Theresa Morzello

The area surrounding Macy's flagship location in the Penn Plaza district is widely recognized as one of the most vibrant and exciting in Manhattan, but for Theresa Morzello, 112 West 34th Street is the main attraction.

Ms. Morzello has served as the building's property manager since late 2006, when ownership added the building to the W&H Properties portfolio, installed Cushman & Wakefield as the leasing and managing agent, and finalized plans for an $80-million upgrade program that included a new lobby, renovated elevators and restrooms, renovated air-conditioned public corridors, upgraded building systems and a new modern, energy-efficient, sleek new glass curtain wall with operable windows.

The extensive scope of the program didn't faze Ms. Morzello. On the contrary, she welcomed the challenge. "Many property managers never get the opportunity during their career to be involved in major projects such as the re-cladding of the building, the installation of a new chiller or the implementation of a new building management system," she explains. "I've been able to experience all these projects - more or less simultaneously. It's exciting to be a part of a building that is experiencing such a dramatic transformation."

Fortunately, Ms. Morzello has had plenty of experience to draw upon in helping to make the transformation a success. Previously, she was the vice president of property management for Emigrant Savings Bank, serving as the property manager for the bank's 400,000-square-foot headquarters. Before that, she was the director of technical services at Genergy, following several years in the real estate investments division of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

Another factor that contributed to the transformation's success was the commitment and involvement of the landlord, notes Ms. Morzello. "W&H is a very hands-on owner," she explains. "Everyone on the ownership side involved with the property brings a different perspective and expertise to the table for both leasing and operations, along with priorities and best practices to follow. As a property manager, I love that they are willing to invest money in the property to create a premier, Trophy office building."

The upgrade program is only one facet of Ms. Morzello's role, which also entails supervising all aspects of building operations, including the development and implementation of the expense budget, managing contractors, serving as the point person for tenant services, and supporting leasing initiatives. It's a somewhat different career from what she envisioned when she graduated from Loyola College with a B.S. in Engineering Sciences and took a job with the New York Power Authority at the Indian Point 3 Nuclear Generating Facility, where she stayed for four years.

Today, Ms. Morzello enjoys a different kind of "dynamic environment" at 112 West 34th Street, as well as the camaraderie of her colleagues. "We have a great management and leasing team here, and excellent support from ownership and Cushman & Wakefield Corporate," she says. "And luckily, everyone on the team has a sense of humor, so we have been able to get a tremendous amount of work done and still find something to chuckle about at the end of the day."