Crain's New York Business articles from August 2005

Crain's New York Business archives from August 2005

Best of Bob Lape.(American Grill at Staten Island)(Bar Americain at Manhattan)(Craftbar at Manhattan)(Riverdale Garden at Riverdale, the Bronx)(Brief Article)(Restaurant Review)
August 1, 2005... Following are recent reviews of restaurants with new American food. American Grill (2.5 STARS) 1180 Victory Blvd. (at Clove Road), Staten Island. (718) 442-4742. In a new location, Pamela Silvestri and David Cavagnaro's friendly,...

NYPD Shield gets execs' approval; Anti-terrorism site could trigger false alarms.(In the Markets)(New York Police Department)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Amanda Fung the city's top security officers will gather on Wednesday for a briefing about the lessons learned from the London bombings. The informational session is the first of many events to be held by the New York Police...

Audacious developer puts Extell on map; Amply backed Barnett makes big splash by taking on key players; timing may be off.(Gary Barnett's real estate investments)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Julie Satow When a small-time developer agreed to pay $1.8 billion for a swath of Donald Trump's Riverside South development on Manhattan's Upper West Side in June, real estate insiders were stunned. Since then, Gary Barnett has...

Lord & Taylor on the line; Federated plan to keep chain as is may not stand test of time.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Elisabeth Butler lord & taylor's long-term future remains in doubt, despite the announcement by Federated Department Stores Inc. that the 57-store chain will keep operating under its own name after Federated acquires its parent,...

GOP donors make move to Spitzer; Democrat seen as front-runner; no candidate yet to fill Pataki void.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Anne Michaud As party leaders scramble for a candidate to replace Gov. George Pataki in 2006, some of the state Republican Party's biggest contributors are already giving money to Democrat Eliot Spitzer--heightening the GOP's...

Avon's blush off; International sales, especially in China, pose biggest problem; profit forecasts reduced.(News)(Toiletries industry sales fall inb China)
August 1, 2005... Byline: elisabeth butler Avon chief executive Andrea Jung speaks fluent Mandarin. She may need that skill to help pull her company out of a sudden slump. China is an important market for the cosmetics behemoth, and an unexpected sales...

Backwards & Forwards.(In the Markets)(increase of company stocks of Nasdaq Stock Market Inc)(InnoSys Inc. Keyspan Div company gains)(Time Warner Inc company sales)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... It was like old times on Wall Street last week. Not only did the tech-heavy Nasdaq Index hit a four-year high, but its owner, the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc., also posted a near-tripling in net income on an 83% gain in second-quarter revenue. The...

Slipper maker learns to step lower; Amy Jo Gladstone profits by adding less expensive line.(Small Business)(Amy Jo Gladstone)
August 1, 2005... Byline: shira boss-bicak Eleven years ago, Amy Jo Gladstone tapped a gold mine when she began producing small quantities of high-end footwear. She quickly built a reputation for her ultra-plush spa slippers and slides featuring various dog...

New Yorkers shun risky home loans; Conservatism, higher incomes reduce possibility of steep price drops.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Tom Fredrickson his mortgage broker tried to entice him into taking an interest-only loan this spring, but Angelo Motta resisted the temptation to save now and pay later. Instead, the 30-year-old consultant with Accenture purchased...

Latest fads revive specialty schools; Constantly adapt courses to draw students.(Education Report)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lisa Goff multiple airline bankruptcies and a jet stream of aviation layoffs could have been the death knell for the College of Aeronautics. But like many specialized institutions of higher learning in the city, the school knew how...

Applicants award NYU top honors; Location, marketing help it best Columbia; more academic pull.(Education Report)(New York University)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Andrew Marks last fall, one of educational consultant Steven Goodman's best students, Kara, visited Columbia University and New York University--two schools where she was thinking of applying. When she returned home, Columbia was...

