Decade Answers: David Lebenstein

David Lebenstein is a senior managing director at Cassidy Turley, New York, N.Y. What was one of your corporate or career highlights of the decade? My most memorable career experience of the decade happened very early in the decade when we (my late partner Arlene Wysong and I ) were able to play a critical role in creating the first new YMCA in Manhattan in 70 years.This was the McBurney YMCA which was built and opened on 14th St. in 2001-02 after a four-year torturous process to try to coordinate both the sale of the old Y on 23rd St., while solidifying the transaction to build the new Y. In addition to satisfying community and local residential concerns at the site regarding affordable housing for long-standing residents, the Y needed to keep continuously operating for its membership throughout the process. What are your predictions for commercial real estate in the new decade? I think the next decade will solidify the fact that the "west side from 14th St.-59th St.) is the hip, in area to be and the upper east side of Manhattan will be largely passé.