Brook B. Katzen
Senior Development Manager
Spinnaker Real Estate Partners
- PRE year: 2004
- Concentration: Hotel Development and Investment
- Hometown: Norwalk, Connecticut
Looking back:
Brook Katzen '04 And Andy Ginsburg '01
In today’s economy, and in the real estate industry in particular, it is important to be a versatilist – very good at a lot of things. The interdisciplinary nature of Cornell’s Program in Real Estate is, therefore, a perfect match for the demands of the industry. Cornell’s Program allows students to become an expert in all aspects of the industry, including planning, design, construction, law, finance, and marketing.
Early in one’s career, it is important to keep you options open. As a student, I was very focused on hotel real estate, because the hotel industry was ramping-up at the time. Real estate markets, however, are cyclical. Now I find myself as a developer of office and residential product. Again, the beauty of Cornell’s Program is that it allows you to be versatile – an expert in all aspects of the industry.
Career:
After completing Cornell’s Program, I spent two years as an Acquisitions Manager for a private equity fund focused exclusively on full-service hotels. During that time, I ran the feasibility process on six acquisitions, totaling more that $360 million of investment. The firm I worked for was extremely aggressive, disciplined, and detail-oriented, and therefore served as a perfect training ground.
In my current position at Spinnaker Real Estate Partners, I am acting as Development Manager for a $450 million mixed-use development in South Norwalk, CT. This role involves conceptualization, design, entitlements, feasibility, finance, marketing, and leasing. It is exciting to be in a position to promote density and mixed-use, urban living. Our society is finally beginning to recognize the benefits of living close to employment centers and transportation infrastructure. Infill development presents a viable alternative to sprawl and long commutes, and many end-users of the real estate (home buyers and commercial tenants) prefer to be in active, dense, urban environments. It feels good to have a positive impact on my community, and the learning never ends!