Philip F. McGovern Jr.
Managing Partner
Connell Foley

Philip F. McGovern Jr. is the Managing Partner of Connell Foley and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. From initiating the firm’s initial key expansion into Jersey City 15 years ago to a vision for continued growth in New Jersey and New York, Phil applies a keen business sense in identifying opportunities — both for Connell Foley as well as for his clients. A savvy transactional attorney, he concentrates primarily on commercial real estate and corporate transactions, real estate development, land use, complex commercial financing and commercial leasing.

Phil currently serves as national real estate counsel to Telcordia Technologies and outside real estate counsel to New Jersey Natural Gas Company. He is also general corporate counsel to numerous mid-cap companies in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where he works on entity formation, financing, contractual negotiation, acquisitions/dispositions and succession planning.

During the course of his career, Phil has assisted several large organizations in significant development projects across the United States. Among these, he represented Mack-Cali, Inc. in the assemblage, joint venture and ultimate development of its most significant residential real estate project in Jersey City, and he advised the United Parcel Company in connection with the acquisition and development of its worldwide communications facility in Mahwah, New Jersey. He also advised Merrill Lynch & Co. in the restructuring of mixed use residential/commercial developments in Charlestown, Massachusetts; Alexandria, Virginia; and Waco, Texas.

Phil also represented the Shell Oil Company in the negotiation and disposition of over 350 service stations throughout the tri-state area. He has participated in New Jersey State and other municipal financings totaling more than several billion dollars in value and has negotiated leases on behalf of landlords and tenants for commercial structures in excess of 3,000,000 square feet.

Steven Michael Fulop was elected the 49th Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey.

During his time as Mayor, Steve has shown what smart, progressive leadership can accomplish – and opened a new chapter for Jersey City.

Under his leadership, Jersey City became the first city in the state – and the 6th city in the country – to ensure paid sick leave. Steve has pioneered new ideas for helping prisoners re-enter society; he’s passed legislation to protect small businesses; encouraged more to open shop; made Jersey City one of the greenest towns in the nation. He’s undertaken sweeping public safety reform; the JCPD is now seen as a model for diversity around the nation. And he’s led the city to record economic development that’s benefited families of all income levels. All without raising taxes.

Steve is a first-generation American, a lifelong New Jerseyan, a Marine, and a triathlete. He grew up in a Jewish family in Edison, New Jersey, the son of Romanian immigrants. His mother was the daughter of Holocaust survivors and worked in an immigration services office helping others gain citizenship. His father owned a delicatessen nearby in Newark, where Steve worked behind the counter as a teenager.

Steve graduated from Binghamton University in 1999 and spent time abroad studying at Oxford University in the UK. After college, he joined Goldman Sachs, the investment banking firm, working in Chicago and later in Manhattan and Jersey City.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Steve was working in lower Manhattan when he saw the first plane strike the Twin Towers. A few weeks later, he decided to put his career at Goldman Sachs on hold and join the United States Marine Corps.

Steve’s Reserve Unit deployed to Iraq in January 2003. There, Steve served as part of the 6th Engineer Support Battalion. He traveled into Baghdad during the early weeks of the war.

In 2006, Steve completed his service to the Marine Corps Reserve with the rank of Corporal.

After his service in Iraq, Steve returned to Goldman Sachs, leaving in early 2006 to take a position at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. That year, he also completed both his Masters in Business Administration at the New York University Stern School of Business and his Masters in Public Administration at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.

Steve first tried his hand at politics, running for Congress in 2004. He lost.

But the next year, Steve ran for the Jersey City Council, and the result was different. He served as a councilman for eight years before becoming Mayor.

Steve is an avid runner and triathlete. He ran the NYC Marathon in 2012, raising money for the Hudson County Child Abuse Prevention Center. He also competed in the Ironman Championship in NYC that year to raise money for veterans. Steve’s completed his latest – though not last – Ironman triathlon in September 2014.

Constantino T. “Gus Milano
President & COO
Hartz Mountain Industries

Hartz owns and manages a diversified real estate portfolio including first-class corporate offices, hotels, mulit-family developments, retail centers and data centers. The portfolio includes approximately 235 properties comprising over 38 million square feet and a 225 acre land bank primarily in New Jersey and New York with prime locations in Northern New Jersey. Rcent acquisitions have expanded the footprint nationally to Baltimore, Charlotte, Atlanta, Chicago, Austin and Seattle.

Timothy J. Lizura
President & Chief Operating Officer

Timothy Lizura serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA).

Mr. Lizura joined the EDA in 1996 as part of the Authority’s real estate development team. He held various leadership roles, eventually assuming the position of Senior Vice President of Finance and Development, managing the Authority’s business practices and financing activities. Mr. Lizura became President and COO in 2012.

For the EDA, Mr. Lizura has served as a member of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority and as a designee to the South Jersey Transportation Authority. In addition, he served as the interim Executive Director for the Fort Monmouth Economic Redevelopment Authority during its formation in 2010. He is currently a Board Member of NJ NAIOP and on the Advisory Board for Rutgers Business School.

In 2006, Mr. Lizura took a two-year stint at the Port Authority of NY & NJ, where he served as Director of the World Trade Center Redevelopment Department, overseeing all redevelopment activities for the commercial interests of the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan.

Mr. Lizura also previously spent four years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) during one of the most turbulent periods in banking history. His responsibilities ranged from leading bank seizure teams to overseeing loan portfolio sales.

Mr. Lizura has served as the Chair of the New Jersey Biotechnology & Life Sciences Coalition, and was named in 2006 as one of NJBIZ Magazine’s “40 Under 40,” an award which honors men and women who have made headlines in their field and share a commitment to business growth, professional excellence and the community.

Mr. Lizura obtained a B.A. from Rutgers University, with a major in Economics and minor in Accounting. He also earned his M.B.A from the Rutgers Graduate School of Management.

The NJ EDA has helped businesses and development thrive in Jersey City and across New Jersey.

Mr. Pasternak has a 30 year history as a real estate investor, and is currently the Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of The KABR Group, a value-added and opportunistic private equity real estate firm. Since 2008, Mr. Pasternak has identified 80 real estate investments, and raised over $175 million in equity from accredited investors for KABR.

In 1995, Mr. Pasternak founded Knight Capital Group (KCG), a global financial services firm that is responsible for the execution of equity transactions and institutional sales and trading. Mr. Pasternak served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman for seven years. In 1998, KCG completed its Initial Public Offering. In 1999, KCG completed one of the largest follow on offerings, and then in 2000 completed a $1 billion acquisition of Arbitrade. Under his leadership, Knight Capital Group’s market capitalization exceeded $5 billion. Mr. Pasternak was awarded the national Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young for these accomplishments in 1999. He began his career in 1979 at Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, now a part of Goldman Sachs, rising to become the head of NASDAQ trading. Throughout his career, he has served on the boards of numerous publicly traded and private institutions.

Peter Porraro
Executive Managing Director, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic
Mill Creek Residential

Peter serves as Executive Managing Director, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic with overall responsibility for development and construction in Mill Creek’s Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Regions, including Washington, DC, Boston and the greater New York City metropolitan area. Prior to this role, Peter served as Senior Managing Director for Mill Creek, responsible for development and construction activities from Philadelphia to Boston.

From 2003 to 2010, Peter served as the Senior Managing Director for Trammell Crow Residential for the New Jersey and Pennsylvania region. Prior to joining Trammell Crow he was the Director of Acquisitions and Equity Investments for Real Estate Capital Partners (RECP). In this role, he oversaw the joint venture equity investments for apartment developments nationwide and was responsible for the new acquisitions of apartment and industrial properties. Prior to joining RECP, Peter was a Partner and Chief Financial Officer for a family-run construction company.

Peter received a B.A. in Political Science from Drew University and earned a M.S. in Real Estate Finance and Investment from New York University. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, National Multi Housing Council, and is a licensed New Jersey Realtor.

Annisia Cialone
Director of Planning
City of Jersey City

Annisia Cialone serves as the Director of the Division of City Planning for The City of Jersey City.

Prior to joining Jersey City in March of 2017 she was a Senior Associate at Perkins Eastman and Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut and Kuhn Architects(EE&K). She has expertise in the management and design of large-scale urban design and strategic master planning projects for both public and private clients. Her experience includes large-scale mixed-use projects, transit oriented development, waterfront developments, higher education and cultural institutions. As program manager for Together North Jersey’s Local Demonstration Project Program she oversaw and managed a program of 18 Strategic Planning Projects.

