Executive of the Month: Halpern, founder of JMH Development; Drawn to developments that are architecturally unique

Jason Halpern grew up visiting construction sites in Westchester County, tagging along with his father. As he grew, he began to attend a variety of meetings with construction trades, architects and even marketing teams. In high school, Halpern started taking summer jobs that ranged from laborer to property manager. His love of the business ultimately led to his establishing JMH Development, a residential real estate development company. Although he currently has several projects under development in New York and Miami, Halpern makes it a point to spend ample time to his young son and also to dedicate hours working with a couple of charities that are dear to his heart. Among Halpern's current projects is the development of a full-service hotel in Miami's South Beach, the creation of a collection of nine townhouses in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, and the oversight of the successfully completed $250 million development of 184 Kent, one of Williamsburg Brooklyn's most celebrated new rental properties. "I am especially drawn to developments that are architecturally unique," said Halpern. "I also like challenges, and I don't view challenges as a barrier of entry. Some of the most challenging developments can yield the most special properties, as was the case at 184 Kent, where the renovation of a 100 year old historic warehouse on the waterfront produced one of the most unique residential properties in New York City." Brooklyn's 184 Kent Ave. is located in Williamsburg on Kent Ave. and the East River waterfront at North Fourth St. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a "nationally significant building," 184 Kent Ave. was designed by master architect Cass Gilbert and built in 1913. 184 Kent Ave. originally served as headquarters for Austin, Nichols & Company, the maker of WildTurkey bourbon and other brands. After purchasing the property in 2008, Halpern led a comprehensive two-year renovation of 184 Kent, transforming the property into 338 apartments. JMH began leasing the building in the spring of 2010 and 184 Kent was fully leased in fewer than 12 months. The building has enjoyed high occupancy since lease up, and it set the standard for s/f pricing in the neighborhood, with rentals commanding more than $60 per s/f on average. This unique property was built with particular sensitivity to the context of the neighborhood, and was one of the pioneering developments that drove the continued growth of Williamsburg. In addition to its residential component, 184 Kent was developed with 17,000 s/f of street-level retail space with double-height, 25-foot ceilings. 184 Kent's commercial space is almost completely leased, which includes Soul Cycle. At 184 Kent, Halpern created residences with condominium level finishes without ever compromising the integrity of the original Cass Gilbert structure. In a nod to Brooklyn's rich cultural scene, Halpern commissioned the not-for-profit Brooklyn Arts Council to curate a double-height wall in the building's lobby. While the art rotated for over a year, Halpern fell in love with a piece by local artist AJ Bocchino. He bought it and it remains in 184 Kent's lobby. Halpern says that one of his proudest moments as a developer was when 184 Kent received a Building Brooklyn Award in the in the Adaptive Reuse category. "Respecting the community in which you develop is a guiding principal for me," said Halpern. "So it is especially gratifying when the community shows its appreciation like Brooklyn did for our development of 184 Kent." JMH continues to develop in Brooklyn. In nearby Cobble Hill, one of the borough's most sought after neighborhoods, Halpern has partnered with developer Gerard Longo to build a collection of nine townhouses. Four of the homes are being created from an existing structure and five are being developed ground-up. The Townhouses of Cobble Hill are being marketed as three, four and five-bedroom private residences. Each home includes wide plank oak floors, gas fireplaces, full laundry rooms, and chef kitchens with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances. Again Halpern paid close attention to the design and context of the property, selecting renowned architect Morris Adjmi for the project. The homes will have private yards in the rear and striking views of the East River. According to Halpern, the Townhouses of Cobble Hill are well timed with the buoyant Brooklyn residential sales market. The townhouses are currently being marketed, with pricing from $3.65 million to over $4 million. In Florida's South Beach, Halpern is developing a 239-key Starwood Aloft Hotel. In keeping with Halpern's love of preserving venerable architectural structures, this project involves the transformation of a classic mid-century hotel. Along with partner Mitchell Hochberg, Halpern will renovate the existing structure and also construct a new eight story structure on the property. Located at 2360 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach, the project will be one of the newest branded hotels in Miami Beach, combining the strengths of a limited service, internationally branded hotel with the boutique aesthetic and experience. The hotel is the first ground up hotel to be opened since 2009, and therefore is able to provide larger rooms than its competitors. While workload is significant, Halpern makes sure to allot time to other endeavors such as The Joel A. Halpern Trauma Center at Westchester Medical Center. A Level I Trauma Center that Halpern supports, this facility has the talent and facilities to allow for open-heart surgery, complex emergency neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery, and the reattachment of severed limbs. The center also cares for burn victims, individuals with multiple life-threatening internal injuries, pregnant women and children, among others. More recently Halpern has dedicated not only money but also his time to building houses for Habitat for Humanity. Halpern plans to continue his involvement and dedication to the charity with yearly service trips to build houses. When not focused on his properties in-development, Halpern is a devoted father to an eleven year old son. Halpern has long valued the fact that, as he matured, he was able to develop a hands-on understanding of the various aspects of real estate. "I'm lucky to have a son that, like me, likes to tag along with his dad to work on occasion. The exposure I had to development as a kid certainly helped me as I created my own company. If I can do the same thing for my son that'd be gratifying."