Category: Spotlight Content

RunEnvelope is a New York City software company that produces architect-grade zoning studies for any lot in the five boroughs in minutes. Every legal development scenario is modeled, drawn floor by floor and cited to the Zoning Resolution, giving brokers, owners and developers the answer to the first question in any deal before they hire an architect. 

Ezra Sutton is an Associate at Meridian Capital Group, where he underwrites and places debt for multifamily, mixed-use, office and retail properties. Since joining in 2021, he has worked on more than $3 billion in financings, pairing rigorous credit analysis with a hands-on, client-first approach.

I see the biggest opportunity for innovation on Long Island as property conversion and redevelopment. There simply is not enough vacant land on Long Island for traditional new construction. There is, however, a large inventory of properties that were built for a different economic era.

For seven years, Phipps Houses and my team worked to remediate a brownfield site in Far Rockaway and help transform it into Rockaway Village, an affordable, 1,700-unit mixed-use housing development. Our project achieved Track 1 Unrestricted Use, New York State’s most stringent brownfield cleanup standard, which was a significant professional accomplishment for me.

Creative capital stacks and public-private partnerships that address the need for affordable housing and senior living. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act raises public welfare investment cap for banks from 15% to 20%, potentially unlocking capital for LIHTC projects and streamlining regulatory barriers. In New York, proposed legislation allowing multiple transfers of State LIHTC could improve liquidity

I think the biggest opportunity for innovation is streamlining how commercial real estate deals get done in both leasing and sales. There are still too many unnecessary steps that slow transactions down and favor larger institutional firms with more resources.

With 15+ years in commercial real estate, I’ve built a strong track record of executing transactions, closing over 100 deals annually, and cultivating lasting relationships throughout New York City’s retail market. As President of IPRG Retail Leasing, my focus is on translating that success into a growing

In two decades as an MAI appraiser and real estate attorney, the work I think about most is air rights. Nearly 20 years ago, I was involved in some of the largest air rights transfers across the five boroughs. I watched Red Hook, Gowanus and Long Island City transform into vibrant neighborhoods. Many parcels I appraised or worked on as an attorney now anchor high-rise towers, commercial hubs and public plazas.

>We recently resolved multifaceted litigation involving a sizable distribution facility in rural New York. Its PILOT agreement had begun to phase out, and the property taxes were set to quadruple. By meticulously analyzing market data and deploying a tailored negotiation strategy, we proudly secured an equitable, reduced property valuation for our client, yielding seven-figure tax savings and predictably stable taxes for years to come.

I think the biggest opportunity is in how the industry uses its own data. CRE generates enormous amounts of information, including leases, operating costs, foot traffic, energy usage, and tenant feedback, but much of it still sits in PDFs, spreadsheets, and disconnected systems.

One of the greatest opportunities is reimagining existing commercial properties to meet evolving business needs. Rising construction costs, longer development timelines and sustainability goals are driving more clients toward renovation and repositioning rather than new construction.

>I’m most proud of how our expanded use of drones is changing the way we plan and build complex projects. In preconstruction, we fly sites to develop logistics plans for individual projects and master plans.