Fireside Chat: Brooklyn’s Office Landscape With a Deep Dive Into 25 Kent

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  Chris Roth

  COO

  Global Holdings Management Group

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  Ryan Gessin

  Managing Director

  Newmark

Finding Brooklyn’s Next Emerging Development Neighborhoods

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  Bryan Kelly

  Bryan Kelly joined Gotham in 2016 as Executive Vice President, Development, where he leads the Gotham Development division, including oversight of the acquisition process, entitlements and approvals, design, deal structuring, capital raising, marketing strategy and stabilization and refinancing. Prior to Gotham, Bryan successfully led numerous development projects for Fisher Brothers, a private firm focused on investment, asset management and development for its real estate portfolio. As Project Executive, he oversaw more than $400,000,000 of development, including the condo conversion of 101 West 87th Street and the design and development of 225 East 39th Street, projects spanning luxury market rate homes, 80/20 affordability, amenities and retail spaces. Bryan began his career as an Originations Manager at First Sterling Financial, a privately held firm specializing in tax credit syndications, focusing on the origination, structuring and underwriting of tax credit investments to create or preserve affordable housing, followed by time as a Senior Project Manager with Atlantic Development Group, a leading NYC developer of affordable and mixed‐income housing. During his tenure with Atlantic, he oversaw the planning or financing of more than 1,000 new affordable homes for New Yorkers. Bryan holds a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, College at Rose Hill and pursued Graduate Studies in Economics at the Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Bryan was a five‐year scholarship athlete and member of the Fordham University Baseball Team. He is also currently a member of the Advisory Board for the New York Housing Conference.

  Gotham

  President, Development

  Bryan Kelly

  President, Development

  Gotham

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  Lindsay Greene

  Lindsay Greene is the President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC). As CEO, she oversees workforce development and the 300-acre waterfront- urban manufacturing campus, home to 550+ businesses supporting 13,000+ jobs. Contributing over $2.5 billion annually to New York City’s economy, Lindsay has led the organization in increasing jobs, attracting new advanced manufacturing tenants, and providing the hands-on training New Yorkers need to access today’s manufacturing jobs. Lindsay is the first Black woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve in the role. Prior to her tenure at BNYDC, Lindsay served as Chief Strategy Officer and EVP at NYCEDC, Chief Strategy Officer and Senior advisor to NYC Deputy Mayor’s Office for Economic Development and Housing. Lindsay also has worked at emerging organic / natural food companies and at Goldman Sachs. Lindsay holds a BA in Economics from Harvard and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. At the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Lindsay has expanded BNYDC’s innovative Yard Labs pilot program to serve more piloting companies and to include waterfront pilots and expanded outreach to MWBE startups. She oversaw the expansion of the Brooklyn STEAM Center high school (doubling the number of students served). She also launched BNYDC’s Industry Development Council (IDC) bringing together Yard-based business leaders, strategic partners, and key stakeholders to diversify New York City’s high growth, technical industries and expand opportunities for M/WBEs. Looking ahead, BNYDC has ambitious projects coming soon to expand workforce development, unlock new industrial space for businesses, and provide new opportunities for diverse entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

  Brooklyn Navy Yard

  President & CEO

  Lindsay Greene

  President & CEO

  Brooklyn Navy Yard

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  AJ Pires

  President

  Alloy Development

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  Andrew Barrocas

  Andrew Barrocas has enjoyed success as a dominant force and respected authority in the New York City real estate industry for many years. In his accomplished career, he has sold over $10-billion worth of property, and managed, trained, recruited and collaborated with the city's top agents and brokers. As CEO and Founder of MNS, Andrew currently oversees more than a billion dollars’ worth of real estate, as well as an exceptional team of talented agents and project managers focused on providing the utmost level of client service. Andrew entered the real estate field after graduating from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He went on to achieve instant success and recognition as one of the "Top 30 Brokers Under 30", according to The Real Deal. Over the years, Andrew has been a continually sought-after expert on real estate who has been featured in The New York Times' "The 30-Minute Interview", quoted in all major New York publications, and spotlighted on The Stoler Report. Since founding MNS in 2006, Andrew has grown the company substantially in terms of its revenue and its team, which is now over 125 people. He also serves his industry as a licensed teacher through the State of New York, passing on his knowledge and array of professional experience of real estate sales to real estate brokers and salespersons. Andrew is also an active member of The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), The Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), Young Jewish Professionals (YJP) and Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He and his wife Rachel are the proud parents of three beautiful girls – Cayden, Ella and Zoe.

