NY Observer > Steven Spinola http://www.observer.com/taxonomy/term/24618/feed Articles from Observer.com en To Mend or To End? http://www.observer.com/2008/mend-or-end

Among the cascade of bills likely to pass through the State Legislature as its session ends next week is a substantial reform to the city’s largest subsidy program for commercial property, a change worth hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that the Bloomberg administration is pushing relatively quietly.

But the planned reforms to the tax break, the Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program, represent a far more modest overhaul than the city itself recommended in a draft internal study last year, when it called for changes that would save hundreds of millions of dollars more than the alterations now being proposed.

City officials call their approach to the legislation, which would save an estimated $200 million over 10 years, “incremental.  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/mend-or-end#comments Real Estate Real Estate Board of New York Steven Spinola Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:34:45 -0400 Eliot Brown 70863 at http://www.observer.com Steven Spinola, the Industry’s Muscle http://www.observer.com/2008/steven-spinola-industry-s-muscle

Location: The Real Estate Board of New York launched in September ResidentialNYC.com, which it billed as ‘the first comprehensive Web site enabling homebuyers to link to thousands of exclusive home listings in New York City.’ How is it the most comprehensive?  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/steven-spinola-industry-s-muscle#comments Real Estate Steven Spinola Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:57:02 -0500 Tom Acitelli 63107 at http://www.observer.com REBNY [Hearts] Spitzer http://www.observer.com/2008/rebny-hearts-spitzer

We have a Q-and-A with longtime Real Estate Board of New York President Steven Spinola running in tomorrow's Observer. Among the many topics he discussed in his spacious Lexington Avenue office was the immensely powerful trade group's relationship with Albany as of late. Apparently, things with Governor Eliot Spitzer are particularly rosy:  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2008/rebny-hearts-spitzer#comments Real Estate Eliot Spitzer REBNY REAL ESTATE BOARD Steven Spinola Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:59:53 -0500 Tom Acitelli 63065 at http://www.observer.com Spinola: Beware Open House Drag Queen Burglars! http://www.observer.com/2007/spinola-says-beware-open-house-drag-queen-burglers

Manhattan real estate is a dangerous business. Steven Spinola, president of The Real Estate Board of New York, just sent out a wonderful email today alerting local brokers to a little problem involving lady thieves (who 'may actually be men dressed as women') who are being sought for open house robberies.

Here's the missive, in all its glory:

 

Dear Residential Member,

I wanted you to be aware of a recent problem relating to open houses.

Although this is rare and may be limited to one particular couple, there have been robberies by individuals pretending to be viewing the open house. The individuals have taken everything from jewelry to prescription drugs.

This particular couple may actually be men dressed as women. Be assured that the police are investigating and are making progress, but we all have a responsibility to keep our eyes open during such open houses.

Again, I believe that this is an extremely rare occurance but the more vigilant we are, the less these incidents will occur.

Sincerely,

Steven Spinola  read more »

]]> http://www.observer.com/2007/spinola-says-beware-open-house-drag-queen-burglers#comments Real Estate REBNY Steven Spinola Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:37:23 -0500 Max Abelson 60475 at http://www.observer.com REBNY Makes Nice With State Senate Democrats http://www.observer.com/node/35949 New York City developers are cozzying up to State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, a Queens Democrat, Crain's reports. The developers, long friendly with Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, are hedging their bets on Mr. Smith, who would control the Senate should Democrats reclaim the majority.

In March, a dozen leaders of the Real Estate Board of New York met with Senator Smith to talk about tax-exempt financing for rental buildings and the newly rejiggered 421-a tax abatement program for new developments.

"He was somewhat supportive of the issues," REBNY president Steven Spinola told Crain's. - Tom Acitelli]]> http://www.observer.com/node/35949#comments Real Estate Joseph Bruno New York City Steven Spinola Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:42:42 -0400 Observer Staff 35949 at http://www.observer.com Developers Scramble as Spitzer Caps Financing http://www.observer.com/node/36851 Real-estate developers like Tom Elghanayan and William Dickey once had a dream: buy up parcels on th  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/36851#comments Real Estate Housing Development Corporation Housing Finance Agency Priscilla Almodovar Steven Spinola Sun, 04 Mar 2007 19:00:00 -0500 Matthew Schuerman 36851 at http://www.observer.com REBNY Gala: Listen Fast, Mingle Like You Mean It http://www.observer.com/node/35620 koblin-3.JPG

Even Almighty God got the back of the hand.

On Thursday evening, the Real Estate Board of New York's annual awards gala assembled in a few thousand square feet of the Hilton in Midtown more money than anywhere else that night in the United States. But the crowd greeted the main event with the type of audience indifference usually reserved for the Golden Globes or a high school musical.

In theory, the night was an 111-year-old, black-tie excuse for the largest real estate trade group in the metro region to honor its own through a series of awards. And lots and lots of drinking.

Problem was, no one cared to listen, preferring instead to elevate mingling to an Olympic sport on amphetamines.

Steven Spinola, president of REBNY, gamely proferred introductions for the evening from a three-level dias crammed with luminaries--World Trade Center site leaseholder Larry Silverstein, SL Green head Stephen Green, Gotham Organization stalwart Joel Pickett, Related Companies CEO (and new REBNY Chairman) Steve Ross, State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, City Council members James Oddo, Melinda Katz, Leroy Comrie, City Comptroller Bill Thompson, Manhattan borough President Scott Stringer, office landlord Bill Rudin.

The abrupt belting of "God Bless America" did bring an awkward silence of forced respect as New York's propertied class rose to its drunken feet. But a decidedly--and deliberately--nondenominational prayer by Mr. Spinola failed to command even a slightly equal silence.