Rounding out her professional experience, Ms. Cialone has taught both architectural and urban design for summer programs at Amherst and Harvard Universities, served as a design critic at many universities including Columbia, City College, NYIT, and Parsons, and led Urban Design Workshops in both NYC and Jersey City Public Schools. Annisia holds degrees from The Cooper Union and Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

Andrew Marshall
President & Chief Operating Officer
Roseland Residential Trust

Andrew Marshall is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations of Roseland Residential Trust and oversees all of Roseland’s multi-family and mixed-use development activities from Boston to Washington D.C. Mr. Marshall began his career with Roseland Property Company in 2003 as Vice President Development and has developed over 5,000 residential units with another 2,500 units currently in production. Prior to joining Roseland, Mr. Marshall was a senior manager for Ernst & Young’s Real Estate Advisory Services group where he specialized in enhancing operational efficiencies for various large developers around the country. He was a licensed architect and practiced architecture for various California-based firms prior to joining Ernst & Young.

His current professional affiliations include being a public member of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority and a member of the Advisory Committee for the Exchange Place Special Improvement District in Jersey City. Mr. Marshall is also a named executive officer of Mack-Cali, the parent company of Roseland. Mr. Marshall holds a B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.

Jeremy Kaplan
Chief Operating Officer
KRE Group

Jeremy Kaplan is KRE Group’s Chief Operating Officer and has primary executive responsibility for the company’s day to day activities, and focuses on its acquisition, financing, and development efforts. In this capacity, Mr. Kaplan oversees a team of more than 75 professionals and portfolio of more than 9,000 rental apartments and 6,000,000 square feet of commercial property. Prior to joining KRE Group in 2008, Mr. Kaplan was a Senior Manager at Barr Laboratories where he managed all international cost-cutting and synergy initiatives.

Mr. Kaplan received his B.A. in Economics and Politics from Brandeis University and his M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business. He serves on the Board of Directors of several nonprofit organizations including Yamba Malawi and Liberty Health.

Joseph A. Panepinto, Jr. is President of Panepinto Global Partners, a U.S. company engaged in international real estate development and investment since 2007. Mr. Panepinto is also principal of Panepinto Properties responsible for asset management of his family’s U.S. real estate holdings, with a particular focus on finance and development. He is also an attorney licensed to practice law in New Jersey.

Prior to joining the family business in a full‐time capacity in 2003, Mr. Panepinto worked at Cushman & Wakefield as a Senior Financial Analyst in a consulting capacity involving the various real estate transactions based in the company’s world headquarters in New York City. Among his charitable activities, Mr. Panepinto serves the board of trustees of the Jersey City Medical Center, the local non‐profit hospital in his hometown, and the board trustee of the Jersey City Free Public Library Foundation, a non‐profit group financially supporting the numerous public libraries throughout the city. He is also a member of the prestigious Columbus Citizens Foundation, a charitable organization that provides financial assistance to underprivileged children in their academic pursuits and each year organizes the Columbus Day Parade in New York City. Lastly, he is a member of the buildings and grounds committee for his local church.

Mr. Panepinto received a Bachelor of Arts in economics from George Washington University in 1997 and a Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University, School of Law in 2000 where he was a recipient of multiple merit scholarships. He has been a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association since 2000. His last academic experience included continuing education courses in real estate finance and accounting at New York University in 2003.

Sue Henderson, Ph.D.
President
New Jersey City University

Dr. Henderson began her tenure as president of New Jersey City University (NJCU) in 2012. In just three years, she has made dramatic strides in advancing the mission of the University on behalf of its diverse student population. Dr. Henderson created a robust fundraising program, and increased philanthropic giving significantly. Dr. Henderson spearheaded more than $400 million in construction projects, including a new School of Business facility, science building, new and renovated residence halls, and public-private partnerships to vitalize the community.

Under her leadership, Dr. Henderson implemented a new General Education program and a range of student success initiatives. She created zero-based budgeting and integrated planning to ensure efficiency within the context of a rapidly growing city and region.

Dr. Henderson is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Commission on Education of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Vice Chair of the Society for College and University Planning’s Board of Directors, and Chair of the Committee on International Education of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. At the state level, she serves on the Task Force on the Alignment of Higher Education Programs and Workforce Development, and co-chairs the Hudson County Alliance for Action and the Hudson County Vicinage Advisory Committee on Minority Concerns.

Dr. Henderson holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Georgia, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in math education from Georgia State University. Dr. Henderson has received numerous awards for her work as an educator and administrator.

New Jersey City University

NJCU School of Business
A spectacular new 70,000 s.f. facility on the Jersey City Waterfront at Harborside Plaza 2, boasts cutting edge technology and magnificent views of lower Manhattan and the new One World Trade Center.

University Place at NJCU
$400 million plan comprises retail, residential and commercial projects that will generate new ratables for Jersey City, a University residence hall to accommodate more residential students, a new Center for Music, Dance and Theater, outdoor performance space and a future rubber-tire trolley along West Side Avenue connecting the community to the nearby Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Station.

Philip Gesue
Chief Development Officer
Strategic Capital

Phillip Gesue is the managing principal of PERE Holdings. In this capacity, Mr. Gesue has oversight of all of the firm’s real estate investment activities including acquisitions, financing, design, construction, sales, and marketing. Mr. Gesue has a diverse background in real estate development, acquisitions and finance. Over the past 25 years he has managed the acquisition and development of over 8 million square feet of real estate projects throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Mr. Gesue’s experience includes Chief Development Officer for Strategic Capital, the U.S. based subsidiary of CSCEC, the Beijing-based real estate and construction giant. Mr. Gesue also held roles as Chief Development Officer for The Witkoff Group in New York and Head of Global Real Estate for Belmond Hotels formerly Orient Express Hotels (NYSE: Bel), a publicly traded luxury hotel company where he was a company officer. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gesue was a Director of Acquisitions and Development for Time Equities, Inc, a New York-based real estate investor-developer and also managed the acquisition and development of over 2,000 high-rise residential properties across the Unites States for Crescent Heights, Inc.

He received his master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture and holds dual bachelors degrees in Business administration and Economics from the University of Pittsburgh.

Abe Naparstek is a Senior Vice President in the Residential Group of Forest City Enterprises. In that capacity he manages potential and ongoing residential opportunities for the company in the Northeast. Abe is the lead developer on a number of complex mixed-use projects, including a ground-up development and an adaptive re-use project utilizing state and federal historic tax credits.

Prior to this position, Abe worked in the Commercial Group of Forest City Enterprises. In that role he managed a capital construction project in Pittsburgh, PA, utilizing a state capital grant. Prior to his work at Forest City, Abe was the Assistant County Manager of Allegheny County. In that capacity, he worked on a number of policy initiatives for the County with a primary focus and responsibility in economic development and government relations. Abe was the primary interface with the County’s eight regional government entities and helped implement Tax Increment Funding packages for development projects that totaled over $250 million. Abe also represented the County Executive at County Council and with the state legislative delegation.

Abe is a member of the Coro National Board of Governors, a national leadership training organization with offices throughout the country. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester and received a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a proud Clevelander who currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with his wife Anne and two children.

Frank Cretella
President
Landmark Developers

Frank Cretella
Owner, Co-Founder & Principal
Landmark Hospitality
Landmark Venues

Creators & Operators of Unique Places for Life’s Memorable Moments

Frank Cretella has over three decades of construction and development experience in the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania urban markets, with completed projects ranging from restaurant, catering and hotel facilities, to mixed use transit village projects. Frank’s urban development firm, Landmark Developers, is the designated real estate developer of the 5-block revitalization of the North Avenue Historic District in Plainfield, NJ. There he has built or renovated over 18 properties, most of which are Historic Landmarks. He was also the joint developer and contractor on a 96-unit affordable SRO project along with the Hoboken YMCA; developed a 50-unit senior affordable housing project in Jersey City, NJ; developed and operates Senior Spirt of Jersey City, a senior medical day care facility, and most recently in partnership with Iron State Development building a 308-residential unit mixed use project by a rail stop in Jersey City, NJ.

