated five Standard hotels: in Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Miami, and two in New York City, before selling his interests in the real estate, and in the management company in 2017.[17][18]

Balazs has placed a strong focus on the culinary programs for each of his properties. The restaurants at the properties include the Standard Grill at The Standard, New York;[19] The Lido Restaurant and Bayside Grill at The Standard Spa, Miami and Sunset Beach;[20] Bar Marmont and the terrace restaurant at Chateau Marmont with Carolynn Spence;[21] and The Standard Biergartens in New York and Downtown LA with Kurt Gutenbrunner.[22]

In 2007, Balazs began a collaboration with Wölffer Estate Vineyard on Long Island to create his own vintage of rosé.[23]

In 2011, Balazs launched a sea plane service to the Hamptons from Manhattan.[24]

In 2012, Balazs started The Farm at Locusts-on-Hudson on the grounds of the former Astor family estate he purchased in Hyde Park, New York, to grow organic produce for his New York restaurants.[25][26]

He also owns the Chiltern Firehouse, a hotel in a former fire station in London.[27] Chiltern Firehouse was designed in conjunction with Studio KO, though Balazs is known to be personally heavily involved in the design of his hotels and it includes bar areas, a restaurant and suites.[28]

Balazs has also been involved in residential real estate as the developer of 15 William, condominium in New York City's Financial District.

Boards and awards

Balazs was recruited by Andy Warhol in 1982 to be one of the founding Trustees of the New York Academy of Art.[29] He has served on the boards of the New York Public Theater and the Wolfsonian Museum affiliated with Florida International University.[11] He was awarded the first Design Patrons Award in 2011 by the National Academy of Arts’ Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design in New York City.[30]

In 2014, Balazs was the recipient of British GQ’s “Men of the Year” award in the category of entrepreneur.[31]

Personal life

Balazs married Katie Ford on November 16, 1985; they divorced in 2004. They have two daughters, Alexandra (born 1991) and Isabel (born 1994). He was engaged to actress Uma Thurman between 2004 and 2007, and the couple again dated from 2015 to 2016. He also had a relationship with comedian Chelsea Handler from 2011 to 2013.[32]

His girlfriend, Cosima Vesey, the daughter of Sita-Maria de Breffny and Thomas Eustace Vesey, 7th Viscount de Vesci, gave birth to a son with Balazs, Ivo Vesey, on July 9, 2017.[2]

In 2017, the New York Times reported allegations that Balazs had "groped" Amanda Anka in London at a dinner hosted by him for Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux.[33] A statement issued by Amanda Anka and her husband, Jason Bateman, said that "his actions were dealt with at the time."[34]

References
  1. "Miss Ford Plans To Become Bride Of Andre Balazs". The New York Times. July 21, 1985.
  2. Dangremond, Sam (November 13, 2017). "8 Things You Should Know About Hotelier André Balazs". Town & Country.
  3. Marcus Fairs (September 10, 2015). "Andre Balazs Interview". Dezeen.
  4. "André Balazs: The king of America". The Independent. November 18, 2006.
  5. "The New New Orleans Jazz Band 25th Anniversary Concert". New England Traditional Jazz Plus. November 9, 2008.
  6. C.J. Hughes (March 1, 2014). "André (Balazs) the giant". The Real Deal.
  7. Nadine Jolene Courtney (August 9, 2016). "The Most Exclusive Student Clubs of the Ivy League". Town and Country Magazine.
  8. David Hershkovits (October 31, 2010). "Guru: Andre Balazs". Paper.
  9. Vanessa Grigoriadis. "Prince Street Prince". New York. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  10. Jean Nathan (August 1993). "What's Up in the Old Hotel". The New York Times.
  11. Lucie Young (July 10, 1997). "He Makes Princely Hotels Out of Frogs". The New York Times.
  12. Janelle Brown (December 3, 2010). "The Chateau Marmont Is Ready for Its Close-Up". The New York Times.
  13. R. Couri Hay (March 22, 2015). "Andre Balazs Revs Up Sunset Beach With a New Team & Menu". Hamptons Magazine.
  14. Suzy Menkes (March 31, 1998). "Loft Life at SoHo's Mercer : Zen and the Art Of Hotel Serenity". The New York Times.
  15. "Setting a Sophisticated Standard in WeHo". WEHOville. September 11, 2013.
  16. "Hop on the High Line". Vanity Fair (magazine). January 8, 2009.
  17. "André Balazs: American Boutique Hotelier". Robinson Speakers. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  18. "André Balazs checks out of Standard hotels". Financial Times. March 9, 2017.
  19. Steve Cuozzo (August 2011). "Grill of Your Dreams". New York Post.
  20. "Chef Mark Zeitouni". StarChefs.com. May 2011.
  21. Kate Krader (February 2007). "At Bar Marmont". Food & Wine.
  22. Pauline Sung (October 2011). "Biergarten Opens on Rooftop of LA's Standard". Haute Living.
  23. Juliana (May 2008). "Andre Balazs's Dark Secret Wine". Hotel Chatter.
  24. Matt Tyrnauer. "Andre Balazs: Prepared For Takeoff". Hamptons.
  25. "NYC's night life king gets dirty". New York Post. August 1, 2012.
  26. "Celebrity Hotelier Andre Balazs Wants You to Know What Chicken Should Taste Like". Bon Appétit. March 10, 2012.
  27. Hyslop, Leah (June 13, 2014). "What's all the fuss about the Chiltern Firehouse?". The Telegraph. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  28. Curated, Something. "André Balazs: Creator of Experiences and Spatial Storyteller". Something Curated. Something Curated. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  29. "Naked Ambition". The New York Sun. April 14, 2008.
  30. "Attention to Detail". Leaders Online. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  31. "Entrepreneur: André Balazs". GQ. September 8, 2014.
  32. Blumm, K.C. "Chelsea Handler Confirms Split with Andre Balazs". People.com. People Magazine. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  33. Holson, Laura M. (November 9, 2017). "André Balasz, Celebrity Hotelier, Is Accused of Groping". The New York Times.
  34. Harriet Alexander (November 9, 2017). "Andre Balazs accused of groping Jason Bateman's wife at Chiltern Firehouse". The Telegraph. Retrieved February 14, 2018.

Further reading
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