While Ratner concentrates on strategic planning, the modular business and the upcoming Nassau Memorial Coliseum and Cornell NYC Tech projects, Gilmartin is more focused on running the business and growing its talent base.

B2 is the only project currently under construction. "One and a half buildings per year is a good pace," says Ratner.

Sanna, 57, a registered architect, has been with FCRC for 24 years. "Bob is the quiet guy behind the scenes," says Joseph Aliotta, managing principal of Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, which has worked for FCRC over 25 years, beginning with MetroTech.

Sanna is known for solving technical problems through innovation. "Construction cost is the biggest single piece of a pro forma, so if that is out of whack, it can easily topple the investment," he says.

For MetroTech, Sanna introduced brick-faced precast-concrete panels to the New York City market. For the Gehry tower's draped facade, ">FCRC used a traditional unitized curtain-wall system for the air-and-water barrier, with a rain screen for the folded shapes. Unitized systems are unusual for residential towers, especially rental ones, says Joseph A. Rechichi, an FCRC construction senior vice president.

FCRC also relies on research before moving forward. The B2 team spent four months developing modular and conventional designs. "It's rare for a developer to pony up money for research," says David Farnsworth, a principal structural engineer of Arup, B2's engineer.

FCRC has a reputation for being a tough-but-fair client that is collaborative, cost-driven, knows what it wants and doesn't suffer fools. "If asked, I would recommend them to a contractor," says Patrick Muldoon, a principal with owner's representative Gorton & Partners.

That is somewhat surprising. In an earlier role, Muldoon was AMEC's senior vice president in charge of the Times job. It was a thorny project for many reasons, including but not limited to complications from the bankruptcy of the steel fabricator (ENR 3/26/07 p. 28). FCRC is "tough, but that's not a bad thing," says Muldoon. "We settled on great terms."

When Don Banker, CEO of Banker Steel, first considered working for FCRC, he was warned off. A number of fabricators told him the developer was difficult to work for, didn't pay in a timely manner, didn't easily settle extras and claims and drove the contractor hard.

"I found them to be the opposite [on all counts]," he says. "Bruce asks my advice," he adds. "Our conversations are brief but pointed. It's not just that we like them—we're friends."

Banker is currently B2's steel contractor. The fabricator-erector also worked on Barclays and East River Plaza—the first big-box-store mall in Harlem, developed in a joint venture with Blumenfeld Development Group.