Frank established Landmark Developers, a boutique real estate development company and its in-house construction firm, Black Dog Construction, enabling him to control all facets of his development projects. Landmark Developers is widely known for transforming historical or underutilized properties in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania into uniquely modern residential complexes, vibrant retail, office spaces, and prestigious hospitality venues. Landmark envisions these properties at their full potential and with precise planning and hands-on design expertise, brings these structures to realization; thus, helping to revive neighborhoods into pedestrian-friendly, environmentally-conscious, and amenity-rich communities with parks, restaurants, and public transportation.

Additionally, Frank and his wife, Jeanne, operate Landmark Hospitality, which owns and operates distinctive hospitality venues. Such venues include the Liberty House Restaurant inside Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ; Stone House at Stirling Ridge, Warren, NJ; The Ryland Inn, Whitehouse Station, NJ; The Logan Inn, New Hope, PA; Hotel Du Village, New Hope, PA; Crave Caterers, an off-premise catering division and Landmark Destination Weddings. Currently Landmark employs over 700 and offers a platform for growth for all their team members. Plans for 2018 include the expansion of the famed Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, NJ into a 70,500-sq. ft. restaurant, catering, hotel, conference center; the North River House, a full-service restaurant, event space, rooftop café within the waterfront Port Liberte’ Condominium complex in Jersey City; the restoration of the Historic South Orange Village Hall (1894) into a premier 15,000 sq. ft. sophisticated Tavern/Restaurant concept with beer garden; opening an Italian Restaurant and event concept on Main Street in Ridgewood, NJ; and a 33,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Historic Logan Inn in New Hope, PA. Also in New Hope Frank is developing Nurture Spa, a 10,000 sq. ft. spa in a historic waterfront property, and a 100-unit live work space that includes a ground floor Regus shared work space outpost. Past hospitality operations that the Cretella’s owned and operated through TAM Restaurants, Inc., include some of New York’s most prestigious restaurants: Park View at the Boathouse inside Central Park, NY; American Park Restaurant, Manhattan, NY; and Lundy Brothers Restaurant in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY.

Frank primarily focuses on strategic planning, marketing/brand recognition, construction and renovations for Landmark Hospitality. Recently, Frank has led the expansions of Stone House Restaurant with the addition of a second event space and the Ryland Inn to include a second event space from renovated barns which also incorporates overnight guest rooms. Frank also headed the development of a proprietary software for Landmark’s Corporate Call Center which handles all inbound reservations for the hospitality venues.

Frank and Jeanne have always believed in working towards the betterment of the communities in which they do business. With this said, Landmark’s Corporate giving program, H.U.G. (Help Us Give) was established back in 2002 and is dedicated to helping those charitable causes that positively impact the quality of life in the communities in which they do business. H.U.G. hosts numerous community events, while aiding local organizations on an ongoing basis. Organizations such as Women’s Rising, York Street Project, the 200 Club and The Boys and Girls Club name just a few that have benefited from H.U.G. In house community events are also sponsored by H.U.G. and include an annual Snowflake Awards Contest, Spring Egg Hunt and Movies in the Park. H.U.G.’s efforts have been recognized by American Express and the National Restaurant Association, and Liberty House was awarded the Good Neighbor Award for New Jersey, as well as the Governor’s Tourism Diamond Award.

Frank’s passion, business savvy, high energy, willingness to take risks, and persistent pursuit of his goals has not only contributed to his success but has created the kind of company that attracts the many talented and dedicated professionals who now work for Landmark Developers, Landmark Hospitality, and Black Dog Construction. His core principles are “Live with Integrity, Develop a Winning Strategy, Build a Great Management Team, Inspire Employees and Create a Flexible Organization”; this mantra has proven invaluable to building successful and diversified businesses.

Liberty House Restaurant – 76 Audrey Zapp Dr.

Multifamily Development – 100 Monitor St.

North River House (Hospitality Venue) – 2 Chapel Ave.

Kinsey Sale
Executive Director
Multifamily Sector
J.P.Morgan Asset Management – Global Real Assets

Kinsey is an asset manager in J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Real Estate Americas multifamily group. An employee of J.P. Morgan since 2006, she is currently responsible for managing a portfolio of properties in the NY metro area. Prior to joining the Real Estate Americas group, she was a research analyst at GVA Williams. Kinsey holds a B.A. in urban studies from Stanford University as well as a M.S. in real estate investment and development from New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. She is a member of the Urban Land Institute.

Jay Valgora
Founder & Principal
STUDIO V Architecture

Jay Valgora’s Manhattan based practice, STUDIO V Architecture, is dedicated to the reinvention of the contemporary city. The Studio addresses the groundbreaking event that more people live in cities than rural areas since 2010 through creating a new architecture of sustainable communities, transformative waterfront designs, public spaces networks, transportation infrastructure infill, contemporary structures, and progressive adaptive reuse in the tri-state area.

STUDIO V has designed an extraordinary range of projects advancing these issues. The Studio’s work encompasses reimagining New York City and Jersey City’s waterfronts and edges. Major designs include projects in Journal Square, the Morris Canal Basin, Newport, Astoria, and Dumbo.

Mr. Valgora has over 25 years of experience in multiple disciplines including architecture, urban design, and interior design. Prior to opening his own firm, Mr. Valgora oversaw worldwide design for the international firm WalkerGroup designing award winning projects, was a founding member and Design Director of Rockwell Group where he designed many of their most well know projects.

Mr. Valgora earned his Master of Architecture from Harvard, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University. He was a Fulbright Fellow to the United Kingdom for architecture and urban design. Mr. Valgora has received a number of awards including the National American Institute of Architects Award, The Business Week Design Award, the interiors Award, the Architectural Record Award, among others. He has been published in numerous publications including The New York Times, Wall St. Journal, New York Post, Daily News, New York Magazine, Crain’s New York, Architect’s Newspaper, Fast Company, and Architectural Record.

Mr. Valgora was born and raised in Buffalo where he was first inspired by the bold forms and massive scale of the grain elevators and the Bethlehem steel mills where his father worked. He has lived in London, Boston, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington DC; however, he considers these famous urban centers just practice for his eventual embrace of New York City where he lives with his wife and their two sons.

For this mixed-use development in the heart of Journal Square, For the transit oriented site, Mr. Valgora and the project team are designing 950,000 SF of residential space with a new public promenade including 5,000 SF of exhibition space and a 100-seat black box theater. In addition to adding density, the project seeks to contribute to the cultural landscape of the Journal Square neighborhood by promoting uses to create a cultural corridor between the adjacent Loew’s Theater, a Jersey City landmark, and the Mana Contemporary Arts Center.Crescent Park – Jersey City, NJ

On the last brownfield site in Jersey City, STUDIO V is working with a high-profile landscape firm to design a new residential development and green network. The buildings’ gestural forms and significant landscape component act as a transition between Jersey City and Liberty State Park by pulling extensive public parks into the urban fabric. Mr. Valgora and the project team are overseeing the multidisciplinary effort to remediate a heavily polluted, former industrial site into a new vibrant community.Marin Avenue – Jersey City, NJ

In the heart of Jersey City, Studio V is created a master plan and architectural design for four new towers and two existing towers, to reconnect an isolated residential block with the fabric of the city. In addition to architectural design, our plans include creating cuts through buildings to improve pedestrian and vehicular circulation, as well as new greenways and public spaces.

808 Pavonia Ave Towers
Zone 10 Arts District – Journal Square Arts District Overlay
Whole Foods Jersey City (Planning & Design)
2nd Street Marina (Planning & Design)

Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Phil Hartman attended Princeton University, where he founded the P.U. Film Society, graduated magna cum laude, received The Daily Princetonian Award as the school’s outstanding contributor, and felt utterly out of place amidst the eating clubs and alligator shirts. His semester “abroad,” however, was spent in upstate New York at Bard College, an institution to which he remains eternally devoted.

