Ones To Watch: Innovators In Commercial Real Estate: Peter Lehrer, PML LLC

Innovation Highlight:
With the Statue of Liberty celebrating its 140th anniversary this year, I’m especially proud to have helped lead its landmark restoration for the 1986 centennial. Our team developed innovative solutions to unprecedented challenges, including a delicate cleaning process using crushed walnut shells and baking soda to protect the Statue’s copper surface. We also engineered a 250-foot scaffold that enclosed the Statue without touching its delicate exterior. The project demonstrated how innovation and craftsmanship can advance historic preservation.

Looking Ahead:
I believe the greatest opportunity lies in building and preserving with a long-term perspective. My experience restoring the Statue of Liberty, and later joining the Foundation’s Board, reinforced that preservation never truly ends. The best projects aren’t simply designed for the moment they open; they’re built to adapt and endure. Whether restoring a historic landmark or developing a new property, our responsibility is to create lasting value for generations to come.