2019 Ones to Watch: Charlie Howe, Brookfield Properties

Name: Charlie Howe 

Title: Senior Associate 

Company Name: Brookfield Properties

Address: 250 Vesey St., New York, NY 10281

Real estate organizations: BNEXT, Project Destined

What do you consider to be your greatest success in the past 12 months?
I have taken the lead on project managing Brookfield’s South Bronx development which is one of the largest private investments in the Bronx’s history. It’s also a milestone for Brookfield as we expand our multifamily portfolio. The project will add over 1,350 units of housing to the area (30% of which will be income-targeted), 20,000 s/f of retail and community space, and a beautifully designed public waterfront esplanade. It’s been exciting to be a part of every element that goes into a project of such magnitude. I’m fortunate to work with an awesome team which makes my life easier.

?What was your favorite thing to do when you were a kid?
Sports. I played every sport under the sun which helped mold my competitive spirit, leadership skills, and the ability to be a good team player. Sports instilled a sense of routine and passion that I was able to take with me to the professional real estate world; some being the most basic yet underrated principles of hardwork and perseverance. Shout out to my mama for driving me to practices my whole childhood, and my dad for coaching me through it all. 

What advice can you offer to someone who is just getting started in your industry?
Real estate is a bustling industry. It’s crucial to get exposure early and get your foot in the door. From there, it’s all about hard work and persistence. I not only learned this from experience, but by volunteering with the nonprofit Project Destined, which exposes students from underserved communities to the industry. Brookfield staff work with Bronx students on project management skills and financial literacy. It’s been an incredible experience to watch them learn and grow. Taking a step back to breathe–reading, staying active–is just as much a part of the process. 

Who are some leaders that you admire and why? ?
Ric Clark and Ben Brown. They run Brookfield’s real estate business in the Northeast which itself is a huge undertaking, and yet they always remain highly detail-oriented and approachable in their work. For someone like myself, who is still considered relatively new to the industry, their management style and the ways they incorporate everyone’s ideas and experiences is encouraging. Their experiences and convictions give our team a ton of confidence to go and execute on behalf of their vision.