Part-penance, part-mortification, Phil then headed to Akron, Ohio, post-college, where he learned how to slice corned beef (against the bias) and both his thumbs (go to work stoned). He then returned to his job at Cinemabilia, the legendary movie bookshop and punk rock breeding ground; crewed on a porno film as head of the ‘creams & jellies’ dept.; and sold six screenplays, including several to producers at Warner Bros. When “Bleeding Heat,” a punk rock detective story set in gritty Long Island City, was reconceived as a romp for The Doobie Bros., he decided he’d rather open a restaurant with his high school friend, Rich Kresberg, than compromise his writing for money (unless, of course, it had been for a lot of money). Their Bowery juke joint, the Great Jones Cafe, opened in 1983 and became a phenomenon — helping to start the Cajun cooking craze in NYC, serving as a hangout for the indie film community, and still flourishing at 54 Great Jones St.

The success of the Jones gave Phil the opportunity to write and direct his first film, No Picnic, produced by Doris Kornish, and it was accepted to the Sundance Film Festival — if only they could find the money to finish post-production…

Then in the fall of 1986, a total stranger, local developer John Touhey, came into the Great Jones, told Phil that he’d just bought the lease to a defunct space on Avenue A, and asked: would he be interested in helping him open a new restaurant? Doris joined with Phil and they agreed to spend six months “to get it started” in exchange for enough money to finish their film.

No Picnic wound up winning the “Best Cinematography Award” at Sundance, and was hailed in the Village Voice “the one movie about the East Village that gets it right.” Featuring Peter Hutton’s luminous black and white photography, starring Dave Brisbin, and with cameos by Steve Buscemi, Richard Hell and Luis Guzman, No Picnic screened at MoMA, played at festivals around the world, and premiered at Anthology Film Archives in NYC.

Meanwhile, back in the restaurant world, Phil & Doris came up with the idea to combine Cajun cooking and pizza, and Two Boots opened on June 24th, 1987, along a then-desolate stretch of Avenue A. It quickly became apparent that the six months to “help get it started” would snowball into much much more — the unique cornmeal-crust pizza, funky folk-art decor and family-friendly service was an immediate hit, and new branches would eventually open across Avenue A, in Noho and in the West Village.
Phil continued to write screenplays, including “The Beaten Track,” about a battered woman on the run from Omaha to Albuquerque; “Born at Woodstock,” about the two children conceived at the festival, twenty years later; “The Man With A Shattered World,” transposing A.R. Luria’s classic memory study, “The Mind of a Mnemonist,” to the Caribbean-American community; and “Tales of Beatnik Glory,” fusing Ed Sanders’ Lower East Side memoirs with the Tompkins Square Riots. Then in 1995, Phil wrote and directed his second feature, Eerie, starring Felicity Huffman, Will Arnett and Luis Guzman — an older woman/younger man search story, taking place almost entirely on the Erie Canal in upstate New York.

Soon after, to further sate their love of the movies, Phil & Doris opened a complex on Avenue A that included Two Boots Video, specializing in art and foreign cinema; The Den of Cin, a performance space and screening room; and The Pioneer Theater, a single screen jewel box that was renowned for saving Donnie Darko from obscurity, breathed new life into the tradition of midnight movies and was a national showcase for independent films.

The millenium brought further expansion for Two Boots — uptown to Grand Central Station, then to the rest of Manhattan and beyond, to the entire NYC metropolitan area. There were missteps along the way — Rock Center was too corporate and Power Plant Live too seedy — but the Two Boots gospel would eventually stretch across the country, and include huge successes in Los Angeles, Nashville and Baltimore. Over 4,000,000 slices of our unique cornmeal crust pizza are now served every year, and each branch of Two Boots aims to set down deep roots in the community, to become, as Time Out New York put it, “not just a restaurant, but a genuine cultural institution.”

Phil still mulls whether to make movies or make pizza, and is currently in pre-production for a new film, “A Day At The Beach.” A long-time resident of the Lower East Side, Phil has created the Two Boots Mardi Gras Ball, an annual benefit for the Lower Eastside Girls Club; the Downtown Historic Plaque Program, a collaboration with the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation; the HOWL! Festival, a celebration of the legacy of the counterculture; and the East Village Softball Association, which provides a judgment-free field of dreams for a rag-tag group of artists and outcasts. For his contributions to the community, Phil has been honored by P.S. 122, the LES Girls Club and The Little Missionary School, but his greatest joy has been to parent to his three children, Leon, Odetta and Camellia, all LES-born and bred.

He’s also a long-suffering Mets fan (is there any other kind?).

Newport Centre Mall – 20 Mall Dr. West

Grove Street – 133 Newark Ave

www.twoboots.com

Robert P. Antonicello is a broker/advisor specializing in urban and suburban redevelopment projects, including brokerage, acquisition, entitlement, consulting and development. He has 35 years of diverse experience in local government and the private sector, with a focus on redevelopment, entitlement, economic development, and public-private partnerships. He has served in various lead¬ership positions in local government, ranging from Director of Neighborhood Planning to his eight years as Executive Director for the Jersey City Redevel¬opment Agency (JCRA).

As Executive Director for JCRA, New Jersey’s largest and oldest municipal redevelopment agency, Mr. Antonicello was responsible for many high-profile projects in Jersey City’s redevelopment, including the Powerhouse Project, the Journal Square Vision Plan and its successful green workforce-housing program. Mr. Antonicello’s broad area of expertise includes project facilitation, project entitlement, site assemblage, environmental remediation and developer selection. Mr. Antonicello has earned a reputation as a “bridge” between the local government and private development community.

His vast and diverse background includes 25 years as owner/manager of a successful commercial real estate firm, responsible for the sale of many landmark building and large development sites in Jersey City and Hoboken. Early in his career, he served both as a City Planner and Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services for the City of Jersey City. In December 2008, he was named Public Official of the Year by the Urban Land Institute of Northern New Jersey.
Mr. Antonicello is a full member of the Urban Land Institute and a former North Jersey District Council Chairperson. He now serves as the Governance Chair for the ULI District Council.

Mr. Antonicello has a BA in Urban Affairs from Rutgers University and a Masters of Real Estate Development from New York University.

Paul Silverman
Founder & Principal
SILVERMAN

Much like their buildings and developments, brothers Eric Silverman and Paul Silverman are treasured fixtures in Jersey City. In 1981, Eric and Paul began their careers with the renovation of a dilapidated 15 unit apartment building in Jersey City’s Paulus Hook neighborhood. In 2012, they built GP’s Restaurant, completing the 25,000 square foot retail component of Hamilton Square, a 300 unit mixed use residential development at the site of the former St. Francis Hospital.

SILVERMAN has restored historic landmarks, championed the development of mixed-use buildings, attracted commercial and industrial tenants to Hudson County, invested in micro-brewery New Jersey Beer Company, and brought creative new retail ventures to Jersey City, creating over 1000 residences and over 500,000 square feet of commercial and light industrial spaces. The Silvermans’ work goes far beyond innovative projects and quality construction. Giving back to the community is just as important to Eric and Paul as developing the buildings that house the residents, retailers, schools and companies. The Silvermans are involved with many civic and not-for-profit organizations. SILVERMAN hosts art shows, ribbon cuttings, fundraisers, and activities for the community, including the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and the Hamilton Park BBQ Festival providing energy and enthusiasm to the neighborhoods. Eric and Paul’s values, history, and mission are very easily summarized in the company tag line: Building Neighborhoods.

Past & Current Associations:
Member, Jersey City Local Economy Working Group
Member, Hudson County Workforce Development Board
Chairman, Hudson County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee
Past Vice Chairman, Hudson County Chamber of Commerce
Board Member, NJCU Foundation
Strategic Partner & Seed Grant Funder, The Ignite Institute at Saint Peter’s University
Chairman Emeritus, Hudson County Community College Foundation
Turstee Emeritus, Muhlenberg College

Eric C.Y. Fang
Principal
Perkins Eastman

Eric is a Principal at Perkins Eastman with more than 20 years of experience as an architect and urban designer. He has led large-scale projects around the nation in urban design and redevelopment. Eric’s work encompasses projects for public agencies, private developers, and large institutions. In particular, he has worked extensively with agencies and cities throughout the country to promote resilient design. Eric is a regular contributor to professional and academic journals, and his work has been recognized by numerous awards from institutions including the AIA New York Chapter and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association.

He is a regular contributor to academic and professional publications, including Architectural Record and Urban Land. Mr. Fang’s experience includes projects such as Arverne-by-the-Sea, the largest waterfront urban renewal site in the United States, and Assembly Row, a five-million sf mixed-use transit-oriented development in Somerville, MA and the Market East Strategic Plan in Philadelphia. Mr. Fang’s recent work includes New York City’s Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resilience, the Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategy, and award winning plans for the New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program.