Campus coups: Manhattan sites; Locations in heart of city boost outlying schools; coping with real estate costs.(Education Report)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Tina Traster a few brief months after St. John's University opened a Manhattan campus, everything came to a halt. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, forced the college to vacate 101 Murray St. when city officials declared the...

Cheap B'klyn health plans; GHI, Chamber sharply cut cost of coverage for needy, small firms.(Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce)(HealthWorks II and III)(GHI)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Erik Engquist Insurer ghi and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce are launching two low-cost health insurance plans this month designed for the thousands of small business workers in Brooklyn who don't qualify for Medicaid and whose...

new york's union power.(Briefs)(separation of new york labour unions from AFL-CIO)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... new york is one of only four states where union workers make up more than 20% of the labor force. (The others are Alaska, Hawaii and Michigan.) What's more, 70% of New York's public-sector employees belong to a union. The Service Employees...

NBC's Teflon man; Zucker consolidates power even as ratings slide.(News)(National Broadcasting Company Inc. NBC Entertainment)(opinions about replacing Jeff Zucker)(the works done by him for the company development)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Matthew Flamm over the last year or so, NBC Universal Television President Jeff Zucker has replaced the heads of two cable networks and the executive producer at the Today show. He is also reported to be pushing out NBC News...

New York, New York.(Briefs)(local TV stations)(burritoville contracts with Women's Housing and Economic Development Corp)(Esquire Magazine Group Inc new section The Esquire Ten)
August 1, 2005... Byline: edited by valerie block Advertisers tune out local TV stations ouch! local television advertising dropped by nearly 8% in the first half of the year, according to station executives. Even money flowing in from Mayor Michael...

There's no room at the dormitory; Colleges build, buy, lease unusual off-campus space; crunch will last years.(Education Report)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Quittner during his sophomore year at the New School in Manhattan, Ian Bauman paid $10,000 to live in a dormitory suite with three roommates. That didn't include the $70 a month it cost him to commute from William Street in...

Catholic colleges blessed with more students; Marketing brings more applicants from outside city; tuitions are rising.(Education Report)
August 1, 2005... Byline: judith messina in 1998, St. John's University, the Roman Catholic university in Queens best known for its law school and basketball team, fielded 7,500 applicants for its incoming freshman class. By 2005, that number had nearly...

What's the best way to score U.S. Open tickets?(Business Lives)
August 1, 2005... Byline: erik engquist the front-door approach is to call 866-OPEN-TIX repeatedly--tickets become available as the event progresses. Or line up early at the center the first eight days to buy a grounds pass. Also, brokers in New Jersey sell...

Pricey pads go up in Greenpoint; Developers bet on luxury apartments in up-and-coming area; new Queens BID.
August 1, 2005... Greenpoint is going upscale--and fast. A 1,600-square-foot penthouse with a private terrace overlooking McCarren Park just became the area's first apartment to sell for $1 million. It won't be the last. The penthouse is in one of eight...

Card Cop.(Business Lives)(Sergio Pinon's services in the preventing the Identity theft )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Sergio Pinon, 54, senior vice president of security and risk services, MasterCard International. Major issue Identity theft now consumes one-fifth of Mr. Pinon's time, compared with none in 2003. He's done everything from meeting with...

Corrections.(In the Markets)(Correction Notice)
August 1, 2005... Martin Golden is a Republican state senator from Brooklyn. His name was misstated in a July 25 story. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is building a 104,000-square-foot warehouse to serve air cargo customers. A June 20...

SEEKING INFO ON TOP NYC BUILDING SALES; costar deals.(Real Estate)
August 1, 2005... CoStar Group Inc. is compiling data for its list of the largest building sales in the five boroughs of New York City in the first half of 2005. The list, which will include sales of office buildings, apartment buildings and hotels, will be...

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)(recruitment at Parenthood Federation of America)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Miriam Kreinin Souccar WANTED: President and ceo JOB DESCRIPTION Run Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the world's largest voluntary reproductive-health organization MOST IMPORTANT TASKS Oversee 123 affiliates...

