Last month, Phipps Houses, the largest non-profit provider of affordable housing in New York City honored two individuals whose work contributes significantly to building strong communities -- Bryce Blair, chairman and CEO of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. and Richard Paul Richman, chairman and founder of The Richman Group, Inc. at the annual Phipps Houses Community Builder Awards Gala. Adam Weinstein, president and CEO of Phipps Houses, presented the awards.

Jane Hanson

Jane Hanson the Emmy award-winning anchor and WNBC correspondent emceed the gala which was held at Cipriani 42nd Street. The event raised an estimated $850,000 that will benefit Phipps Community Development Corporation (Phipps CDC), the not-for-profit educational, social and human services arm of Phipps Houses.

Mr. Blair’s AvalonBay Communities, Inc. is among the nation’s largest and leading apartment Real Estate Investment Trusts and was Phipps Houses’ lead partner in the redevelopment of the Cooper Square Urban Renewal Area. Richard Paul Richman’s The Richman Group, Inc. is a long-time developer, owner and financier of mixed-use and mixed-income housing. The Richman Group has been an active participant in housing financed with the low-income housing tax credit, and has been an equity partner with Phipps Houses on nearly 400 units of affordable housing.

The development companies have been strong partners in providing much-needed affordable housing to New York City. Proceeds from the gala dinner will allow Phipps CDC to continue providing educational, career development, technology and other vital programs to our residents. Mr. Weinstein singled out Mayor Bloomberg with his praise for the projects, saluting him “for his visionary leadership in expanding the City's investment in the affordable housing. And on behalf of Phipps Houses, we thank the many federal, state and local officials who are so critical to both our human services programs and bricks and mortar development.”

Dinner co-chairs included Robert C. Dinerstein, Greenberg Traurig, LLC; Joel I. Picket, Gotham Construction Company, LLC; and Frederick S. Harris of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. Bronx Music Works provided musical entertainment.

Adam Weinstein

Funds raised by the dinner will support Phipps CDC’s youth and family development programs in the Bronx and Manhattan. These programs – including a new “West Farmers’ Market” and community garden, excellent Head Start centers and after-school / summer programs, GED, ESL and college preparation classes, community greening internships, job readiness assistance and senior programming – serve an estimated 5,500 children and adults each year, and meet pressing community needs.

Phipps Houses was created in 1905 with a gift of $1 million dollars from Henry Phipps to build housing affordable to low-income families. Henry Phipps believed providing safe and sanitary housing to low-income wage earners would enhance their ability to take advantage of the City's economic opportunities. Over the past 101 years, Phipps Houses has evolved into a major affordable housing provider, property manager, and leader in community-based educational, vocational and social services. Phipps’ affordable housing assets exceed $1 billion, serving the housing and service needs of 45,000 New Yorkers.

Today, Phipps Houses provides housing for 4,300 families in its own properties, and another 9,000 under management for other housing owners. With a development pipeline of 500 new apartments a year, Phipps continues to build and preserve affordable housing to give more families the needed framework of a safe and well maintained home.

Chie Imai celebrated its 30th Anniversary in style at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan with designer and owner, Chie Imai hosted a fashion show and luncheon for more than 200 to benefit the Christopher Reeve Foundation.

There was much excitement in the air as guests made their way to the St. Regis Roof for a glass of champagne while anxiously awaiting the Anniversary Fashion Show. Chie Imai’s special collection included some of the world’s rarest and most coveted furs such as ‘Russian Broadtail’, Russian sable and Lynx. Purple, the color of nobility from ancient times in Japan, was the primary color of the collection and was seen in a multitude of styles including Chie’s trademark design, “Mosaique de Chie,” a mosaic pattern woven together to create a colorful and lightweight coat. Additional styles included the blending of multiple furs and embroidery with Hakata Silk, the material used in the creation of obi sashes. A standing ovation was received when Chie’s royal purple evening gown of sheared mink and feathers appeared on the runway.

Francine LeFrak, Marnie McBryde, Janet Hanson and Kathy Lewis were hosts to a big crowd of prominent and social New Yorkers including Alan Rickman, Rocky Aoki, Grace Hightower, Tina Louise, Michele Gerber Klein, Jo Hallingby, Lucie Hwong Gordon, Chiaki Imai, Nurit Kahane-Haase, Nanette Laitman, Anabel Mariaca, Kasia McCormick, Ellen Niven, Irina Pantaeva, Jill Roosevelt, Andrea Stark, Cornelia Sharp Bregman, Paola Bianchini, Sharon Sternheim, Barbara Tober, and Denise Wohl.

