André Tomas Balazs (born January 31, 1957) is an American businessman and hotelier. He is president and chief executive officer of André Balazs Properties, a portfolio of hotels across the United States and residences in New York, especially in New York City.
Early life and education
Balazs was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father,
Endre Alexander Balazs, was a research professor at
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
, founded the Retina Foundation and the
Boston Biomedical Research Institute, and served as director of ophthalmic research at
Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
[ His mother, Eva K. Balazs, was a family therapist and psychologist at McLean Hospital. Also a musician, she later helped form the ''New New Orleans Jazz Band''.]
Balazs graduated from Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School, a private preparatory school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He later attended Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. Balazs also attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is located in Pulitzer Hall on the university's Morningside Heights campus in New York City. Founded in 1912 by Joseph Pulitzer, Columbia Journalism School is one of the oldest journalism sch ...
, where he earned a joint master's degree in journalism and business.
Career
In 1980, Balazs was hired by David Garth Associates to serve as press secretary to Bess Myerson
Bess Myerson (July 16, 1924 – December 14, 2014) was an American politician, model, and television actress who in 1945 became the first Jewish Miss America. Her achievement, in the aftermath of the Holocaust, was seen as an affirmation of th ...
, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from New York.
In 1988, Balazs co-founded the biotechnology company Biomatrix with his father. The company developed six hyaluronan
Hyaluronic acid (; abbreviated HA; conjugate acid, conjugate base hyaluronate), also called hyaluronan, is an anion#Anions and cations, anionic, Sulfation, nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan distributed widely throughout connective tissue, connective ...
products before being sold in 2000 to Genzyme
Genzyme (also known as Genzyme Transgenics Corp or GTC Biotherapeutics) was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. From its acquisition in 2011 to 2022 Genzyme operated as a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi. In 2010, ...
for an estimated $738 million.
Between 1988 and 1989, Balazs invested in projects including the Manhattan nightclub M.K. and the Los Angeles supper club b.c. In 1989, he purchased The Mercer Hotel property in SoHo
SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...
, a 100-year-old manufacturing loft. In 1990, he purchased and restored the Chateau Marmont, built in 1929 on Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...
, for just over $12 million.[ In 1997, he acquired and updated the Sunset Beach Hotel and Restaurant on Shelter Island.][ The following year, Balazs reopened the redeveloped Mercer Hotel and launched Mercer Kitchen.
In 1998, Balazs opened the first of five Standard hotels in West Hollywood. Additional locations followed in Downtown Los Angeles, Miami, and two in New York City. Balazs sold his interest in the real estate and management company in 2017.
Balazs emphasized culinary programs across his properties. Restaurants include the Standard Grill in New York; the Lido Restaurant and Bayside Grill at The Standard Spa, Miami and Sunset Beach; Bar Marmont and the terrace restaurant at Chateau Marmont, with Carolynn Spence; and the Standard Biergartens in New York and Downtown LA, with chef Kurt Gutenbrunner.
In 2007, Balazs began a rosé wine collaboration with Wölffer Estate Vineyard on Long Island.
In 2011, he launched a ]seaplane
A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...
service to the Hamptons from Manhattan.
In 2012, he established The Farm at Locusts-on-Hudson, located on the former Astor family estate in Hyde Park, New York, to grow organic produce for his restaurants.
Balazs owns the Chiltern Firehouse, a hotel in a former fire station in London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. He partnered with Studio KO on the design and remains actively involved in creative direction.
He has also developed residential projects, including 15 William, a condominium in New York City's Financial District
A financial district is usually a central area in a city where financial services firms such as banks, insurance companies, and other related finance corporations have their headquarters offices. In major cities, financial districts often host ...
.
In June 2021, Balazs sold his 4,200-square-foot, four-bedroom loft in SoHo's New Museum Building at 158 Mercer Street for $10.35 million. He had purchased the unit in 2003 for $5.75 million.
In 2023, Balazs partnered with experiential hospitality group Habitas to open its first U.S. location in Rhinebeck, New York
Rhinebeck is a village (New York), village in the Rhinebeck (town), New York, town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metr ...
. Purchased prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 30-room hotel features a restaurant and bar, swimmable pond, hiking and biking trails, and saunas. Room rates start at approximately $450 per night.
Boards and awards
In 1982, Balazs was recruited by Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
to serve as one of the founding trustees of the New York Academy of Art. He has served on the boards of the New York Public Theater and the Wolfsonian Museum, affiliated with Florida International University
Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...
.
In 2011, Balazs received the first Design Patron Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.
In 2014, he received British '' GQ'' magazine’s "Men of the Year" award in the entrepreneur category.
Personal life
Balazs married Katie Ford on November 16, 1985; they divorced in 2004. They have two daughters. He was engaged to actress Uma Thurman
Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 and May 1986 cover ...
from 2003 to 2007, and they resumed dating briefly from 2014 to 2015. He also had a relationship with comedian Chelsea Handler from 2011 to 2013.
His partner, Cosima Vesey, the daughter of Sita-Maria de Breffny and Thomas Vesey, 7th Viscount de Vesci, gave birth to their son on July 9, 2017.
In 2007, Christie's
Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...
announced that Balazs was the winning bidder for a 1951 example of Jean Prouvé
Jean Prouvé (; 8 April 1901 – 23 March 1984) was a French metal worker, self-taught architect and designer. Le Corbusier designated Prouvé a constructeur, blending architecture and engineering. Prouvé's main achievement was transferring m ...
's ''Maison Tropicale''. He reportedly paid $4.97 million for the house.
In 2017, ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported allegations that Balazs had "groped" Amanda Anka at a dinner in London hosted by him for Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux. Additional reports described a pattern of sexual misconduct dating back to at least the early 1990s. A statement issued by Anka and her husband, Jason Bateman
Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Michael Bluth in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox / Netflix sitcom ''Arrested Development'' (2003–2019) and Marty Byrde in the Netflix crime drama s ...
, said that "his actions were dealt with at the time."
Works
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References
Further reading
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balazs, Andre
1957 births
Living people
American hoteliers
American businesspeople in real estate
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni
Cornell University alumni
Hungarian emigrants to the United States
Businesspeople from Cambridge, Massachusetts
American chief executives of travel and tourism industry companies
Columbia Business School alumni