Startups find few VC funds; Investment drought hits early-stage firms; NY lags West Coast.(News)(venture capitalists)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Amanda Fung David coleman is knocking on the doors of venture capital firms, looking to raise several million dollars for his Manhattan-based tech startup, SoundStreak. But so far, only venture capitalists on the far side of the...

NYSE's bell tolls for its trading floor; Electronic deals to replace humans; firms already cutting.(News)(New York Stock Exchange Inc.)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Aaron Elstein the new york Stock Exchange trading floor, for decades the symbol of capitalism and of Manhattan's financial power, faces extinction within a year's time. Once the 213-year-old institution finally bows to market...

MARBLE WALLS, GOOD VIEW.(News)(forecasts about New York Stock Exchange Inc trading floor)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Opened in 1903, the 15,000-square-foot NYSE trading floor--with its huge marble walls and a 96-foot-long window facing Broad Street--could be a valuable piece of real estate. Because stock exchange floors offer such vast, wide-open spaces,...

MAKING UP THE SHORTFALL.(Education Report)(services of Educational Housing Services for students housing)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Educational Housing Services is central to the leasing equation for many colleges and universities. The Manhattan-based nonprofit manages five buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including the St. George and George Washington hotels. It has...

Executive Moves.(Business Lives)(appointments)
August 1, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Accounting & consulting Amper Politzner & Mattia: John Pennett, 42, joined as officer for the New York office of the Edison, N.J.-based firm. He had been a partner at Grant Thornton. Ernst & Young: Ron...

The Weeks Ahead.(seminars and workshops)(Queens Business Solutions Center seminar)(Pace University Small Business Development Center workshop)(National Association of Women Business Owners reception)(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli This week's events August 2 Queens Business Solutions Center holds seminar on marketing on a shoestring budget. 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., 168-46 Jamaica Ave., second floor, Jamaica, Queens. Free. (718)...

Harlem Grill taps local history; Serves neighborhood dishes along with new American; belted songs add to sound.(Business Lives)(Restaurant Review)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bob Lape A delicious addition to the new spirit of Harlem is the new Harlem Grill. Owner/operator Allen West and chef Tyson Jordan have transformed the former Wells' Chicken & Waffle eatery into a handsome, sophisticated...

Elaine's eyewitness tells all.(Viewpoint)(details about the case on Roman Polanski)
August 1, 2005... Byline: James Brady If you've been reading the times, Variety or the tabloids, you know by now that Roman Polanski won his libel suit against Vanity Fair. Briefly, the case involved what the magazine said happened at Elaine's restaurant in...

After split, AIG unit takes a walk; C.V. Starr signs sublease on Park Ave.; French linen maker arrives in NY.(C.v. starr split from American International Group Inc)(Yves Delorme opens new store)(Tous spanish company opens new store )
August 1, 2005... C.v. starr, a private arm of American International Group, is moving out of AIG's headquarters at 70 Pine St. as part of its separation from the embattled insurance giant. Maurice "Hank'' Greenberg is president of C.V. Starr, which owns...

Spitzer and reforming Albany.(Eliot spitzer )
August 1, 2005... Eliot spitzer's plan for capturing the governor's mansion next year is crystal clear. Drawing on his reputation as the crusading attorney general who cleaned up Wall Street, Mr. Spitzer will announce that he's the reformer who will shake up...

Pirro supporters forget DA's questionable connections.(Viewpoint)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Greg David Republicans are hoping that Jeanine Pirro, the Westchester district attorney known primarily for her pursuit of pedophiles trolling the Web, will save them from disaster next year. The party honchos want her to run...

The Insider.(Briefs)(seiu local 32bj service employees international union endorsements)(Department of Transportation contracts)(JCDecaux's street furniture contracts)(city council members Tony Avella and Michael McMahon passed bills)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Erik Engquist and Anne Michaud State lawmakers deciding who's master of domain Efforts to restrict New York's use of eminent domain are gathering support in Albany following the U.S. Supreme Court's broad interpretation of the...

