90 Years and Building

NEW YORK — Richter+Ratner Contracting, a premiere builder of luxury stores around the world, celebrated its 90th year in business with a cocktail party at Hickey-Freeman on Fifth Avenue Oct. 29. Scores of executives from such brands as Burberry and Salvatore Ferragamo, as well as from retail design and consulting firms toasted Michael Ratner, president of the company, and his family. Aside from retail interiors, Richter+Ratner specializes in office and residential space and has built corporate headquarters for Chanel and Escada; residences for Bruce Springsteen and Norman Lear; showrooms for Rolls Royce and Knoll, and exhibitions for the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum.

"It’s overwhelming being in the same room with so many people that I like," Ratner said. "This business was started when Strom Thurmond was 10 years old."

"When you talk about Richter+Ratner, everybody immediately knows what you mean — delivering high quality and doing it on a demanding timetable and on budget," said industrial designer Louis Nelson, husband of singer Judy Collins. "To do things on time and on budget in New York City is very difficult."