Blackstone Staffers Return to Park Avenue One Week After Tragedy

Mint

2 days ago

(Bloomberg) -- Blackstone Inc.'s Steve Schwarzman walked into the company's headquarters at 345 Park Ave., through the lobby that a week ago had been the scene of horror and chaos when a gunman killed one of its rising stars and put scores of employees in lockdown.
Michael Chae, the firm's chief financial officer, came through too, stopping to shake hands with three staff stationed outside the door, and then inside had a huddle with Bill Rudin, whose family owns the Midtown skyscraper and also lost an employee last Monday. Schwarzman, Blackstone's chief executive, and firm President Jon Gray also stood in the lobby, greeting people as they walked in.
After what Schwarzman and Gray called 'the worst day' in the firm's history, Blackstone was open for work.
In some ways the scene bore the hallmarks of a normal weekday morning in a busy Manhattan office tower. A man walked in carrying a Yeti mug; a woman toted a Citarella bag. Roughly 30 people entered the building over a 20-minute period and boarded the elevators, heading to their desks for a day of work.
But other signs underscored the enormity of what had happened. On July 28, the gunman walked into the lobby with an assault rifle and opened fire, killing three people. He then took an elevator to the 33rd floor, where he shot and killed another person and then turned the gun on himself.
The victims were senior Blackstone real estate executive Wesley LePatner, Rudin employee Julia Hyman, security guard Aland Etienne and Didarul Islam, a New York City police officer working at the building.
On Monday, extra security guards and police stood sentinel outside of the building. One woman paused before entering the building to pet the security dog, tears springing to her eyes as she stroked its tan coat. Another woman walked up to her and gave her a hug. They clasped hands as they headed into the building together.
Another woman exited an Uber with a man who walked her right up to the revolving door: her boyfriend, who kissed her before she headed in. He said he'd just wanted to make sure she got into the building safely.
Bill Rudin, co-executive chairman of the property owner, huddled with staff in the lobby, where security guards and police officers were scattered, and a small vase of pink and white flowers rested on the check-in console. A woman toting a leather bag embraced Rudin and others standing in the lobby, before walking out to greet some of the guards.
Blackstone had told employees at headquarters that the building would be open today for employees who wished to come in, but it won't resume a normal schedule until Aug. 11. The firm will accommodate those who aren't comfortable returning by then, and executives reiterated that counseling is available to those who want it.
Schwarzman and Gray walked the floors on Monday, checking in on employees and welcoming back those who returned. Its standing Monday morning firmwide Zoom meeting was a tribute to LePatner, with people sharing their memories of her.
Over the weekend, building staff made preparations for the return. On Friday, the veil that had covered the entrance was taken down. By Saturday, the dozens of bouquets placed in memory of the victims on a ramp on the 51st Street side of the building had been removed. Inside the building, a cleaner mopped the floor.
That day, with Park Avenue closed for a Summer Streets event, thousands of bikers, walkers and runners streamed by. People spilled onto the plaza in front of the building, from children on scooters to a family eating lunch to a unicyclist taking a respite from a ride from Brooklyn's Midwood neighborhood.
Some stopped to take photos, and one couple even walked up to the glass wall of the entrance. A security guard stationed outside said he hoped the site would not become a spectacle.
Blackstone also told employees that it has been working with Rudin, the New York Police Department and outside contractors to enhance security measures. The 44-story tower in Midtown Manhattan is also home to KPMG and the National Football League.
Rudin had already bolstered security in recent years in response to crime in the area and the December murder of UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson.
On Saturday, a man named Vince, who visits the Crossroads soup kitchen nearby, sat on the plaza with his lunch.
'I was surprised that they even opened up this area,' said Vince, who declined to give his last name. 'I thought it would be like a week before anybody can even sit here, you know?'
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