Stephen Schwarzman: a Carved Legacy
Years from now, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman’s name will not only be remembered as one of the most prominent in the financial industry, it will be etched in the concrete edifices of a library. The former Beaux Arts building of the New York Public Library will be renamed the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in 2014 after the financial mogul gave a $100 million lead donation to benefit the modernization project of the historic New York landmark. The library caters to the intellectual needs of thousands of New Yorkers and was location for the movies Day After Tomorrow and Ghostbusters.
Schwarzman is enthusiastic about the ambitious $1 billion renovation project that he considers an “absolutely first-class, professional, practical strategic plan” to improve an important landmark of New York. The project will transform the Central Library into a wireless hub for borrowing and research, upgrade its circulation section with eight levels of stacks. It will also house a café and information building.
Stephen Schwarzman currently serves as one of the library’s trustees and is a long-time contributor to its various programs and efforts. As someone who has built his career and success in New York, Stephen Schwarzman is giving back to the city that remains as one of the intellectual and cultural beacons of the world.