VYV Apartments – 474 Warrent St

99 Hudson Street

Newport Master Plan

Christopher DeLorenzo
Executive Vice President, Leasing
Mack-Cali Realty Corporation

Christopher DeLorenzo serves as Executive Vice President of Leasing for the Company. He joined Mack-Cali in 1998. Mr. DeLorenzo is responsible for Mack‑Cali’s leasing efforts and management of the Company’s in-house leasing team of 12 professionals, assigning and managing third party broker agency agreements, and evaluating potential acquisition and disposition opportunities.

Prior to joining the Company, Mr. DeLorenzo was a real estate broker for Peter Elliot, LLC, a research analyst at Cushman & Wakefield, and a property tax analyst for the Stark Discovery Group.

His current professional affiliations include being a member of NAIOP New Jersey and the Bergen Community College Foundation Board. Mr. DeLorenzo received a Bachelor of Science in Operations Management from Syracuse University.

Nick Kenner
Founder & CEO
Just Salad

Nick Kenner is the CEO and Cofounder of Just Salad- a New York City based, fast casual restaurant brand. Just Salad provides quality healthy food, in a fast and approachable way. The brand offers a rotating cast of local, in-season ingredients, with a line up of quality proteins including grassfed free-range beef, antibiotic-free chicken, sustainable seafood, and organic tofu.

Alongside his childhood friend, Nick conceptualized Just Salad to fill a much-needed niche in the urban culinary scene. Since opening their first location in 2006, Nick has grown the brand to over 30 locations worldwide, remaining dedicated to his core principles, and staying ahead of the industry’s ever-changing landscape. Under this leadership, Just Salad established an international presence with locations in Hong Kong and Dubai, and continues to thrive in New York City, Chicago, Kansas, and Philadelphia.

Nick was recognized for his entrepreneurial accomplishments by Inc.’s 30 Under 30 list in 2007. He graduated from Colgate University with a degree in Political Science. He resides in Manhattan with his wife and two kids.

Ann Ferracane
General Manager, New Jersey & Upstate New York
Lyft

Ann is currently the General Manager of Lyft for the New Jersey and Upstate New York region. Originally joining Lyft in late 2014 as a Senior Analyst, she has held roles as Senior Mgr of Analytics, Head of Business Intelligence, and Product Manager of Experimentation before taking the role of GM. Before joining Lyft, Ann worked in various data, strategy, and product roles at LinkedIn and Google – focusing on LinkedIn’s Premium platform and fraud analytics for Google Wallet. Prior to joining the tech world, Ann worked as a developer and analyst for a commercial real estate econometric consultancy within CBRE. Ann recently relocated back to NYC (closer to home) after several years in SF. She has also lived in Boston and Philadelphia, where she studied Information Mgmt Systems at Harvard Extension and Finance/Economics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, respectively. Last but not least, she is an avid skier, a Division I athlete, and enjoys comedy shows!

Atlantic City
Camden
Cherry Hill
Hoboken
Jersey City
Montclair
Morristown
Newark
Trenton

Alexis Lazzara
Of Counsel
Connell Foley

Alexis has a broad corporate practice that focuses primarily on real estate transactions and land use. She provides counsel on the acquisition and sale of property, municipal land use law, development and redevelopment, complex commercial financing, and commercial and residential leasing matters. Her experience also includes negotiating and drafting corporate organizational documents for real estate joint investment partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies and various other forms of ownership.

Alexis advises developers in connection with subdivision, site plan and related permits and approvals for projects of nearly every size and character, and she represents buyers and sellers of almost every type of real property. She has experience with various developers and property owners concerning disputes about property boundaries, utility and roadway easements, joint facilities agreements and various other easements, covenants and restrictions to property.

Prior to joining Connell Foley, Alexis worked for International Specialty Products, a specialty chemical company, and its sister company, GAF Materials Corporation, a building materials company, as in-house counsel. She advised the corporation on commercial transactions and business proposals and drafted and reviewed corporate documents and commercial contracts for all aspects of the company’s chemical and roofing business. Alexis was also responsible for handling corporate domestic and international legal matters relating to the company’s real estate portfolio.

Kern Weissman
President
Riverview Neighborhood Association

About RNA

Peter J. Bronsnick
Senior Vice President
SJP Propeties

As Senior Vice President at SJP Properties, Peter Bronsnick is responsible for new business development, acquisitions, leasing and marketing for SJP Properties’ multi-million square foot New Jersey commercial portfolio. Mr. Bronsnick joined SJP Properties in 2012 and has since completed in excess of two million square feet of leases on behalf of the company. His responsibilities also include directing SJP Properties’ property and construction management teams on tenant-related projects, preparing feasibility studies for prospective commercial and residential acquisitions, and overseeing the reporting process and operating budgets for SJP Properties’ partners and asset managers.

Prior to joining SJP Properties, Mr. Bronsnick served as Vice President with RXR Realty Corp. where he handled leasing and acquisitions for the company’s New Jersey portfolio. He also served as Leasing Director for Mack-Cali Realty Corp., where he managed leasing for the company’s 11 million square foot portfolio in New Jersey’s Bergen and Hudson Counties. During his career, Mr. Bronsnick has completed transactions with many premier corporations, including Newell Rubbermaid, Ernst & Young, Linde Gas, iconectiv, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, BNY Mellon, Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, Sprint Mobile and NICE Systems.

Mr. Bronsnick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Real Estate from New York University.

David Burns
Principal
STUDIOS architecture

David Burns constantly challenges the idea that space is a limitation. His approach to design is that space – no matter its size or shape – is an opportunity. David is adept with big-picture thinking and attention to minute details, with experience ranging from base building and master planning to building renovation and complex office projects. He has led the design of many notable projects like 200 Fifth Avenue and 11 Madison Avenue in Manhattan and 2100 49th Avenue in Long Island City. He currently leads the master planning and repositioning of Kearny Point Industrial Park in Kearny, New Jersey, and led the design of 70 Hudson’s new tenant lobby which will later include retail amenity, gallery space, and outdoor terrace. In each case, David unites his award-winning experience in repositioning real estate with designing workplaces to transform aging structures.

VYV @ Hudson Exchange West | 474 Warren Street

Interior Architecture | Amenities Space

BGT Enterprises is a ‘one stop real estate shop’ based in Jersey City, NJ (the sixth borough of New York City). With a background in real estate sales and a proven track record in property development, BGT Enterprises is poised to become the dominant real estate force in the Jersey City area. We bring a strong knowledge of all the related real estate components together to create a seamless interface for you and/or your company whether you’re looking to purchase, sell, borrow, lend, or build.

Jonathan Krieger
Founder & CEO, Retail Worx
Co-Founder, Bluestone Lane
Founder & CEO, Taco Dumbo
Co-Founder, Bridges General

Jon has over 15 years of experience as a retail leasing agent and entrepreneur in the hospitality and wellness industries. He manages the growth process of all Retail Worx brands and leverages his relationships with senior management within the retail divisions at top real estate companies to secure the best locations and partnerships for each brand.

As Vice President at RKF, the nation’s leading retail brokerage firm, Jon spearheaded the New York City rollouts of leading hospitality and wellness concepts: Open Kitchen, City Sports, Glaze Teriyaki, Yoga Vida and Soul Cycle, where Jon identified and secured locations two through five, which led to Soul Cycle’s acquisition by Equinox. Most notably, Jon provided the real estate strategy and execution for Bluestone Lane, of which Jon is a co-founder, opening the first 10 stores in less than three years and at a capital cost of less than $1.8 million.

After years of applying his real estate expertise to helping brands expand and scale, Jon began to develop his own unique concepts whereby he was responsible for raising capital and securing the lease and store build outs.

Through these experiences, Jon accumulated a wealth of knowledge that enabled him to create Retail Worx in 2015. Since founding the company, Jon has expanded the Retail Worx network of brands from three to 10 and has negotiated over 150,000 SF of retail space. Most recently, Jon was the exclusive retail broker for Dumbo Heights campus, leasing 60,000 SF for retail brands, five of which are Retail Worx brands.

