Decade Answers: Ben Weisel

Ben Weisel is a president at Metro Pest Control, Queens, N.Y. What was one of your corporate or career highlights of the decade? My most memorable experience of the decade was to purchase our building, a 21000 square foot commercial property in Glendale Queens with 14,000 s/f of parking. We now feel anchored, no longer concerned with negotiating new leases every five years. We are also very pleased with the sizable savings in real estate taxes and appreciation. What are your predictions for commercial real estate in the new decade? There is a great need for housing and I predict an increase in moderate/low income housing (both new construction and renovation of existing structures) in the inner cities. Many of these areas have available vacant warehouses and factories, existing utilities and transportation and a large labor pool -- all of the ingredients needed to create a vibrant working class community. We need to spend on social plans that will enable low-income individuals to live with dignity.