2022 Industry Leaders: Steven Charno, Douglaston Development

Nominee’s Name & Job Title: Steven Charno, President

Nominee’s Company/Affiliation: Douglaston Development

Nominee’s City & State of Employment: New York, New York

Describe what you would consider to be ONE of your top career highlights:

Against all obstacles, including COVID, a difficult rezoning process and countless other hurdles, Douglaston Development recently announced the launch of leasing at 3Eleven in Manhattan. At close to a million s/f, 3Eleven is a 938-unit luxury rental, and includes 238 units of affordable housing and 60,000 s/f of indoor and outdoor amenities in one of Manhattan’s most exciting neighborhoods.

What advice would you give the next generation of leaders in your industry?

Don’t be intimidated or afraid of how difficult and risky it can be to enter an industry like real estate development in New York. It may seem overwhelming and hard to break into at first, but the barriers to entry can become a real asset once you figure out what you are doing. And the rewards of being able to create quality housing in New York City make all the hard work well worth it.

What was the most difficult experience you have encountered as a leader?

Amid a global pandemic, our team (Douglaston Development and its affiliates Levine Builders and Clinton Management) continued to work tirelessly to keep things moving on 3Eleven. We faced a myriad of challenges that we had not encountered before, from supply chain issues to labor shortages to challenges around worker safety, but we remained increasingly motivated to bring to market this highly anticipated project. We hope it will be a great asset to the neighborhood.

What is your management style?

Having worked in residential development in New York City for many years now, I really enjoy the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience through training and collaboration. Our organization is comprised of so many talented individuals with different strengths and backgrounds of experience that the element of collaboration is key to realizing our full potential as a company.