For the finale of the show, Ashley Lauren Fischer, a former dancer and current actress and model who was rendered a quadriplegic at the age of 23 as the result of a diving accident appeared on the runway in a fabulous Chie fur! Special guest Matthew Reeve, son of Christopher Reeve took the stage after the show and thanked Chie Imai for her support of the Foundation and encouraged guests to purchase tickets and attend the annual upcoming gala, “A Magical Evening” on November 6th at the Marriot Marquis. For information please visit www.christopherreeve.org.

The Cinema Society, in association with Guerlain hosted one of the Society’s very special and very stellar screening of The Black Dahlia at the Tribeca Grand last week. The film’s star, two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank was present at the super-exclusive late night supper after the screening at the Penthouse of the Soho Grand. Miss Swank, in case you’re wondering is also the face of Guerlain’s fragrance “Insolence.”

Hilary Swank and Andrew Saffir

The brutally sadistic story of the Black Dahlia murder has haunted Los Angelenos for decades, placing it now in the area of myth. This film version of the story is based on the best-selling book by James Ellroy, is a true story about the case of a would-be, wannabe starlet named Elizabeth Short which terrified the citizens of Los Angeles and the Southland for years afterwards. Hilary Swank received rave reviews as a predatory and potentially dangerous heiress, who may or may not have had a sexual relationship with the victim.

Not would-be’s and wanna-be’s on the night of this glittery screening, Cinema Society Founder Andrew Saffir welcomed an amazing array of stars, boldfaced names and prominent New Yorkers to the screening including Kevin Costner, Mariska Hargitay, Liev Schreiber, Mischa Barton, Gina Gershon, LeAnn Rimes, Hilary Duff, Sandra Bernhard, Rosie Perez, Jaime King, Robin Tunney, Darren Aronofsky, Jim Jarmusch, Helena Christensen, Dana Delany, Billy Campbell, Dean Winters, Reinaldo and Carolina Herrera, Judi Giuliani, Bob Colacello, Claudia Cohen. Stars, non-stars, civilians and socialites all love these screenings filled with celebrities where sometimes the audience is even a better show than the picture.

Lots of looking and lots of lookers at this one. Also in the crowd: Dixon Boardman, Regis and Joy Philbin, Mini Anden, Petra Nemcova, Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas, Wu-Tang Clan rap star Rza, B-52’s Fred Schneider, Patty Smyth, N Sync’s JC Chasez, Inside the Actors’ Studio’s James Lipton, Factory Girlstar Meredith Ostrom, Matthew Williamson, Hamish Bowles, Sante D’Orazio, Rachel Zoe, Carson Kressley, Daniel Benedict, Bettina Zilkha, Allison Sarofim, Valesca Guerrand-Hermes, Douglas Hannant and Frederick Anderson, Mary Alice Stephenson, Frederique Van Der Wal, Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Jennifer Creel, Marjorie Gubelmann Raein, Caroline Berthet, Jackie Astier, Milly de Cabrol, Ferebee Bishop, Campion Platt, Nat Rothschild, and NBC’s Dan Abrams.

Also last month:Marking 175 years of service to the most vulnerable New Yorkers, Episcopal Social Services (ESS) honored General Colin L. Powell at a special dinner gala to mark this occasion with more than 300 business and religious leaders, philanthropists and other supporters at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine.   Since 1831, ESS has provided critically-needed foster care, medical care, group homes for adolescents, family preservation services, Early Head Start, after-school services and re-entry services for the formerly incarcerated in New York City.

The founding chairman of America’s Promise, General Powell was honored for his commitment to the lives of underprivileged and at-risk children.  Like ESS, America’s Promise serves the needs of children and youth in need to help them become self-supporting and contributing adult members of society.

“It is said that to nurture a child is to bless the future, and I believe that wholeheartedly,” said General Colin L. Powell.  “In today’s society, young people are experiencing great difficulties, and those from disadvantaged circumstances often have it the hardest.  But we can make a difference, and we must.  ESS and my own organization, America's Promise, are doing important work in our communities – both here in New York City and across the country.”

Among the notable guests were Dennis Wolcott, deputy mayor of the City of New York; John C. Whitehead, chairman of the Goldman Sachs Foundation and former chair of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation; dinner co-chairs Kenneth Kramer, Malcolm MacKay, Elizabeth P. Munson and Diana Nouri.  The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church; and The Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk, Bishop of New York of The Episcopal Church were honorary co-chairs.

Episcopal Social Services is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization committed to creating permanent improvement in the lives of children and adults as they battle the effects of poverty.  ESS also seeks to strengthen New York’s most vulnerable neighbors so that they can live up to their full potential.  For more information, visit www.essnyc.org.

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