When the Real Estate Board of New York talks, the politicians listen.
The oldest and most influential trade association in the city represents a who’s who of city landowners, building owners, real estate executives and service professionals. If you already own a piece city turf, want to invest in the capital of the world or do business with any of the owners, you make it your business to belong to REBNY.
Along with the owners, REBNY’s members include residential and commercial brokers and managers, financial service companies, title companies, lawyers, accountants, architects, bankers, utilities and even media companies like the New York Post.
The organization’s goals are to unite those interested in real estate and the welfare of the city and state by facilitating negotiations, maintaining the highest ethical standards, promoting fair laws and public improvements and creating a healthy economy that will thus generate jobs and equitable taxes.
While REBNY’s membership has grown to over 15,000 — up 2,000 in just the last year — only about 2,200 of them will fit into Thursday’s 118th Annual Banquet at the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel & Towers at 1335 Ave. of the Americas. Each of the coveted tickets costs $1,000.
While the younger and newer members cannot always afford the prized ducats, they still swarm the Hilton hallways and attend other hosted parties in black ties and fancy dresses. They all want to be seen and hope to bump into industry leaders to exchange business cards, which can lead to future dealings or even score an entry card for the main event, informally known as The Liar’s Ball.
REBNY members are intimately involved in crucial city matters including the formulation of tax policy, city planning and zoning, land-use policy, rental and conversion regulations and conditions, building codes and legislation. In addition, REBNY publishes several reports providing indicators of market pricing in residential, retail and commercial sectors.
Leonard Boxer, Silverstein Properties’ Larry Silverstein and Ross
Moskowitz, also of Strook, at the 2013 event.Mark Von Holden
The organization’s public residential website, NY1Residential.com, has brought a true portal and multiple listing service to the city’s residential brokerage community, catering to those from all over the world seeking to live, invest or park their dollars in the safest spot on the globe.
At Thursday’s dinner, REBNY will also honor a distinguished group of industry leaders who have had unprecedented success and demonstrated continued commitment to New York City and the industry. This year’s honorees are Joel Picket, Robert Fink, Stephen L. Green, Robin Abrams, Kenneth Fisher and Thomas L. Hill.
Chairman Rob Speyer — REBNY’s youngest chair and the third generation of his family to serve in that position — will preside for the second time over a lively and generally raucous event that could include new Mayor Bill de Blasio’s first appearance before the group.
There is also plenty of time for the members to meet and greet each other and various public officials. An earlier VIP cocktail party hosts the dais guests and includes REBNY’s board of governors, the evening’s honorees and often the governor, the mayor, various deputies, commissioners and staffers, a sprinkling of council members and, of course, other appointed and elected officials such as Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who all end up creating a security detail gridlock.
Longtime city-based family developers host the tables in the front of the room and every company has the same location each year — much like season tickets to the ball game.
This year, a new video will discuss sustainability, which is near and dear to the members as they have been leaders and investors in reducing the energy usage and the carbon footprints of their buildings.
REBNY President Steven Spinola will also continue his annual tradition of attempting to shush the crowd during the 20-minute award ceremony as most guests spend more time mingling than chowing down at their own tables and rarely pay attention to what goes on at the dais.
Previous chairmen have resorted to banging on cymbals to obtain order, but to no avail. Years ago, one newly elected governor walked out in a huff when the audience ignored his long-winded speech. Things won’t be any different Thursday.