PaperCity Magazine

November 2017- Houston

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84 dusty pink, and deep cinnabar. The towers rose from a 9.5- acre park setting, with artist Beverly Pepper's towering Polygenesis obelisk, front and center, another head-turning addition. A dditional l u x u r y high-rises followed: V i l l a d ' E s t e ( 2 0 0 0 ) , Montebello (2004), and Belfiore (2016). Two hotels, Hotel Granduca in Houston (2006) and Austin (2015), were slotted in. Plans are on hold for the firm's next luxury residential high-rise, Villa Borghese, which is the first Borlenghi project not to make a go in the initial offering. Units in the 26-story structure on the edge of River Oaks were to be priced at $650 per square foot, bare bones ("to the white"), and would have been the firm's most expensive condominium high- rise to date, as well its most luxurious. The project was put on ice during the summer, when stakeholders decided that while there was interest in the concept, the economy had not recovered sufficiently to justify breaking ground. The 1.5-acre site, just south of Westheimer between Sackett and Bammell, had already been scraped clean, the iconic Victorian bungalows moved to new sites. At the moment, the plot is a grassy expanse framed by mature oaks and wrapped in green fencing. The Borlenghis have identified yet another market segment prime for development. Alex, now wearing the mantle of executive vice president, is guiding the company's expansion into luxury multi-family rentals. "We can attract people who like what we do, who like our buildings, but don't necessarily want to buy a condominium," Giorgio says. "They would rather rent a very special apartment. That is the next phase of our company." 5 MINUTES AND 7 QUESTIONS Architect with whom you'd most like to work. Alex: Cesar Pelli, for one reason: He got to work with my grandfather and my father [on the Four Leaf and Four Oaks], and I want to work with him. Giorgio: Starchitects are very difficult to work with, especially for us. We are a bit particular. We like to be very involved with what we do … We have a level of participation in design that the VIP architects don't like to have. Scott Zeigler is my favorite to work with, maybe because I have a big friendship with him. Time out. Alex: Golf, tennis, travel. I just started rereading all the classics that I read in high school for a different perspective. Giorgio: Cathy and I love to travel. Music is still important to me. I play the piano every day, 20 or 30 minutes. It dates me, because I play the Beatles. Newspapers. Alex: Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, online. Giorgio: Houston Chronicle online, The Wall Street Journal in print. Best Italian restaurant in Houston. Alex: Da Marco. Giorgio: My house. Cathy is a great cook. Or Amalfi [in Houston]. Favorite hotel. Alex: The Sherry Netherland in New York for its location and architecture. Giorgio: Granduca, of course! Every time I go to a luxury hotel, I say it's my favorite. The most recent is the Oberoi in Jaipur, India. Designer. Alex: Ermenegildo Zegna. Giorgio: Ermenegildo Zegna. On the ties that bind. Alex: Hermès. Giorgio: Hermès. See more Shelby Hodge at papercitymag.com. Cesar Pelli, Giorgio Borlenghi at the Four Leaf Towers construction site, 1981 Alex and Giorgio Borlenghi

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