Episode 9 | Doug Steiner

Jersey-born real estate developer turned fully-immersed Brooklynite, Doug Steiner, meets with Ofer Cohen to share his story about developing Brooklyn, and the creation of Steiner Studios, the largest movie studio outside of Hollywood. The state-of-the-art film and television studio at the Brooklyn Navy Yard opened six months after Doug advocated for film tax credits in New York City and helped create a boom for production on the East Coast. In their conversation, Doug is thoughtful about his contributions, including the Hub, the tallest residential skyscraper in Downtown Brooklyn, which was a dream project of his father.

Episode 8 | Jonathan Butler

Ever since he moved to Brownstone Brooklyn in the early 2000s, Jonathan Butler’s entrepreneurial projects have fostered a unique Brooklyn brand, which has since spread to other cities. He’s the creator of some of the borough’s most transformative projects, including 1000 Dean, and co-founder of the Brooklyn Flea and the food market Smorgasburg. The blogger who started Brownstoner shares his story with Ofer Cohen as they reminisce about the early days of Brooklyn’s transformation. In their conversation, Jonathan talks about leaving Wall Street to become a Brooklyn blogger, his love for flea markets, and the unique energy of Brooklyn’s creative community.

Episode 7 | David Ehrenberg

David Ehrenberg is the President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In his conversation with Ofer Cohen, he shares his excitement about the Navy Yard’s mission and his experiences while managing some of the most complex and important revitalization projects in America.

Episode 6 | Jacqui Williams

On the sixth episode of Hey BK, Ofer Cohen catches up with Jacqui Williams, a real estate lobbyist working on some of Brooklyn’s biggest projects. Jacqui lets us into her remarkable life story – from some dark moments in her past, living homeless on the streets of New York City, to becoming a power player in some of the most important approvals of real estate projects across the city. This is a true New York come-back story at the forefront of Brooklyn’s renaissance.

Episode 5 | Regina Myer

Regina Myer is President of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, a local development corporation that is tasked with supporting Downtown Brooklyn’s emergence as a center for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, as well as a world-class cultural, education, residential destination. Regina moved to Brooklyn in 1991 and over the last two decades was instrumental in the growth and transformation of Brooklyn. She spearheaded the rezoning of neighborhoods like Greenpoint and Williamsburg, and led the development of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Tune in to hear Ofer Cohen and Regina discuss how her career has truly been a labor of love to the transformation of Brooklyn.

Episode 4 | David Belt

David Belt, Co-Founder and CEO of New Lab, speaks with Ofer Cohen about the path that led him to the aspirational real estate development work he is involved with, in the intersection of art, technology and architecture. From his early years touring with a punk rock band, through the idea of converting dumpsters into swimming pools, to creating the largest, advanced tech hub on the East Coast, David is a true example of how, and why, it is an inspiring time to be in Brooklyn.

Episode 3 | Toby Moskovits

Hey BK Host, Ofer Cohen, chats with Toby Moskovits, President of Heritage Equity Partners. Toby speaks about growing up in Brooklyn and how she was able to “beat the odds” to gain success and credibility in the commercial real estate industry. She also touches upon her interest in the Williamsburg and Bushwick markets, and what drives her to continue investing and developing in Brooklyn.

Episode 2 | MaryAnne Gilmartin

In 1986, MaryAnne Gilmartin graduated from university and was given an Urban Fellowship, an opportunity in NYC to experience public service before jumping into the private sector. It was here that Gilmartin realized her passion for real estate and development. From the age of 20, MaryAnne began to meet some of NYC’s most powerful developers, one being Bruce Ratner of Forest City Ratner NY. Gilmartin proved to be a force and visionary, eventually leading to her appointment as CEO of Forest City, all while being a full-time mom to two children. Shortly after this podcast recorded, MaryAnne announced her next big move, starting a company of her own, L&L MAG. Listen here to learn more about the leader behind some of NYC’s biggest development projects including the Barclays Center and Pacific Park.

Episode 1 | David Kramer

David Kramer, President of the Hudson Companies, speaks with Ofer Cohen about his path to becoming a developer in New York City and more specifically, Brooklyn. This conversation dives into how he got to Hudson Companies in 1995, to the diverse types of apartment buildings he’s been able to build, to running five New York City marathons while tossing a Nerf football. Tune in to hear why David moved back to NYC from L.A. to follow his dream, how his team celebrates office victories, where in Brooklyn he grew up and more.