  MNS

  CEO

  Andrew Barrocas

  CEO

  MNS

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  Shlomi Bagdadi

  Shlomi Bagdadi has proven his expertise in Tri State’s (NY, NJ, PA) commercial real estate with his creative eye and a keen understanding of the market. Mr. Bagdadi’s journey begins in Rishon Lezion, Israel where he studied Marketing and Business Management, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. As a student, he worked for Bank Hapoalim where he accumulated marketing and banking experience as one of the bank’s representatives, working to sign up clients for the bank’s multitude of services. From there he moved to join Bank Leumi’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, before finally landing in a wholesale company in New York City, thus joining the e-commerce workforce. All the while, Mr. Bagdadi managed a successful online sales business with his family and used the proceeds to invest in commercial real estate properties. The insight he gained on ownership and tenancy needs sparked his passion for real estate. Mr. Bagdadi has almost two decades worth of experience in Commercial Real Estate and established Tri State Commercial® Realty in 2014. With a team of skilled brokers and Mr. Bagdadi at the helm, the firm has consecutively received seven “CoStar Power Broker Top Firm Award ” for Four years in a row and also holds first place for closing the most deals in Brooklyn for three years consecutively, according to The Real Deal’s Brooklyn Retail Leasing charts. Mr. Bagdadi has also been nominated for Brownstoner’s RADD Award as one of Brooklyn’s top 50 industry leaders in commercial real estate, development, and architecture. Shlomi Bagdadi is also a member of the REBNY Brooklyn commercial board and Brooklyn Retail report committee.

  Tri State Commercial Realty

  Founder and President

  Shlomi Bagdadi

  Founder and President

  Tri State Commercial Realty

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  Mitch Korbey

  Mitch Korbey is a partner, and chair of Herrick’s Land Use & Zoning Group. Mitch is an accomplished urban planner and land use attorney with more than 30 years of experience in private practice and government service. Mitch is a former Commissioner of the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), a former director of the Department of City Planning's (DCP) Brooklyn office, and a former deputy director of DCP’s Staten Island office. Mitch has been recognized by Chambers USA as one of New York City’s leading zoning lawyers for the past seven years. He advises clients on a wide range of issues, including site acquisitions and assemblages, site development options, zoning lot mergers and development rights transfers, as well as applications for zoning variances, special permits and other discretionary approvals from the BSA, DCP, Department of Buildings, Landmarks Preservation Commission, and other agencies. Mitch also regularly counsels prominent developers, owners and lenders on the management of millions of square-feet of New York City real estate. In doing so, he navigates the complexities of the City’s byzantine zoning resolution – guiding clients to the most efficient intersection of their business goals and what the rules will allow. He also keeps clients abreast of political headwinds that could impact their properties or development plans. Mitch is an adjunct professor of law at Brooklyn Law School, and an adjunct with Hunter College's graduate program in urban planning.

  Herrick

  Partner

  Moderator

  Mitch Korbey

  Partner

  Herrick

Investment Outlook: Penciling Acquisition Deals & Developments

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  David Hochfelder

  As Chief Investment Officer atThe Naftali Group, David oversees the company’s acquisitions group and is responsible for the sourcing, structuring and execution of the firm’s investments. Previously, David was Director of Acquisitions at RFR Holding, where he was instrumental in executing more than $2.5 billion of property acquisitions and credit investments encompassing over 3.5 million square feet of assets across the office, residential, retail and hotel sectors. Prior to RFR David worked at The City Investment Fund, a real estate private equity fund, where he was responsible for underwriting and executing the fund’s acquisitions. David began his career at The Lightstone Group as a financial analyst supporting the firm’s nationwide property and credit investments. David graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Philosophy, and completed an MBA at Columbia Business School and an M.S. in Real Estate from New York University.

