PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles S. Cohen, President/CEO of Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation, which owns and manages the Decoration & Design (D&D) Building, the preeminent resource center serving the design professional, announced today that, for the first time, the Stars of Design Awards will be held in New York City to honor the achievements of New York metropolitan area-based professionals. This Awards ceremony, an invitation- only black-tie dinner, will take place on the evening of October 10 at Charlie Palmer's Astra Cafe during the D&D Building's annual fall market. The Stars of Design Awards consist of eight categories and will be given to those individuals who have impacted and contributed to their area of design. The categories include: Architecture, Interior Design, Product Design, Art, Photography, Graphic Art, Landscape Design and Lifetime Achievement.

The jury, which will select the award winners, is comprised of six distinguished individuals who share a passion for and an appreciation of design. The jury members include:

Harry Benson, photographer: Mr. Benson is a well-known photojournalist who has photographed various influential figures from President Richard Nixon to first ladies such as Jackie Kennedy to celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson. Abrams recently published a book of his work, Harry Benson: Fifty Years in Pictures.

Joseph Giovannini, architect: Mr. Giovannini is both an architect and a writer about architecture and design. He has been an architecture critic for the New York Times, The New Yorker, The Los Angeles Times and International Design. He is currently a contributing editor for Architectural Digest.

Jamaica Kincaid, author: Ms. Kincaid began her career writing articles for Ingenue Magazine in the 60's before going on to become a regular contributor to the New Yorker magazine, writing for nearly twenty years (1976-1995). Currently, Kincaid is a visiting professor at Harvard University where she teaches creative writing. She is best known for her novels: Lucy, My Brother and The Autobiography of My Mother.

John Loring, design director: Mr. Loring has been with Tiffany's since 1979 as their Design Director. He has written 15 books on Tiffany jewelry, silver, entertaining and style. His latest book, is called Tiffany in Fashion: A Study of American Fashion and Fashion Photograph.

Juan Pablo Molyneux, interior designer: JP Molyneux Studio is best known for its European approach to design with overtones of neo-classicism. Clients range from Palm Beach to Park Avenue.

Thomas F. Schutte, president of Pratt Institute: Mr. Schutte began his extensive career in higher education as a teacher, administrator, and executive spans more than 30 years. His administrative duties began at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant dean, followed by two presidencies, first at the Philadelphia College of Art, and then serving for a decade at the Rhode Island School of Design. He was called to Pratt Institute's presidency from that position.

The Stars of Design Awards was initially established as part of the Pacific Design Center's WESTWEEK market in 1994. Since then, the Awards have made their way east following the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA) in Southern Florida, which recently added the Stars of Design Awards to WinterMarket program of events in 2007.

Mr. Cohen says, "We are so pleased to welcome the Stars of Design Awards to New York City. This region is so rich with innovative and distinctive design talent, and it is our privilege to host this prestigious awards ceremony at the D&D building during its most important to-the-trade fall market event."

About Charles S. Cohen

Visionary developer Charles S. Cohen is known for his brilliant repositioning of commercial real estate. Mr. Cohen heads a multi-faceted real estate development company that develops, owns and manages more than 12 million square feet of prime office and showroom space in Los Angeles, Manhattan, Florida and Houston, including several of New York City's most prestigious Class A office building addresses.

Decoration and Design Building

Known nationally and internationally as the world's most important home to over 120 showrooms, the D&D Building represents over 3000 leading manufacturers dedicated to offering the very best in residential and business interior furnishings, educational opportunities and resource information. Located in Midtown Manhattan, the D&D has a scenic 14th floor restaurant, events venue and conference center, ASTRA, with cuisine by Charlie Palmer.

  D&D Building
  979 3rd Avenue Suite 1400
  New York, New York 10022
  Phone: 
  Fax: 
  ddbuilding.com 

Source: Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation

CONTACT: Mary Loving, , or Maura Duggan, ,
both of Loving + Company, for Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation

Website: www.ddbuilding.com