DOWNTOWN'S HOT JOB; Mike aides eye Alliance post.(recruitment for the presidency of the Alliance )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... With Mayor Michael Bloomberg cruising to re-election, some administration higher-ups are already showing signs that they might not stick around for a second term. Sources say Rob Walsh, the city's Small Business Services commissioner, and...

Fashion fast-forward; Schooled in startups, an executive takes on launch of new ABS jeans line.(Monique Serena)(ABS Jeans by Allen Schwartz)
August 1, 2005... Byline: elisabeth butler Startups and turnarounds aren't for everyone. Monique Serena, however, relishes the challenge. The fashion maven has built her career by boosting the brands--and revenues--of trendy new clothing lines like JLO...

At Deadline.(Cingular Wireless L.L.C closing 10% of its retail stores)(Waldorf-Astoria Hotel opening coffee shop)(Juilliard School investment officer)
August 1, 2005... WCBS relaunches its web site on Tuesday, and has tapped assistant news director Phil O'Brien to run the redesigned site, which has a new address, WCBSTV.com. The site boasts improved video capabilities and reporter blogs and will provide...

Bridal war strategies; Couples foot wedding bills to gain control.(Business Lives)
August 1, 2005... Byline: tommy fernandez Like any good field commander, bride-to-be Joan Oniszko has learned to pick her battles. Her mother wanted a princess bride and envisioned Ms. Oniszko outfitted in an elaborate formal dress. She also insisted on...

Interpublic's shares set for a new spin; Ad giant expected to move into black; will report overdue financial results.(In the Markets)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Aaron Elstein If there was a company whose stock desperately needed a new marketing campaign, it would have to be Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. The past three years have been unrelentingly awful for the world's...

SEEKING INFO ON TOP NYC BUILDING SALES; costar deals.(New York City)(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
August 1, 2005... ***** Correction: In the Aug. 1 list of top office leases, the largest deal, at 7 W. 34th St., included 248,000 square feet that was also reported in the top deals of 2004. Without that component, the deal would rank No. 10 on the list,...

Hospitals expand despite cutbacks; Costly upgrades to boost patient revenue bring risk.(Health Care Report)(hospitals expand to install new medical equipment for better service)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Elizabeth Macbride ***** Correction: The operating margin of New York's hospitals is -1%. A July 18 chart misstated the figure. ***** albany has put hospital closures squarely on the table as part of the statewide...

Citi close to signing big lease in midtown; Would top ranks of recent transactions.(Citigroup Inc)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Julie Satow In what would be New York City's biggest office deal in 18 months, Citigroup Inc. is close to signing a lease for more than 500,000 square feet at 485 Lexington Ave., according to brokers familiar with the transaction....

A primer for ringing up big savings via Net phones; The technology offers more services for less money; a few bugs remain.(Small Business Report)(Voice over Internet Protocol)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Tina Traster Josh brooks, a partner in Fete, a Manhattan wedding planning firm, took a leap into the unknown two years ago when he signed up for a telephone system that does away with traditional phone lines, switches and--he...

Right recipe for Harlem; Soul food restaurant Amy Ruth's a solid hit; next step, expansion.(Carl Redding )
August 8, 2005... Byline: Tina Traster Even as a child, Carl Redding gravitated toward the kitchen. From the time he was 6, the Harlem native spent countless hours each summer in his grandmother's Alabama kitchen learning to fry catfish and master her...

What to do when stuck at an airport.(Business Lives)(Brief Article)(Column)
August 8, 2005... Byline: harriet baskas USAToday.com columnist and airport reviewer for Expedia.com always carry a survival kit with snacks, a book and a prepaid calling card in case your cell phone loses power. Check the airport for shops and restaurants...