  Naftali Group

  CIO

  David Hochfelder

  CIO

  Naftali Group

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  Brandon Tajfel

  Managing Director

  Charney Companies

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  Andrew Dansker

  Andrew Dansker is the CEO and founder of Dansker Capital Group, a national mortgage brokerage firm with six U.S. offices and one international office. He oversees a team of 30 professionals originating commercial mortgage debt across all major asset types, with a particular focus on retail and multifamily properties. The firm primarily arranges bank and credit union financing while also executing agency, CMBS, life company, and bridge loan transactions as appropriate. Since its establishment as an independent company in 2020, Dansker Capital Group has placed well over $3 billion in commercial real estate loans nationwide. Andrew believes the middle-market debt marketplace is under-served by professional, high-quality national firms and sees a significant opportunity for an enterprising company to fill that gap. His leadership vision is to build an organization that delivers institutional-quality service, execution, and results to the national middle-market debt space. Andrew is a published industry commentator whose writing on the real estate lending market has appeared in The Commercial Observer, Real Estate Weekly, and New York Real Estate Journal. He is also a frequent industry speaker and contributor at conferences and events organized by Bisnow, GlobeSt, Interface, Commercial Observer, ConnectCRE, and other leading commercial real estate platforms. He has more than 15 years of experience in the real estate industry. Andrew earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

  Dansker Capital Group

  CEO

  Andrew Dansker

  CEO

  Dansker Capital Group

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  Sean Kelly

  Sean R. Kelly, Esq. holds the title of Partner at Ariel Property Advisors. In addition to originating and executing exclusive listing sales, he is responsible for leading business development and networking initiatives in Brooklyn, with a particular focus on Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Park Slope, Gowanus, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. Prior to joining Ariel Property Advisors, Mr. Kelly served as a Managing Director at CPEX Real Estate, where he led a team of dedicated sales professionals in selling and ground leasing development and conversion sites. In this role, Mr. Kelly managed all projects within his business line by maintaining client relationships, developing custom marketing campaigns, and leading the negotiation process. Since entering the New York City market, Mr. Kelly has successfully brokered more than 120 transactions, consisting of more than 6 million square feet with an aggregate value of over $800 million. His accomplishments earned him recognition as a CoStar “Power Broker,” and the Home Reporter and Brooklyn Spectator both named him a “Rising Star.” Mr. Kelly is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey. His professional affiliations and licenses include the following: New York Real Estate Associate Broker License, St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Association, St. John’s University Loughlin Society, University of South Carolina Alumni Association – President’s Club, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, New York County Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He received his Juris Doctorate from Saint John’s University School of Law, and his Bachelors of Science in Finance and Small Business Entrepreneurship from the University of South Carolina. He also worked as a journey-man Ironworker on 4 Times Square, 383 Madison Avenue, and several of the New York City bridges. Mr. Kelly currently resides in Staten Island, NY, with his wife and two daughters and can be reached at 212.544.9500 or via email at srkelly@arielpa.com

  Ariel Property Advisors

  Partner

  Sean Kelly

  Partner

  Ariel Property Advisors

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  Andrew Stoecker

  Andrew Stoecker is a Partner with the law firm of Windels Marx. He represents clients on an array of real estate transactions, including financing, acquisitions, sales, development, land use and redevelopment. He regularly assists lenders, purchasers, and sellers with navigating the process of acquiring real estate, construction and project financing, asset based financing, as well as industrial and housing development, and loan syndication. Andrew has substantial transactional experience representing financial institutions and major development companies, particularly in the healthcare and not-for-profit industries. Connect with Andrew at T: 212.237.1096, or E: astoecker@windelsmarx.com.

  Windels Marx

  Partner

  Moderator

  Andrew Stoecker

  Partner

  Windels Marx

Remarks From The Podium

Remarks From The Podium

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  Bill Caleo

  Bill is a Brooklyn-based real estate developer dedicated to responsible construction. He leads a full-service team spanning development, interior architecture, and home staging. With nearly 20 years of experience across residential, commercial, and hospitality projects, his work includes the award-winning Lake House on Canandaigua, the Star Suites at Barclays Center, and the second-highest residential townhome sale in Brooklyn’s history. Bill has prioritized passive house principles that create cleaner, more energy efficient spaces with a lighter carbon footprint. He is also the co-founder of The Jackson Home Company, a boutique residential development firm in Jackson, Wyoming, where he brings the same forward-thinking ethos. Bill lives in Bronxville, New York with his wife Megan and their four children.

  Brooklyn Home Company

  Real Estate Developer

  Bill Caleo

  Real Estate Developer

  Brooklyn Home Company