Name: Matthew Harding

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer

Company Name: Levin Management Corp.

What was the biggest lesson you learned while working during the pandemic?
Positive landlord/tenant relations always have been important, and the pandemic brought this dynamic into focus. As tenants worked to navigate an incredibly difficult environment, we considered everything on an individual basis, reviewing the distinctive needs and nature of each business. Likewise, we did the same with our landlord clients and their individual properties to help them best respond to tenant requests and operational needs. This customized approach has always been central for LMC; however, the practice has risen to a new level that we will sustain moving forward.

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2021?
LMC secured a nine-property, 840,000 s/f management assignment with a privately held ownership entity, marking the largest total number of properties we have taken on in one assignment throughout our decades-long history. This appointment, which included eight retail properties and one office asset, brought our third-party services portfolio to 120 properties totaling more than 16 million s/f. Making a management transition is a significant decision for any property owner; it also involves a great deal of trust. Gaining this new appointment–and on behalf of a first-time client–reflects LMC’s ability to deliver high-quality service in any economic climate.

What are your predictions for your industry in 2022?
Confidence among brick-and-mortar retail tenants drove strong leasing velocity through 2021 and shows no sign of abating in the new year. National brands and franchisees will continue to capitalize on opportunities to secure exceptionally good real estate at good pricing. Among independent retailers, new businesses will launch, expand operations or relocate to take advantage of space availabilities that came online during the pandemic. Within this context, open-air shopping centers are at an advantage–providing operational flexibility, accommodating tenants of all shapes and sizes, and lending themselves to reconfiguration and repositioning. This agility ensures the sector’s sustained appeal moving forward.