2025-Innovators in Commercial Real Estate-Remy Raisner of The Raisner Group

Impact Highlight: Describe a recent program, initiative, or process implemented by you and the impact on your firm, organization, or community. With my company I’ve led urban renewal in the formerly derelict areas of Bed Stuy, Bushwick and Prospect Lefferts Gardens since 2009. Our novel approach has proved that a long-term outlook can combine superior financial results with positive outcomes for local communities. To date, we’ve led over 70 state-of-the art investments.

Beyond Buildings: How do you see innovation in commercial real estate creating a broader impact on communities and the people who live and work in them? The most pressing part of innovation in real estate and urbanism is housing policy. There is an ever-exacerbating housing shortage in New York and nationwide. Positively, this is increasingly being dealt with, albeit step-by-step. The City Of Yes, the first overhaul of NYC’s zoning code since 1961, is a strong opening move.

Corporate Culture: How does your organization foster a culture of innovation among employees and leadership? The Raisner Group is a very flat, swift and gritty organization, always on focused on progress. It has stayed at the forefront of innovation. It undertook Bushwick’s first co-living project in 2019. In addition, the company has invested in 12 PropTech startups since as early as 2013, and has used many of them to lease its portfolio, particularly to lease and asset manage.

Innovative Outlook: Where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation in the commercial real estate sector? There is still lot of room for asset and property management software improvements, especially with middle-market properties. Human eyes are still quite needed when using those, especially to either fully understand certain P&L items and make sure bills are properly being computed, in particular with commercial leases that might have unique features and provisions.