Frank Scaffa, a Long Island native, was fascinated by Manhattan when he was growing up. "The skyline, the rich architecture, the hustle and bustle - it was incredibly alluring," he recalls. "Journeying into Manhattan was always an adventure."

Frank Scaffa

It seems appropriate, then, that today he works in the center of the city at 60 East 42nd Street, managing the building's day-to-day operations and capital improvement programs, and developing strong relationships with tenants.

He also loves 60 East 42nd Street. "The ornate finishes, the detail in the lobby, the retail arcade - these are not things you commonly see in today's high-rise office buildings. W&H has retained this traditional charm while implementing new operational systems and upgrade programs to make the building 'state-of-the-art'--a true Pre-War Trophy. This marriage of ideals is what makes 60 East 42nd Street a world-class property."

In addition, he enjoys the "unique mix of tenants," which represents such fields as accounting, law and brokerage along with publishing, philanthropy and technology, and he appreciates the "hands-on approach" of ownership. "It's rare to come across this level of dedication to a property," he points out.

Current projects Mr. Scaffa is managing include the further implementation of the office pre-built program, which saves prospective tenants the time and expense of renovation. His ongoing objectives are "continually to improve tenant relations and find new ways to raise the bar in operating and maintaining a Class-A property."

Mr. Scaffa is well prepared to meet these goals. Before joining the building staff in November, he served as assistant property manager at 245 Park Avenue, where he helped oversee some 650,000 square feet of tenant construction for a top-tier financial institution. Previously, he was employed by Trinity Church Real Estate in the financial district. During his tenure there, he worked closely with industry professionals, contractors, engineers and architects on new development projects and tenant build-outs.

In the fall, Mr. Scaffa will be starting a Master's program in real estate at New York University. He already holds a New York State Real Estate Broker's license, a professional certificate in real estate finance and investment from New York University, and a Real Property Administrator (RPA) designation from the Building Owners and Managers Association. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from SUNY Maritime College. During his four years there, he attended three summer sea-terms aboard the training ship Empire State VI, along with 600 classmates and professors, traveling to ports in Spain, Italy, Germany, England, Wales and the Caribbean.

Today, with the exception of his boating and surfing activities, most of Mr. Scaffa's adventures take place on land - on more than one million square feet of office space, to be exact. "When your responsibilities include more than 400 tenants and multiple upgrade projects in progress, you're guaranteed challenges," he says. "You're also guaranteed extremely rewarding experiences."