With 1 hit, many heirs, News Corp. is a pass; Succession weighs on media giant's shares; foreign assets a strength.(The News Corporation Ltd)(Peter Chernin designated as successor of News Corp.)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Matthew Flamm News corp. has always had its fingers in so many media pies around the world that the company is difficult for investors to understand, much less love. The fact that its shares have gone nowhere in the past four years...

Editor to the rescue; Chief of Fast Company, Inc. must bring titles back from brink, instill entrepreneurial spirit.(Mansueto Ventures)(John Koten)
August 8, 2005... Byline: aaron elstein When john Koten was in college, he converted the student newspaper to a daily from a weekly. That feat helped him land a job at The Wall Street Journal without even graduating. He now faces a far more daunting...

Older men hear "Da Da"; Fatherhood alters cash flow, careers.(responsibilities of father)
August 8, 2005... Byline: gale scott When film industry consultant Roger Smith pulled baby photos out of his wallet at his 40th Harvard reunion, classmates rolled their eyes. " `Now, Roger,' '' he says one alumnus told him, " `we all have grandchildren.' ''...

Aeropostale loses altitude; Retailer's fashions too `last year' for fickle teens; Jimmy'Z concept might help.(Aeropostale Inc)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Elisabeth Butler high-flying Aeropostale has hit a wall with the fickle teens who made the fashion retailer a Wall Street darling. Last spring and summer, its oh-so-short shorts and cheerleader-style skirts flew off the racks,...

Flushing project aims to avoid gridlock; Parking concerns among residents; more banks coming to Staten Island.(Neighborhood Journal)
August 8, 2005... Developer kevin Hackett takes neighborhood parties and other community get-togethers very seriously. He attends as many as he can, because taking the pulse of local residents is critical to the success of his construction projects. But, oh...

Computers part of school program; Laptops for Upper W. Side, Harlem students.(In the Markets)(One-to-One in Ten program )(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Amanda Fung more than 1,000 sixth grade students on the Upper West Side and in Harlem will receive brand-new laptops under a program to be announced later this month by City Councilwoman Gale Brewer. The pilot program is funded...

DOWNLOADING DOLLARS.(News)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Though traditional album sales dropped 7.6% in the first half compared with the same period in 2004, the number of legal digital downloads jumped 190%, to 158 million songs. The growth in legal downloads is so strong that Nielsen SoundScan...

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
August 8, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli This Week's Events August 9 New York Society of Security Analysts holds lunch meeting on market forecasting. 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Harvard Club, 27 W. 44th St. Fee: $75 members, $105 nonmembers....

More callers cut the phone cord; Younger users switch in droves to wireless services; companies compete for market.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Amanda Fung Ayako Hirose and Caleb Droughn, after growing more and more indifferent over the past several years, decided recently that it was time to cut the cord. Not with one another. With Verizon Communications Inc. The...

Hot Jobs.(Business Lives)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
August 8, 2005... Byline: amanda fung WANTED: chief information officer JOB DESCRIPTION Ensure that the New York City Department of Finance uses technology to efficiently conduct business MOST IMPORTANT TASKS Provide and implement a tech strategy...

New York's Top Entrepreneurs.(Small Business Report)
August 8, 2005... The winners of Crain's 10th annual small business awards are a good microcosm of the city's thriving and incredibly diverse entrepreneurial economy. The winners hail from three boroughs and ply half a dozen different trades. All but one of the...

Quote.(Small Business Report)
August 8, 2005... "Amy Ruth's has become the epicenter of Harlem. It's where people meet after church and where politicos have a power breakfast.'' -State Assemblyman Keith Wright Page 17

Battle of the fittest; Rodale looks to trade on reputation in launching women's title.(Rodale Inc)(women's health titles face the competition)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Matthew Flamm women's fitness magazines are about to work themselves into a sweat. Women's Health, the distaff version of Men's Health, is jogging into the category--carton of soy milk in one hand and jar of Chanel moisturizer...

LIFE AT THE BAR HAS REWARDS.(decline in legal fees)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Investors may not be getting much out of class-action settlements, but they can take some comfort in knowing that lawyers are in the same boat. Thanks to officials like New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who pushed lawyers to cut...