Eugene T. Paolino
Partner Eugene T. Paolino was born in Jersey City and has been practicing law in New Jersey for more than three decades. He brings a wealth of experience in commercial law and real estate development, redevelopment law and tax abatement, zoning and land use law, commercial law, education law and corporate law.

Mr. Paolino has played a critical role in some of Jersey City’s most iconic and significant real estate projects along New Jersey’s Hudson River “Gold Coast,” such as:

77 Hudson
101 Hudson
The Beacon (the former Jersey City Medical Center)
Saint Peter’s MacMahon Student Center
McGinley Square Redevelopment
Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Area
Liberty Harbor Redevelopment Area

Mr. Paolino is also General Counsel to Saint Peter’s University, Dress for Success and Flemington Department Store, Inc. and has been Assistant Corporation Counsel to the City of Jersey City as well as Special Environmental Counsel to the City of Hoboken.

Mr. Paolino is active in many professional and charitable activities, including:

American Bar Association
The American Trial Lawyers Association
The New Jersey Bar Association
Hudson County Bar Association.
Hudson County Ethics Committee (former member)
Hudson County Civil Practice Committee (former member)
Hudson County Family Law Committee (former member)
Urban Land Institute
Hudson County Brownfields Commission (former member)
Dress for Success (Pro Bono Counsel)
Urban Angels Day Care Center(Pro Bono Counsel)
Bar Admissions
New Jersey, 1974
United States Supreme Court, 1992
Federal District Courts for the State of New Jersey, 1974
U.S. Court of International Trade, 1991
Education
Villanova University Law, J.D.,1974
Saint Peter’s College, B.A.,1969

David Donnelly
Executive Director
Jersey City Redevelopment Agency

David Donnelly is Executive Director of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency, New Jersey’s largest and oldest municipal redevelopment agency. He is responsible for project implementation and oversight within the City’s 93 redevelopment areas. The Agency’s broad area of expertise includes project facilitation,site assemblage and clearance,environmental remediation and developer selection. Since taking over the reigns of JCRA, Dave has championed the “forgotten” neighborhoods and is quickly making Jersey City one of the leaders in the development of abandoned and vacant properties.

His vast and diverse background include being elected to Councilman in Ward B in 2009 after which he became an Assistant to Mayor Steven Fulop. Dave has also served as Special Assistant to Edison Mayor, Jun Choi and worked for Congressman Frank Pallone and Assemblyman Joseph Doria. Additionally he has served as Deputy Clerk in the New Jersey General Assembly and as a Division Chief of Intergovernmental Relations in the Office of the Hudson County Executive.

Dave earned a B.A. in Urban Studies from Rutgers University and in the process of obtaining an M.S. degree in Management and Urban Policy from Milano,The New School for Management and Urban Policy in New York City. He also holds a Zoning Official’s Certificate from Rutgers University.

Dave has been married 6 years to his wife, Dawn, and has a daughter, Isabella, who is almost 3.

Jonathan Schultz
Co­Founder & Managing Principal
Onyx Equities

Jonathan Schultz has the distinction of combining his two passions – real estate and technology – into his role of leading Onyx Equities. Along with Co-Founder, John Saraceno, Onyx has grown into one of the largest, most diversified and active real estate investment, management, and property service organizations.

Throughout Jonathan’s distinguished career in real estate, he has been able to remain on the leading edge of market trends. Whether he was building a highly successful, niche brokerage firm or developing successful luxury development projects, Jonathan’s unique ability to continually meet a changing market dynamic has consistently propelled his career.

Today, Jonathan has been key in leading the dramatic growth of Onyx. He has helped build the company’s platform into one that provides an integrated array of services, including asset management, construction management, property management and leasing. Jonathan also led the effort to build Onyx’s Receivership/REO Services platform, which managed millions of square feet and was one of the largest platforms of its kind in the tri-¬state area.

Jonathan’s passion for re-invention and disruption manifests itself into his love for technology. Under his leadership, Onyx has embraced innovations that few other real estate companies have adopted, which has completely transformed every aspect of the company’s operations. Recognized as a true thought leader in real estate tech, Jonathan is a regular public speaker, event panelist and noted blogger. Additionally, he serves on the advisory board of Real Estate Tech News.

Jonathan is a member of the Metro NY chapter of YPO, the premier network of chief executives and business leaders. He is a founding board member of the “Award of Courage” foundation. In this role, he raised significant funds for Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center and is a past recipient of their Humanitarian Award. His philanthropic efforts are now a significant part of his professional and personal life. Jonathan is also a member of the Riverview Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees which serves the Meridian Health Network.

Adam I. Popper joined Columbia Property Trust in 2016 as Senior Vice President – Eastern Region. In this role, he oversees all investment and asset management activities for the Company in the eastern United States, with a primary focus on assets and opportunities in three of the Company’s key markets: New York City, Washington, D.C. and Boston. He leads the Company’s Eastern Region team from the New York corporate office and serves on Columbia’s Investment Committee.

Mr. Popper came to Columbia from Westbrook Partners, where, as a managing principal and member of the investment committee, he participated in new partner development, as well as acquisition and value enhancement activities within the U.S. Prior to joining Westbrook in 2013, he served as a senior vice president and director of U.S. office acquisitions for Vornado Realty Trust.

Previously, Mr. Popper served as a managing director of Beacon Capital Partners, leading Beacon’s investment strategy in the New York Metropolitan area, and as a senior director of Tishman Speyer Properties, where he led the company’s acquisition efforts in the eastern U.S., in addition to earlier transaction-related roles with other New York-based real estate management and investment firms.

Mr. Popper is a member of Urban Land Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers, and he serves on the executive board of directors for the New York City/Southern New York Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Hamilton College.

A 19 story Class A office tower containing over 629,000 rentable square feet. Constructed in 1989, the building is pentagon shaped to maximize the views of New York City to the east. The newly renovated exterior façade consists of precast earth tone concrete panels, accented by granite. The impressive and newly renovated entrance features a five story granite lobby with a full height window wall and natural lighting from skylights. This lovely lobby is accented by a large waterfall and reflecting pool. The building floor plates average 36,000 square feet. A six story parking garage is attached to the building and provides private parking for 500 vehicles and a private entrance to the lobby. Jersey City has recently renovated the park across Christopher Columbus Drive as well as the Drive itself creating an inviting pedestrian and vehicular thoroughfare.

www.95christophercolumbus.com

Michele Massey, a native of Jersey City, serves as the Executive Director of the Jackson Hill Main Street Management Corporation which manages the Jackson Hill Main Street Special Improvement District (SID), which encompasses Monticello and all of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Prior to the formation and designation of the Jackson Hill Main Street, Ms. Massey served as the Executive Director for the Monticello Avenue Main Street Program managed by the Monticello Community Development Corporation (MCDC). MCDC received the Main Street Designation by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in November 2004, which now, along with MLK Drive, is the largest Main Street Program in the State of New Jersey and the only designated Main Street Program in Hudson County.

The Jackson Hill Main Street Special Improvement District (JHMSSID), parallels Manhattan running south to north along Martin Luther King Drive, reaching east & west as it crosses Communipaw and continues north along Monticello Avenue. The local community of the district has deep roots and is home to a very culturally rich and diverse population.

Our program follows the Main Street, Four-Point Approach of Design, Economic Restructuring, Organization and Promotion. The Four-Point Approach is the foundation for local initiatives to revitalize their districts by leveraging local assets – from cultural or architectural heritage to local enterprises and community pride. Developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the program is supported in our state by New Jersey Main Street.

The goal of the Jackson Hill Main Street Special Improvement District is to reestablish a culture and atmosphere that fosters growth through the education, promotion, and building of community. We can only accomplish this with volunteer help and community support.

Donald M. Pepe
Partner
Co-Chair of Corporate Transactional & Business Law Group
Scarinci Hollenbeck

Donald is a Partner at Scarinci Hollenbeck and Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate Transactional & Business Law Group. Mr. Pepe devotes his practice to all aspects of real estate development and real estate transactional work with an emphasis on retail and residential projects. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Pepe served as in house counsel to one of the nation’s largest residential developers. Additionally, Mr. Pepe acts as transactional and development counsel for a global big-box retail company for its development projects in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, giving him comprehensive insight into the needs of both large and
small clients, as well as a thorough understanding of the development process.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Pepe has shepherded hundreds of development projects through the approval process resulting on tens of thousands of new residential units and millions of square feet of retail development. Mr. Pepe works closely with business executives and in-house counsel to develop strategies for targeting acquisitions, land purchase negotiations, managing and evaluating feasibility studies, representing corporate interests before local, state and federal approval authorities, and securing land use and administrative approvals.

