Crescent Heights managing director Casey Klein is passionate about bringing keystone mixed-use and multifamily projects to major cities across the world. Casey is among those attending Bisnow's Ascent forum in November, which brings together industry leaders in a retreat to network and explore ideas.

Bisnow spoke to Casey about his company’s strategic vision and the Ten Thousand project in Los Angeles.

He began his career as a brokerage intern in college. Pretty soon, he started as a full-time “deal chaser” and analyst in Miami. “This was a ton of fun, since I had great exposure to senior partners who gave me a solid foundation to my career,” he says.

Casey has a deep appreciation for Crescent Heights’ legacy and an ambition to ensure it endures across the world. “We want to continue to develop curated mixed-use, design-driven projects in major markets,” he says. “We want to expand our model globally. London, for example, lacks true multifamily projects.”

Projects such as the Ten Thousand in Los Angeles embody the company’s philosophy of building interesting mixed-use, design-driven and locally authentic projects, he says. The amenity-rich luxury tower draws inspiration from 20th-century modernists to create a very LA style of residential living.

Crescent Heights is planning and executing similar projects in Boston, Seattle and Chicago. In each market, the company wants to draw inspiration from local history and style.

“We want to build quality product that endures cycles,” Casey says. “We may not see the increases that we’ve seen in recent years.”