Smart eats.(Business Lives)(Steven Shaw)(James Beard Award)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Steven Shaw, aka The Fat-Guy, is a former attorney turned James Beard Award-winning food writer, as well as executive director of eGullet.org. On his plate Author of about-to-be released Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out,...

Backwards & Forwards.(In the Markets)
August 8, 2005... Investors kicked dirt on Kenneth Cole Productions' shoes last week after the clothing company warned that revamping its product lines will slow earnings for the rest of the year. KCP forecast earnings of 48 cents to 52 cents per share for the...

City agency decamping downtown; Seaport sublet for comptroller; Minn. clothier adding 10 shops in the city.(Real Estate)(The office of Comptroller is negotiating to sublease the top five floors of Seaport Plaza to move out and give way for renovating the muncipal building)(Kuhlman Company Inc. plans to open ten more stores in New York)(Journeys and milliner Lids plans to open adjacent storefronts in Nashville)
August 8, 2005... The remaining parcel of 480,000 square feet of downtown space formerly occupied by Wachovia Securities is about to be snagged by the city. The office of Comptroller William Thompson is negotiating to sublease 130,000 square feet at 1...

Executive Moves.(Business Lives)(Scott Guasta promoted at Ernst & Young L.L.P.)(Allyn D. Strickland joins Huron Consulting Group)(Timothy Bird joins Hill and Knowlton Inc.)
August 8, 2005... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting Ernst & Young: Scott Guasta, 39, was promoted to partner. He had been a senior manager. Michael G. Halloran, 38, was promoted to partner. He had been a senior manager. ...

BIG APPLE'S BIG DEAL.(News)(United States Tennis Association pays rent )(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... New York City has a big stake in whether the USTA succeeds in drumming up more enthusiasm for tennis. The U.S. Open is the city's biggest sports event, with 40% of attendees coming from out of town. It generates about $400 million in direct...

Investors get left in the dust; Shareholders get mere pennies on the dollar while settlements soar.(Time Warner Inc)(Enron Corp)(cases of securities fraud)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Aaron Elstein shareholders set a stunning record last week, winning over $5 billion in class-action settlements in a single 24-hour span--equal to the most they have won in any year in its entirety. That gusher of cash, which...

AGAINST THE CURRENT.(Small Business Report)(Garrison Associates Inc. and Eudora)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Some firms have sampled Outlook's rivals and found them wanting. Manhattan-based Garrison Associates Inc., a 15-employee recruiting firm with revenues of less than $10 million, relied exclusively on Eudora until August 2004. Management...

Voting for or against NY's future.(Viewpoint)(only three people from the city's administration supported the Cafta trade agreement )
August 8, 2005... No city in the United States is more dependent on free trade than New York. But only three members of the city's congressional delegation were willing to support the recent Cafta trade agreement with Central American countries. One of the...

Once-happy family becomes grist for its own tabloids.(Viewpoint)(Lachlan Murdoch's resignation)
August 8, 2005... Byline: James Brady I have little to add about Lachlan Murdoch's stunning resignation as publisher of the New York Post and an apparent split with his father. But I can tell you something about what it was like when Rupert Murdoch and...

Giff Miller's desperation.(Viewpoint)(proposal to reduce class sizes in public schools)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Alair Townsend Desperate times call for desperate measures. For people seeking elected office, that often means shamelessly kowtowing to special interests. George Pataki has decided he'd rather be president or vice...

Building a brand among job seekers; Trio converts own experiences into media firm with a single purpose.(Small Business Report)(Vault inc.)(Mark Oldman)(Samer Hamadeh)(Hussam Hamadeh)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Cara S. Trager After completing one or two books, many writers choose to make a career of it. Successful authors Mark Oldman and Hussam and Samer Hamadeh (who are brothers) aimed higher: their own media company. Mark and Samer had...

