Real Estate and Development Power Players

Marc Holliday, Chairman and CEO
Marc Holliday has served as the CEO of SL Green Realty Corp. since 2004 and became the chairman of the Board in January 2019. He has been with the company since 1998, when he joined as chief investment officer. Holliday led SL Green through the historic opening of One Vanderbilt Avenue in 2020. He also co-founded a nonprofit foundation, Food1st Foundation, which responds to the impacts of COVID-19 and the city’s growing food crisis.

Andrew Mathias, President
Andrew Mathias serves as president of SL Green Realty Corp. and as a member of the company’s Board of Directors. He has been with the company since 1999, when he joined as a vice president. Among other notable recognitions, Mathias has been named to the Commercial Observer “Power 100” several times. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Regional Plan Association, which works to improve the prosperity of the tri-state region.

Martin Nussbaum, Principal
Martin Nussbaum is a co-founding principal of Slate Property Group. Martin has over 20 years of real estate investment, development, and operational experience throughout the United States. He oversees the strategic vision behind the company’s multiple business platforms, investment decisions, capital market relationships and execution of its portfolio. Throughout his career, he has acquired over $8 billion worth of real estate in all asset classes.

What is your favorite landmark in New York State?
I have always loved The Chrysler Building. Its impact on the NYC skyline was and still is transformative.

What has been your favorite development project and why?
51 Jay Street in Dumbo, Brooklyn. It was one of the most complicated construction projects we ever engaged in because of the complexities of the site and its landmark designation. The end product was thoughtfully done and respected the building’s history and the neighborhood’s gentrification.

What is the current state of commercial real estate in New York? What impact has the pandemic had?
I think the market has recovered well over the last 6-9 months and feels like it has gotten a shot of energy. The pandemic took a deep toll on the real estate market and New Yorkers’ mindset. But New York is a very resilient city and its residents are back in full swing.

How did you become interested in architecture, real estate, or construction?
I have always been fascinated by design and how the process of development works. To think that buildings built over 100 years ago are still some of the most architecturally significant monuments in NYC still amazes me.

What is your favorite place you’ve ever lived?
I loved living in the West Village. When I would come home after a long day of work, it felt like I had traveled to a small neighborhood in Europe. It has so much charm and character.

David Schwartz, Principal
David Schwartz is a co-founder and principal of Slate Property Group. He has over 17 years of experience buying, developing, and operating real estate across the United States. He currently runs all development and construction projects for Slate Property Group and shares responsibility for all acquisitions and investment decisions. Currently Slate is developing over $4 billion in real estate throughout New York City representing over 4,000 apartments. Prior to Slate Property Group, David co-founded two New York City-based development firms. He was responsible for the development of over 1,000 units throughout New York City representing over 750,000 square feet.

What is your favorite landmark in New York State?
Prospect Park – I spent so much of my childhood there with my father!

What has been your favorite development project and why?
924 Metropolitan Ave in East Williamsburg – it was the first development project I did as a principal back in 2005. I never learned so much from such a small development!

What is the current state of commercial real estate in New York? What impact has the pandemic had?
It’s tricky because things are still changing. Just when the market was recovering we had big interest rate increases. But the good news is that the New York City market is really strong and the demand to be here is as high as ever! So many people counted New York out but we never did!

How did you become interested in architecture, real estate, or construction?
I always loved real estate as a kid. I would ask my parents how much every house cost as we drove around Brooklyn when I was a child.

What is your favorite place you’ve ever lived?
Tribeca where I live now with my wife and 3 children.

Vince Soriero is the business development and corporate sales lead at PropertyShark, a top blog covering all aspects of the real estate industry. Mr. Soriero has been with PropertyShark for nearly a decade, helping lead the company to be named Tech Platform of the Year 2021 RED Awards. Mr. Soriero is licensed by the Long Island Board of Realtors as a member of the National Association of Realtors. He comes from a long lineage of real estate professionals, and is proud to be ushering the family legacy into the digital era.

Jim Speer is the chief executive officer of OneKeyMLS, a preeminent real estate listing service for New York State. Prior to joining OneKeyMLS, Mr. Speer was the senior vice president of operations at the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. He played a large role in the formation of OneKeyMLS as the merger between the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island and the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service. He has spent 30 years in the real estate industry, and was instrumental in the development of one of the first MLS consumer-facing websites, MLSLI.com.

Rob Speyer has led Tishman Speyer’s global expansion, doubling its assets under management to over $65 billion, delivering more than 50 million square feet of mixed-use development and redevelopment projects globally, and adding more than 13,000 units to its residential portfolio and development pipeline. Tishman Speyer serves the needs of nearly 1,800 industry-leading customers in 30 markets throughout the world. Speyer is co-chair of the Partnership for New York City and serves as chair of the Advisory Board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.

Fred Wilpon, Co-Founder, Chairman, and Senior Partner
Fred Wilpon is the co-founder, chairman, and senior partner at Sterling Equities, a diversified, family-run group of companies with prominent real estate holdings. Mr. Wilpon founded the company with Saul Katz in 1972. Since its origins in New York City, the company has grown to acquire properties in 43 states. Mr. Wilpon is also the chairman and CEO of the New York City Mets. He also helped to co-found the regional sports television network SportsNet in 2006, as well the Mets’ minor league affiliate team the Brooklyn Cyclones. A proud alumnus of the University of Michigan, Mr. Wilpon and his wife have a foundation at the university’s school of literature. 

Saul B. Katz, Co-Founder, President, and Senior Partner
Saul B. Katz is the co-founder, president, and senior partner at Sterling Equities. Mr. Katz helped to found the company in 1972 with his business partner Fred Wilpon. In his current role, Mr. Katz helps to oversee the real estate, consulting, and financial arms of his firm. Katz is also president of the New York Mets and its minor league affiliate team the Brooklyn Cyclones. Mr. Katz is on the board of trustees of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, and is the honorary governor of the Brooklyn College Foundation.

Leonard Boxer, Senior Counsel
Leonard Boxer helps real estate owners, developers and institutions navigate the complicated legal landscape of real property. His business acumen and skill with novel financing mechanisms have earned him a reputation for consummating complex real estate transactions. His extensive practice covers a full range of commercial and residential matters, including zoning, land use, governmental regulations, financing, ownership structures, cooperatives and condominiums, real property taxation and exemptions. Leonard has been recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 USA, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America for his work and contributions to the legal community.

What is your favorite landmark in New York State?
The new development at the World Trade Center in Manhattan is my favorite landmark. As the country’s tallest building, it honors the towers that stood before and has become a symbol of hope and resilience for New York City – which is just as relevant today as it was when it opened in 2014.

What has been your favorite project and why?
The original World Trade Center development. I helped Larry Silverstein acquire the long-term lease of the World Trade Center in 2001, a few months before they were destroyed by terrorism. It was a great accomplishment at the time and bittersweet now.

What is the current state of commercial real estate in New York? What impact has the pandemic had?
Commercial real estate in New York is recovering, albeit slowly due to Covid and restrictions on the utilization of office space. The market is starting to come back – slowly – but surely.

How did you become interested in architecture, real estate, or construction?
I’ve fostered an ever-growing fascination with the real estate field over the course of my entire career as a lawyer. My work has been focused on the real estate field — most prominently in the development of real estate. As a result, I’ve become very familiar with architecture, engineering, contracting, etc., in creating milestones of new buildings primarily in New York.

What is your favorite place you’ve ever lived?
My favorite place is the Island of Sardinia, off the coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a beautiful place with a number of architectural sites of interest, though many of the most ancient buildings remain as only the ruins of the original structures.

Ross Moskowitz, Partner
A strategic advisor to leading real estate development clients, Ross Moskowitz advises on land use, zoning, public-private partnerships, environmental, and tax issues. He also advises financial and professional service and media clients regarding strategic plans for multiple occupancies throughout New York City. One of the country’s leading real estate lawyers, Ross’ recognitions include Chambers USA, Best Lawyers, Law360’s MVPs, and Commercial Observer Leading Legals. In 2022, Ross was recognized in City & State’s Real Estate Power 100 and Fifty Over 50. He serves on Stroock’s Executive Committee and co-chairs its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.

What is your favorite landmark in New York State?
Many landmarks throughout the five boroughs speak to me, so it’s difficult to name just one. I awe at the beauty of the Chrysler Building and can spend hours admiring the interior of Grand Central. But Governor’s Island will always have a special place — I can see it from my office and each time I visit, I discover something new. It’s an extraordinary place, seamlessly blending historical and current uses alongside its public programs.

What has been your favorite development project and why?
I’m fortunate to have been involved with remarkable projects throughout my career, including Citi Field, Essex Crossing, World Trade Center, and Domino Sugar. One that stands out is my twenty-year representation of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in its multi-building development of the Alexandria Center for Life Sciences. Since I’ve been with the project from its inception, watching it grow and mature has been extremely gratifying — and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have witnessed that.

What is the current state of commercial real estate in New York? What impact has the pandemic had?
2022 is shaping up to be a solid year for owners and investors — the market is bullish, and many deals are getting done. The pandemic has prompted the industry to reimagine what the commercial market will look like in the future, in terms of size of office space, amenities and technology. These sweeping changes should lead to a more productive work experience — especially when it comes to hybrid work environments.

How did you become interested in architecture, real estate, or construction?
After graduating from law school, I worked with a solo real estate and land use practitioner. Though I had no prior experience, I made an immediate connection to the projects I worked on, in large part because I could actually “touch” them — whether on paper or by visiting a site. I believe a great deal of my success comes from that connection, and my passion for everything real estate has never wavered since.

What is your favorite place you’ve ever lived?
New York City is my clear favorite. After all, I’ve lived on the Upper West Side since graduating from law school in 1984. While attending college, I briefly lived in Washington D.C.—but I would rank it a distant second.