Debra Tantleff
Founding Principal
TANTUM Real Estate

As Founding Principal of TANTUM Real Estate, Debra Tantleff operates a certified Women’s Business Enterprise focused on creating boutique multi-family and mixed-use communities in the New Jersey region. Prior to founding TANTUM, Ms. Tantleff was a Vice President of Development at Roseland, a Mack-Cali Company, where she established a highly-acclaimed reputation for delivering exceptional mixed-use projects, with a portfolio consisting of more than 5,000 residential units and 200,000 square feet of retail space.

Ms. Tantleff serves on the New Jersey Committee of the Regional Plan Association and the Board of Directors for Downtown New Jersey, and is also a member of New Jersey Future and the New Jersey Builders Association (NJBA). She was named Real Estate Forum’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2012, received the Women Builders Council’s 2015 Outstanding Women Award, and was listed as a “Forty Under 40” in 2016 by NJBIZ. She has also been recognized numerous times by the National Association of Home Builders and the NJBA, including being awarded the 2015 Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Political Action.

An honors graduate from Rutgers University, Ms. Tantleff holds a B.A.S. from the School of Communication and Information Studies, and is a member of the Executive Committee at the Center for Real Estate at Rutgers Business School, where she also serves as Co-Chair of the Emerging Leaders Council. She holds a Masters in Real Estate Finance from the Schack Institute of Real Estate at New York University.

Stefania Panepinto
Principal Owner
Panepinto Properties
Panepinto Galleries
Panepinto Fine Arts

Stefania Panepinto is an artist, gallery owner and art advisor who lives in Tribeca (Manhattan) with offices/studio in Jersey City/Hoboken, NJ. In 2011 she founded Panepinto Galleries, collective space to host art exhibitions, film screenings, artist salons and photo shoots. Since than she plays a vital role in building a vibrant community of artists located in the heart of the Powerhouse Arts District in Jersey City, NJ.

Stefania expanded her vision to establish Panepinto Fine Arts to create “Art as Inspiration” for luxury hotels, residential and office buildings, hospitals, as well as homes. She creates and sources unique custom designed contemporary artwork to enhance the vision and experience of each project. Stefania earned her MFA at the New York Academy of Art and works in oil paint, mixed media, and sculpture.

EDUCATION
-New York Academy of Art, New York NY – Master’s in Fine Arts
-University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins – Short course programs in Drawing & Painting
-Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ – Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science

AFFILIATIONS
2017 – (present) National Arts Club, New York, NY
2017 – (present) Association of Woman Art Dealers, New York, NY 2016 – (present) Soho House Worldwide, New York, NY
2016 – (present) New Jersey City University, Arts Advisory Board, Jersey City NJ
2016 – (present) ProArts Jersey City, Advisory Board, Jersey City NJ
2015 – (present) Panepinto Family Foundation, Scholarship Director, Jersey City NJ
2011 – (present) Golden Door International Film Festival, Advisory Board, Jersey City NJ
2007 – 2009 Jersey City Museum, Board of Trustees & Chairman of the Development Committee, Jersey City NJ
2007 – 2009 Hudson Community College, Board of Trustees, Jersey City NJ

http://www.panepintogalleries.com

Chuck Lanyard
President
The Goldstein Group/TGG Urban

Chuck Lanyard has over 40 years of extensive background in the leasing, planning, development and construction of retail space. Prior to joining The Goldstein Group, Chuck specialized in retail brokerage and consulting at Levey Companies, where he was involved in the disposition of over 100 Channel Home Centers throughout the Tri-State area.

Chuck Lanyard was promoted to President of The Goldstein Group in 2000 and is responsible for the overall operations of the Retail Brokerage Division. He has represented many national and regional tenants throughout the state, such as Hobby Lobby, Shoprite Supermarkets, Sherwin Williams, Barnes & Noble, TJ Maxx, Capital One Bank, Pier 1 Imports, Trader Joe’s Specialty Stores, McDonald’s, Applebee’s, Darden Restaurants and TGI Friday’s Restaurants. Chuck heads the company’s “Team Paramus”, which has consummated over 75 transactions in the Paramus market over the past 15 years.

Chuck is the past national President of the Retail Brokers Network, which provides clients assistance throughout the United States with qualified retail specialists in over 65 offices in the United States. He is the past Chairman of the Planning Committee of the 2011 New York ICSC Conference and continues to be active on the committee yearly, a member of the ICSC Next Generation Committee and a past member of the NJ State Supreme Court District Ethics Committee. He has been highlighted on the popular weekly radio program “The Road to Significance”, hosted by Sal Savo, which honors New Jersey business individuals who have been influential in giving back and helping others in their industry. He has also been a guest lecturer for over ten years at the highly respected NYU Graduate School Program for Real Estate.

He is known throughout the industry as the “go to” retail real estate professional and has been guest speaker at numerous events for organizations such as NJBIZ, Real Share Real Estate Conferences, Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Conference, New Jersey Appraisal Association and the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey. Chuck has been honored by NJBIZ Magazine, being named numerous times, as one of New Jersey’s “Top 50 Most Influential Real Estate Professionals”.

Chuck has been responsible for the leasing of numerous properties in New Jersey, representing such prominent owners such as Urstadt Biddle, Vornado, Hampshire Management, Forest City Ratner, Onyx Equities and Roseland Properties.

http://www.thegoldsteingroup.com/

TGG Urban seasoned team of retail real estate specialists understands this evolving and diverse marketplace. We provide services to landlords looking to lease or sell property as well as tenants looking to launch or expand into the urban setting.

http://www.thegoldsteingroup.com/

David Orr
Executive Director & COO
Dixon Advisory USA

David Orr is an investment and property expert with over a decade of experience across US property investments and Australian Financial Services. As the Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer of Dixon USA, David is responsible for the strategic and operational direction of all US operations. This includes managing the $1.2 billion investment portfolio of townhomes (the largest in New York) and overseeing the construction division, Dixon Projects. David is responsible for Dixon USA’s 15 business units, and works closely with each of the team leaders to drive business growth. David is responsible for managing relationships with investors, analysts, media and joint venture partners and is involved in capital market operations. David is also a founding partner and principal of Pure Properties, Dixon USA’s residential and commercial real estate brokerage firm.

David joined the Dixon Group in 2005 working in various roles across the Australian Investment Advisory and Corporate Finance teams. In 2008, David became Dixon Advisory’s youngest Director when promoted to Head of Investment Advisory, Canberra. Two years later, David relocated to Sydney to head their Investment Team and took on a number of national responsibilities. During his time in Australia, David was responsible for building investment teams, training and mentoring staff, and negotiating debt transactions for the Australian Masters Corporate Bond & Yield Series. David has also developed strategies, processes and training programs for several firm-wide projects, including two hostile corporate actions, a number of legislative changes and staff and client engagement campaigns. Due to his world-wide reach, David regularly contributes to various global publications across his fields of expertise.

David graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University and earned his Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from Kaplan Professional Australia. David is a member of the Stockbrokers Association of Australia, a Senior Fellow at the Financial Services Institute of Australia (FINSIA) and is a member of the Advisory Board of Rutgers University’s Customer Experience Program.

Jacqueline Urgo
President
The Marketing Directors

With more than 30 years in the residential development business, Jackie Urgo is renowned for her analytical mind and vast expertise from planning and design, to positioning, marketing, leasing, and selling luxury residential developments. The breadth of work over the past three decades comprise an impressive portfolio of residential properties working with many of the tri-states’ leading residential developers including Fisher Brothers, Kushner Companies, China Overseas America, Vornado, Ironstate Development, China Construction America, KRE Group, Time Equities Inc. and The Chetrit Group.

Jackie oversees the activities of more than 50 employees and under her leadership, The Marketing Directors maintains solid placement as one of the preeminent on-site residential marketing, leasing and sales firm in the Northeast.

