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Another Man's Treasure
If you lived in New York in the late ’80s, you’ll remember one of the unique things we shared as a community was “Sunday street shopping.” Not the kind of street shopping where vendors sold artwork, handmade jewelry and custom clothing...
Second (and third and fourth) Chances
The biggest growth moments in my life have come when I put myself in an uncomfortable position. Sometimes they worked out for the best, (like putting in a backpack and getting on a one way flight to America). Sometimes they didn’t. (Like...
Crown Jewels
Some of the most incredible real estate I’ve ever walked through couldn’t be seen from the street. Spaces high above the rafters at the very top of buildings that were built more than a century ago with no elevator access. One of my...
Stay in Your Lane
In 1997, I was new to real estate sales. I somehow managed to find a penthouse buyer who wanted to work with me. So we hit the streets of Tribeca and walked into 166 Duane Street - a new condo conversion. The penthouse was listed for...
Square Pegs
If you asked 100 real estate developers whether they would rather convert an office building into condos or build a new residential building on an empty piece of land, 99 of them would choose the empty site. I don’t have the data to prove...
The Wrong Aisle
I still remember the first time I walked into Tower Records on Broadway and East 4th Street in 1988. Three full floors of CDs and vinyl. Until then, the biggest music collection I’d ever seen was the small record shop on Rocky Street in...
What We Choose to Preserve
Imagine running a business where your costs increase almost 6% every year, but you’re prohibited from raising your prices. It wouldn’t take very long before that business stopped working. Last week, New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board...
3 Things To Do
Here are three things to do this summer: 1. Read this: Howard Hughes: Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness | McNally Jackson Books I knew very little about Howard Hughes before reading this book. What an unbelievable life. It’s hard to...
The Right Team
Every New Yorker has a Knicks story. I became a Knicks fan because I was trapped behind a bar. Thirty-seven years ago, bartending in Greenwich Village, I watched every Knicks game while I was working. I didn’t miss a game. Growing up in...
Get it in Writing
One of the main reasons I started CORE in 2005 was because of a handshake. And a broken promise. I was raised to believe that a handshake is as good as your word, and I still firmly believe that more than half a century later. I was...
Why Do You Ask?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my life came over lunch. About 15 years ago, a friend took me to lunch with Ian Schrager. A trailblazer, innovator, pioneer, and risk taker, Ian had transformed hotels, neighborhoods, and...
The Sound of Peace
Our world is loud. Our phones don’t stop ringing, dinging, or vibrating. Our apps’ algorithms are mathematically engineered to manipulate and capture our attention. The heads of companies sit on panels and shamelessly bait each other into...