Who

The curmudgeonly, litigious Solow is one of the most prominent developers in New York City.

Backstory

The son of a Brooklyn bricklayer, Shelly dropped out of college and started working in real estate development, betting everything he had in 1972 with the construction of an office building at 9 West 57th Street. The now-iconic building made a splash for its curved glass facade (and the bright red statue of a "9" in front), and quickly became one of the more profitable buildings in Midtown. Solow's early success helped him establish one of the city's more formidable development firms: His portfolio now includes a collection of commercial and residential properties such as Sutton Place North, the Solow Tower on East 66th Street, One East River Place and Rivers Bend. And he still controls the very first building he constructed, 9 West 57th Street. Even after three decades, it continues to boasts some of the highest commercial rents in the city. Among the notables who work in the finance-heavy building: Henry Kravis, Glenn Dubin, Dan Och, and Leon Black, who sits in what was formerly the corner office of disgraced Tyco chief Dennis Kozlowski.

Of note

Provided he gets clearance from the city, Solow will soon begin building the second-largest development in Manhattan, a sprawling $4 billion mini-city on 9.8 acres of land along the East River from 35th to 41st Street. (He acquired the property from Con Edison in 1997.) Solow is planning seven glass office and residential skyscrapers ranging from 47 to 66 stories, a large public pavilion, and 4.8 acres of gardens and lawns; David Childs and Richard Meier are collaborating on the project's design. But more than a decade after Solow purchased the land, the city still hasn't approved the proposal, largely because of neighborhood residents' continued concerns about the height and number of the buildings.

Keeping score

Forbes estimated Solow's net worth at $2.0 billion in 2008.

Drama

Solow has the distinction of being one of the most litigious New Yorkers. Over the years, he's filed more than 200 suits against business associates, competitors, vendors—even friends. In 2004, Solow and Peter Kalikow ended up in a lawsuit after Solow took out an ad in the New York Post alleging (falsely, it turned out) that Kalikow was bankrupt, a move that sent creditors swarming. Why would Solow, who was reportedly one of Kalikow's closest friends, do such a thing? Apparently he was bitter that Kalikow had repaid a $7 million loan too quickly, denying Solow extra interest he'd been banking on. A judge later called Solow's Post stunt "tacky, shabby, base, low, malicious, petty, nasty, [and] unsavory." That didn't seem to deter Solow. Less than a year later, he went after another real estate firm, the Spartan Madison Corporation—until the judge dismissed his case, describing it as "absurd." ("Solow sets the gold standard for frivolous litigation," the opposing lawyer said outside the courtroom.) These days the undiscouraged Solow—who has been responsible for putting millions in the pockets of uber-lawyer David Boies—is in the middle of a suit against the insurance company Conseco. Solow is claiming the sales process whereby Harry Macklowe acquired the GM Building for $1.4 billion in 2003 was fraudulent.

For the record

Solow is a major art collector; some of the work he owns is on display at 9 West 57th Street. His collection includes paintings by Matisse, Balthus, Francis Bacon, and Franz Kline, as well as sculptures by Giacometti, Henry Moore, and Richard Serra. As part of a trust, Solow also has a stake in a number of rare works by Van Gogh, Botticelli, Miro, and Rodin.

Pet causes

Solow primarily donates to Jewish charities and art institutions. In 2007, he donated two floors of a New York City townhouse—valued at $2 million—to the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University. The space was renamed the Sheldon H. Solow Library & Study Center.

Personal

Shelly and his wife, Mia, live on East 72nd Street. They have two kids, including son Stefan, whom Solow's described as his "heir apparent." The Solows also have homes in Greenwich, Conn., Highland Park, Ill., and on Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton.