Wondering what could become of unused commercial space in Manhattan?
Hype house-esque influencer co-working spaces and an esports facility were among the ideas pitched by students in Columbia University’s Real Estate Development Program. The projects were the close of a semester-long course, Real Estate Media and Marketing, taught by The Real Deal Publisher Amir Korangy.
For the competition’s judges Lightstone Group CEODavid Lichtenstein and JDS Development Group CEO Michael Stern the winning concept was Steven Steckel, Oliver Schwalbe and Jeff Adler’s “Friday Piers.”
Donning Steve Jobs-inspired black turtlenecks, the students made a mock pitch seeking a $266 million investment for the conversion of Manhattan’s empty Pier 40 into a Knicks practice facility.