The mingling murmured onward unabated as the dinner got served: steak, fish if you wanted it, mixed vegetables, baked red potatoes, red and white wine, and Coors and Bud beers in bottles. (At a smaller reception before, minglers could snatch Amstel Light and Heineken, among every typical liquor mixture.)

There on the dias was Mary Anne Tighe, chairwoman of CB Richard Ellis, one of the largest commercial brokerages, trying to hand out one of REBNY's six awards of the Thursday evening. "Hello? Hello?!" she cried out, but no one listened.

Mr. Spinola returned quickly to the podium and announced the next guest speaker betwixt sharp "Shhhs!"

Eventually, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn appeared on the dias and spoke into the microphone: "Something-something-something. Thank you for making New York City as great as it is." (Mayor Bloomberg had stopped in toward the evening's slightly more sober start, and Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff, the Robert Moses of his age--only better liked--made the dutiful rounds at the earlier reception.)

The first booze-soaked after-party was hosted by investment-sales firm Massey Knakal, with reggae band Toots and the Maytals setting the tone to everyone's slightly jagged sway. (Newmark Knight Frank's Jimmy Kuhn's band did not play this year. Bummer.) If you stayed any later, you watched hundreds of glass-eyed brokers stumbling to the hotel's elevators or picking the wrong coat check over and over again.

Indeed, millions of dollars of deals were probably made last night, all of which were forgotten the second the attendees' heads hit their pillows in the wee small hours.

Mostly, REBNY's annual gala stood, again, a testament to what drives the deal-making that drives the New York City real estate market: connections. Making them. Rekindling them. Keeping them.

Mr. Spinola, sensing early on from the dias the lost cause of truly reaching the dozens of brimming white-clothed tables before him, noted the performance of every element of the city's property market in the year that just passed.

"It's a clear sign that 2007," he said, "for the industry, and for New York City, truly looks great."

- Tom Acitelli & John Koblin]]> http://www.observer.com/node/35620#comments Real Estate New York City Stephen Green Steven Spinola Tom Acitelli Fri, 19 Jan 2007 06:39:48 -0500 Observer Staff 35620 at http://www.observer.com Steve Ross In at REBNY, Zuccotti Out, Kalikow Nowhere http://www.observer.com/node/35344

Nice tie

What kind of titles are bestowed upon you when you're the Chairman and CEO of giant developer Related Companies? (They did the Time Warner Center, in case you weren't keeping score.)

For the answer, ask Mr. Stephen Ross--or read the third-to-last paragraph of a long Times article. Today, REBNY president Steven Spinola announced that Mr. Ross will spend the next two years as chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York. If he's in the spirit, maybe he'll give REBNY $100 million dollars.

On a sadder note: What will happen to poor Peter Kalikow? (He was supposed to take this job, after Governor-to-be Spitzer made it clear he wanted new blood in the MTA.)  read more »

The PR release is below. - Max Abelson ]]> http://www.observer.com/node/35344#comments Real Estate John Zuccotti New York City Stephen M. Ross Steven Spinola Fri, 10 Nov 2006 07:57:57 -0500 Observer Staff 35344 at http://www.observer.com Small Step for REBNY, "Giant Leap Forward" for Manhattan Home Buying http://www.observer.com/node/35297 Besides gambling and gossip and pornography, the Internet is best used for obsessive real estate searching. And early next year, obsessive real estate searching is going to get a lot more fun. The Real Estate Board of NY is launching an historic new Web site:
An historic new service that will provide the first comprehensive Web-based, user-friendly searchable database of residential properties in New York City.

What does that mean? According to PR guy Richard Mulieri: "You can put in, 'I want a one-bedroom on the Upper East Side.' And it will spit out a list of all the apartments that are available with those specific criteria." Nice.

In the grander scheme, the REBNY site will incorporate the listings (for purchase! and rental!) of its 300 member brokerages. So get excited for an estimated 10,000 descriptions of hardwood floors and heavenly light and towering ceilings.

The PR release is below.  read more »

- Max Abelson ]]> http://www.observer.com/node/35297#comments Real Estate New York New York City Steven Spinola Warburg Realty Partnership Ltd. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:15:00 -0500 Observer Staff 35297 at http://www.observer.com Bloomberg, the Sustainabiliter http://www.observer.com/node/35163 The Mayor's Sustainability Advisory Board, met for the first time today and the Blue Room for once had more newsmakers in it than news reporters--that is, if these people could be called newsmakers. People like Peggy Sheppard, the Executive and Co-Founder of the West Harlem Environmental Action Coalition, and Elizabeth Yeampierre, the Executive Director of a Sunset Park group called UPROSE, people who are not generally invited to take part in the inner workings of government.

All which makes one wonder, what is this thing anyway? What will it have to do with the Mayor's long-touted Strategic Plan that we are obsessing about these days? Why is the city's future being cast as a "sustainability" issue as opposed to a "livability" or an "economic viability" or a "logistical" issue? Who are the real powers in that room? And why was Steven Spinola, the president of the Real Estate Board of New York--one of the most powerful constituencies in the city as regards to the future--left off of the list when the panel was announced last week? Or was he added later? (A City Hall source said his name was left off inadvertently.)

-Matthew Schuerman]]> http://www.observer.com/node/35163#comments Real Estate Elizabeth Yeampierre Estate Board of New Steven Spinola Wed, 27 Sep 2006 13:28:07 -0400 Observer Staff 35163 at http://www.observer.com