2021 Ones to Watch: Dominic Coluccio, Samanea New York

Name: Dominic Coluccio

Title: Chief Leasing & Development Officer

Company Name: Samanea New York

Real estate associations or organizations that you are currently a member of: The Real Estate Board of New York, The International Council of Shopping Centers, The Association for a Better Long Island

What recent project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?
Heading up the rebranding and reintroduction of Samanea New York, an iconic Long Island shopping destination, formerly known as “Fortunoff Mall at the Source” in Westbury, I’m most proud to be helping orchestrate the property’s ambitious expansion, working with the brokerage team at Colliers International’s Jericho office and my colleagues at Lesso Mall Development. Located along one of Long Island’s most-traveled retail corridors, in my role, I’ve overseen the property’s recent $30 million renovation, which was designed to repurpose the property into a lifestyle destination. I joined Samanea in 2019 when the 750,000 s/f property was mostly vacant. Two years later, amid a global pandemic and uncertain retail outlook, along with my team, I’ve worked to more than triple the property’s occupancy and help revitalize a once vacant mall into a preferred destination for several major name brands including Bloomingdale’s Rug & Furniture Outlet, the first anchor tenant to open at the property in almost 20 years. I’ve also signed with 99 Ranch Supermarket, Empire Adventure Park, and X-Golf, which are all first to the New York market, and enhanced relations with existing tenants such as The Cheesecake Factory, Dave & Buster’s, and Fortunoff Backyard Store as well as with the brokerage community.

What led you to your current profession?
After several years working in corporate and government, I found myself seeking an industry that utilized my business experience, but also allowed me to be creative and entrepreneurial. I thrive on working with people and developing and marketing businesses, so a friend recommended that I get a real estate license and explore the different facets of the industry. Although commercial real estate was my focus, I explored different layers of the business–residential, commercial, property management–and without any formal training and connections, over the years I found myself advancing and being recognized by my peers and brokerage firm as a commercial specialist and a consistently ranked top agent. Because I enjoy management and development, I wanted to focus on a specific portfolio to maximize the asset, so transitioned into corporate real estate. The natural progression was a result of commitment, focus, perseverance, and getting out of my comfort zone, but wouldn’t have been possible without being surrounded by positive and supportive people.

Top three things on your bucket list:
I enjoy challenging myself and taking risks, and so far have been fortunate to accomplish many so called buckets list items. To date, I have been to 21 countries on four continents, visited a few Wonders of the World, and rappelled from buildings to raise money for cancer. I’ve also gone skydiving (twice), freediving with sharks, and flew a single engine propeller plane. Each adventure has led me to learn more about myself, others, and the world. Though, now I find myself seeking to create more experiences with important people in my life. This includes taking more risks, learning how I can be a better person and professional, to motivate and help others succeed and accomplish their goals, and overall, to create genuine and authentic relationships–personally and professionally. And if anyone wants to go shark cage diving with Great Whites, we can add to the list.

Favorite quote:
Someone close to me said that I am “like water,” since I quickly adapt and navigate through any environment or circumstance. It is a strong survival skill that I have learned to acknowledge and use in every part of my life, especially during difficult situations, and has been extremely beneficial throughout my real estate career. So, it would be appropriate to share a quote by Bruce Lee: “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water.”