New York, NY Professional Women in Construction’s Developers’ Forum at Club 101 was a gathering of companies and individuals in the construction industry for the purpose of discussing recent development projects in the city.
The event was moderated by Donna Walcavage, principal at Stantec who has worked on the design and development of public spaces, such as streetscapes and waterfronts, throughout the city for many years. Many of her current projects are in the area of resiliency, such as the Shoreline Protection Plan in Tottenville, Staten Island and programs for those affected by Hurricane Sandy in Coney Island. Walcavage introduced each of the event’s four panelists, who presented on their own current development projects.
The panel consisted of Miriam Harris, executive vice president, Trinity Place Holdings Inc., Cecilia Kushner, senior vice president & head of development, NYCEDC; Toby Moskovits, CEO, Heritage Equity Partners; and Eileen Weingarten, senior vice president, Forest City Ratner.
Harris spoke of Trinity Place Holding Inc.’s project at 77 Greenwich St. in Manhattan, a 38-story tower containing 89 luxury apartments, all with river views. The building will include a public school in its base, along with a rooftop garden. Harris discussed the landmark approval process that took place for this site, while also emphasizing just how dramatically public and private investment can transform an area.
Kushner discussed “inclusive growth,” the idea that development can secure New York City’s place in the global economy while also benefitting all New Yorkers, creating opportunities for all. On the topic of resiliency and waterfront development, she asked the question, “how do we protect our neighborhoods by the sea, but at the same time still create opportunities for development?,” and said that as a growing city, every piece of land should be looked at as one of these opportunities.
Moskovits spoke of Heritage’s desire to create spaces that are inclusive to the city. The company is in the process of building Brooklyn’s first ground-up speculative commercial building in 40 years at 25 Kent Avenue in North Williamsburg. The building’s design aims to appear contemporary while respecting the architectural history of the area.
Weingarten cited some of Forest City Ratner’s recent large projects, including the Museum of Jewish Heritage, which was granted the first major building permit after 9/11, the Cornell NY Tech expansion to Roosevelt Island, and the Barclay’s Center. On the Barclay’s Center, she discussed the challenges that come with coordinating all of the agencies involved in demolition, extensive utility relocation, and construction of a project of this scale.
Questions for the panelists ranged from the operations of their own companies and their construction processes, to how speakers imagine the landscape of NYC will change within the next ten years.
In response to Walcavage’s question on current development trends in NYC, and how they are evolving, Kushner said that the city has more people and jobs than ever, which poses both opportunities and challenges. She spoke of a “housing pressure,” noting that development has been heavily focused on housing but must continue to pursue office and commercial developments as well, asking, “how do we diversify the economy of the city- and not just in Manhattan?” Harris agreed, saying, “We can’t focus on just one piece of the puzzle and expect the rest to fill in.” She added that the most important part of local infrastructure is schools and parks, as they turn individual developments into neighborhoods.
The panel finished with a discussion on how PWC can support these companies in their professional and women/minority goals, with Moskovits highlighting the event as a lucrative opportunity to meet people in the industry. She said, “Creating a culture of promoting women is crucial in this field.”
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