Revving up computers; Childhood chums combine skills to power software success story.(DataSynapse Inc)(Jamie Bernardin and Peter Lee)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Cara S. Trager On the face of it, their timing seemed awful. In 2000, with tech stocks crashing and Wall Street reeling, Jamie Bernardin and Peter Lee elected to launch their technology company, one that focused on financial firms,...

Ace architect drafts big plans; Builds on airport design success to add residences, other facilities.(Small Business Report)(Robert St. C Gaskin)(RCGA ARCHITECTS)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Cara S. Trager Dreams can sometimes be fulfilled in strange ways. As a youth, Robert St. C Gaskin abandoned his plans to become an aviator only after his father insisted on something a bit more grounded--like architecture. ...

Forging sterling rep; Alloy maker offers more variety, better service to thrive in niche.(Small Business Report)(Belmont Metals Inc.'s focus on quality makes it known as the drugstore of the nonferrous industry)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Shira Boss-bicak In recent decades, a flood of cheap goods from abroad has driven thousands of New York-based manufacturers out of business. Some have managed to survive. Few, though, have done what Belmont Metals Inc. has done....

A head for fashion; Women's clothing boutique gains by navigating by the numbers.(Small Business Report)(Olive & Bette's Co.)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Shira Boss-bicak Stacey pecor still remembers tagging along with her mother, the owner of a small shoe store in Vermont, on her annual buying trips to New York. To the young girl, nothing seemed as glamorous as fashion. Today,...

U.N. eatery is a basket case; Effort to get into Delegates Dining Room unrewarded; food, service fall flat.(Business Lives)(Product/Service Evaluation)
August 8, 2005... A good thing about the lunch available to the public at the United Nations is that you don't pay tax on it. In fact, that's the only good thing. A recent visit reveals that what was once a wonderful sleeper of an attraction is now as...

The Insider.(Briefs)(trade with central American countries opposed)(presidential elections)(Jeanine Pirro loses voters support)
August 8, 2005... Byline: erik engquist and anne michaud Free trade Democrats take heat for votes Two new york Democrats who helped pass a treaty to expand trade with Central American countries are in the crosshairs of unions that opposed the pact. ...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Museum of African American Cinema)(Patrick Laurent opens new restaurant)(Wilshire Bancorp acquires Liberty Bank of New York)
August 8, 2005... The city Planning Department soon will file another challenge to the U.S. Census Bureau's estimate of the city population. Census and city officials had agreed on a number of 8.15 million as of July 2003, up from 8.05 million in the official...

LEGAL EAGLE: Big bucks for lawyer.(Briefs)(compaign finance system)(Laurence Laufer)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... If the city's campaign finance system could walk and talk, it might look a lot like Laurence Laufer. No one benefits more from it, either. As a young attorney with the New York City Law Department in 1988, Mr. Laufer helped write the law...

ipo market: RAISING STAKES.(News)(initial public offering)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Eleven new york area companies have filed plans to go public, three this week. Brokerage services provider Refco Inc. is aiming to raise the most: $525 million. Aircraft parts maker K&F Industries Holdings Inc. hopes to raise up to $324 million...

Hatching new hitmakers; Warner Music uses incubator system to nurture groups; going back to basics.(News)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Samantha Marshall in the 1970s, Asylum Records launched the careers of Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles. Last year, when Warner Music Group revived the legendary label, its executives promptly signed a rapper who performs a Texas...

USTA chief betting bundle on the Open; Branding effort aims at broadening sport's appeal.(News)(United States Tennis Association)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Lisa Fickenscher arlen kantarian took over the top job at the United States Tennis Association in 2000 with a mandate to expand the sport's appeal and convert casual fans into tennis junkies. One of the first things he did was...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction Notice)
August 8, 2005... In the Aug. 1 list of top office leases, the largest deal, at 7 W. 34th St., included 248,000 square feet that was also reported in the top deals of 2004. Without that component, the deal would rank No. 10 on the list, according to CoStar,...