Lee & Associates NYC strengthens leasing team amid market rebound

 

 

 

 

Manhattan, NY Lee & Associates NYC has expanded its brokerage team with four new hires across retail, hospitality and office leasing, reinforcing its platform as deal activity gains traction.

 The additions — Haz Aliessa, Claude Kolb, Thomas Kazas and Elmo Coleman — deepen the firm’s bench strength across key asset classes and position it to capitalize on rising tenant demand and increased landlord advisory opportunities citywide.

“We’re seeing real traction in the market, and we’re hiring accordingly,” said Peter Braus, president of Lee & Associates NYC. “Haz, Claude, Bret, Thomas and Elmo expand our reach across retail, hospitality and office at a moment when experience matters. Their backgrounds allow us to advise both landlords and occupiers with the sophistication this market demands. We’ll have several additional new hires to announce soon.”

• Haz Aliessa joins as senior managing director with more than 13 years of commercial real estate experience, including roles at Pickens Real Estate and Tower Brokerage. A former hospitality operator who owned and managed restaurants and nightlife venues, Aliessa brings an owner’s perspective to his brokerage practice and will focus on hospitality-driven assets throughout New York City.

• Claude Kolb joins as senior managing director with over a decade of brokerage experience at Metropolitan Property Group and KSR. He specializes in retail listings, with a focus on the Upper East Side, and leverages more than 25 years of prior experience running a wholesale art business serving national retailers to advise landlords and tenants across Manhattan.

• Thomas Kazas joins as director, bringing a cross-disciplinary background advising brands across food, beverage, hospitality and consumer goods. He will focus on food and beverage real estate strategy, mixed-use projects and franchise expansion, helping operators align brand growth with strategic site selection.

• Elmo Enrico Coleman joins as an associate specializing in food and beverage tenant representation and landlord leasing. With experience spanning New York and Europe, Coleman brings an international perspective and strong ties within the restaurant community. He holds a Master of Arts from NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts and is a licensed New York State real estate salesperson.