Louise T. Blouin MacBain

Former Conde Nast editorial director James Truman has resigned his job as editorial director of Louise T. Blouin Macbain's media company.

He informed Ms. MacBain last week, in person, in London, that his resignation was effective immediately.

The debut issue of LTB Media's 'Culture and Travel' was recently celebrated at Ms. MacBain's Richard Meier penthouse.

Mr. Truman has said he has been talking to finance people and will launch his own media company.

"I came on board a year ago to help Louise out. I thought I'd done everything I could. The magazines' ad pages are up between 20 and 50 percent," Mr. Truman said this morning of his work at LTB Media.

"My interest was in moving on and setting up my own company. I was never going to do it long-term," he said. "The project interested me because I tried so long to get an art magazine at Conde Nast."

"I don't think there's much VC money that would want to back a conventional magazine," Mr. Truman said of his new plans. —Michael Calderone

In April 2004, gallery owner Barbara Gladstone signed a contract at Richard Meier's latest residential project, 165 Charles Street, as reported a few months later by New York magazine. Well, the deal finally closed earlier this month for $4.75 million, according to deed transfer records. (Ms. Gladstone is in Europe and could not be reached for comment.

After the success of Mr. Meier's two Perry Street condominiums, the 16-story glass and white metal tower under construction near the Hudson River has been watched closely in both real-estate and art world circles. The latter can be attributed to the sleek design, and possibly because the building included its own curator, Lehman Maupin Gallery. Larry Gagosian even dropped by a reception in one of the sample apartments, as Artforum reported.  read more »

Ms. Gladstone is not the first art world big shot to grab a pre-construction deal. Magazine publisher Louise T. Blouin MacBain reportedly signed a contract for the $20 million duplex penthouse. Incidentally, that's over $4,500 per square-foot. Formerly head of Phillips, de Pury and Company, Ms. MacBain owns industry standards, including Art & Auction, Modern Painters, and Gallery Guide.

-Michael Calderone