Awards:
NSMC Marketing Director of the Year 2011, Gold Award
NSMC Marketing Director of the Year 2005, Gold Award
ABO Person of the Year, 2008
Top Women in Real Estate – The State RE Magazine, 2008
Women of Influence Award, 2007
Emma Lazarus Award from ABO, 2004

Licenses:
Licensed Real Estate Broker, State of New York
Licensed Real Estate Broker, State of Connecticut
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, State of New Jersey

Education:
New York University, B.S. in Business Administration
Beta Gamma Sigma
Certified New Home Sales Professional (CSP)

Professional Organizations:
Member of the Real Estate Board of New York
Member of the Liberty Board of Realtors, New Jersey

Leslie Harwood
Principal, Harwood Properties
Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank

Harwood Properties is a private real estate developer and real estate operator based in Jersey City. Harwood Properties, is a third and fourth generation real estate family with deep roots in Jersey City that go back to the 1920’s. Since its inception in 1920, Harwood Properties developed a deep understanding on development and urban development. Harwood Properties projects have included direct ownership in all major asset categories including parking facilities, office, retail, industrial and residential properties. Harwood Properties has been focused on investing in parking operations and development sites, with a particular emphasis on development and revitalization opportunities in urban, transit-oriented locations.

Mitch Bodner is Managing Director of Building and Land Technology where his responsibilities include oversight of the Beacon project in Jersey City, NJ (www.thebeaconjc.com). The Beacon is one of the largest historic rehabilitation projects in the United States, redeveloping eleven mid and high-rise buildings from the former Jersey City Medical Center into a ±1,500-unit residential complex.

Founded in 1982, Building and Land Technology (www.bltoffice.com) is a privately held, vertically integrated, real estate private equity, development and property management firm. BLT has developed, owned and managed over five million square feet of commercial space and over 10,000 residential units. BLT is one of the largest office landlords in Connecticut and is the developer of numerous residential, commercial and mixed-use projects, including Harbor Point, a transformative mixed-use development in Stamford, CT (www.harborpt.com). BLT’s investment portfolio spans 26 states with investments in the office, multifamily, hotel, single family rental and mixed-use sectors. Assets under management in the New York metro area include 212 Fifth Avenue, an iconic New York City luxury condominium project as well as the Beacon. Mr. Bodner has over 16 years of commercial real estate experience. Prior to joining BLT, Mr. Bodner was Vice President of Investments at Archstone, where he was responsible for multifamily and mixed-use acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and asset management, as well as Senior Consultant at CBRE, where he performed financial analysis on a broad array of commercial real estate transactions. Mr. Bodner graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Mitch overseas the redevelopment of The Beacon which is one of the largest historic rehabilitation projects in the US.

Shannon Pennock
President
Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association

Shannon Pennock originally hails from Austin, Texas, and has been living in Jersey City with her husband Paul since 2005. Shannon and her two children and Labrador, Sergeant, all treasure Hamilton Park and are there, rain, snow or shine, nearly every day. Shannon and Paul love Jersey City and especially the Hamilton Park neighborhood and are also active supporters of Friends of Liberty State Park. In addition to being a proud mother, Shannon is an attorney with a local and national practice. Shannon looks forward to helping the board continue with its efforts to preserve, protect and promote Hamilton Park.

Shannon is the Managing Partner of Pennock Law Firm as well. She has dedicated her law practice to helping those wrongfully injured seek justice and accountability. To this end, Shannon advocates for her clients in both state and federal venues. Shannon currently represents personal injury clients in state and federal court, and is also actively involved in national pharmaceutical and environmental litigations. In addition to her work advocating for injured tort victims, Shannon is proud to have successfully advocated and attained political asylum on behalf of her clients who have sought political asylum here in the United States.

Shannon graduated from Brooklyn Law School with honors and while at Brooklyn, Shannon was a member of the Brooklyn Law Review, and wrote her Law Review Note on the topic of mass tort complex litigation and the potential judicial tools presented by the All Writs Act.

Joseph P. Baumann, Jr. is a member and Chairman of McManimon, Scotland & Baumann, LLC. He specializes in all aspects of public sector law including public finance and redevelopment law as well as the representation of private clients in redevelopment projects. He has represented the State, its agencies and numerous municipalities, counties, boards of education and authorities. Such representation has involved a broad range of transactions, including negotiated and competitive, special obligations and general obligations, current and advance refundings and all aspects of redevelopment related financings.

Mr. Baumann also has substantial expertise in all aspects of redevelopment law, serving as lead redevelopment counsel in projects as large as the redevelopment of a 652 acre former military ocean terminal in Bayonne and as small as a one-acre mixed use project in Cranford. Mr. Baumann provides advice to the firm’s public sector clients in connection with the designation of redevelopment areas, preparation and adoption of redevelopment plans, selection of redevelopers, negotiation of redevelopment agreements, financial agreements and funding agreements and the management of redevelopment projects. Mr. Baumann also speaks regularly on various redevelopment topics.

Mr. Baumann’s expertise also extends to the representation of private entities in all aspects of development with particular emphasis in the interaction of such private entities with public bodies. Finally, Mr. Baumann has devoted a substantial amount of his practice to the privatization of public water, wastewater and solid waste system, the securitization of municipal tax liens in many urban cities throughout the Northeastern United States and the representation of certain public bodies as general counsel.

Mr. Baumann received his Bachelor of Arts degree in government, with a second major in business administration, from the University of Notre Dame in l984. He received his Juris Doctoris degree from Rutgers University Law School, cum laude, in l987, where he served on the staff of the Rutgers Camden Law Journal.

Mr. Baumann is a member in the New Jersey Bar Association, the Association of Environmental Authorities, the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

Education
Notre Dame, B.A.
Rutgers University School of Law, J.D.
Practice Areas
Corporations, Business and Banking
Energy
General and Special Counsel Services
Public-Private Partnerships (P3)
Public Finance
Redevelopment and Land Use
Bar Admissions
New Jersey
Honors
Listed yearly in U.S. News “Best Lawyers in America” since 2007
Peer rated in Martindale-Hubbell as “AV Preeminent”
Selected as a “Super Lawyer” in 2009 and 2010

Richard Sciaretta
Principal & Director
Claremont Companies

Richard has extensive experience in real estate capital markets and ground-up development projects. He currently serves as Principal, where he is actively involved with the acquisition, development, and financing of Claremont’s real estate projects that currently total $300 million.

Prior to Joining Claremont, Richard served as Assistant Vice President at SJP Properties where he played an integral role in the acquisition and development of projects totaling $500 million. Richard began his a career as a financial analyst for HFF, where he worked on over $375 million of real estate debt and equity assignments.

Richard earned a BA in Economics from Villanova University and completed the General Course at the London School of Economics.

The Claremont Companies diverse experience and professional makeup has enabled them to develop a unique ability to perform a wide range of comprehensive services for our partners and clients. We maintain significant general lines of credit and are bondable for $200 million. They are also certified for public projects for the State of New Jersey as well as Historic restoration projects.

Marcos D. Vigil recently joined Mayor Steven Fulop’s administration as Deputy Mayor to oversee economic development and real estate, working closely with the Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce as well as the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. He will also collaborate on policies related to government operations.

Mr. Vigil served for the past four years as the Deputy Secretary of State for New York in the administration of Governor Andrew Cuomo. During his tenure with New York State, Mr. Vigil headed the Division of Consumer Protection and represented the Secretary of State as Chair of the New York State Real Estate Board, a regulatory body overseeing real estate professionals. At the New York Department of State, Mr. Vigil oversaw six agencies with revenue generation of more than $70 million annually. Those divisions included the Divisions of Corporations and Licensing Services, which licenses and regulates 32 different occupations across New York. Mr. Vigil was also instrumental in streamlining operations that lead to greater efficiencies and reduced operating costs, and will work in Jersey City to continue the mayor’s agenda of streamlining services and creating greater efficiencies.

Prior to his appointment by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mr. Vigil worked as an attorney for several law firms in New York City, representing domestic and international clients in complex civil litigation and advising on employment and business law matters. A graduate of Princeton University, Mr. Vigil received his Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law. Mr. Vigil has served as a Board Member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and as Deputy General Counsel of the National Hispanic Bar Association. He was listed in the Super Lawyers Magazine 2011 NY Metro Rising Stars list.

Commissioner, Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority

Commissioner, Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority