The real estate consultancy to see in the de Blasio era
Dana Rubinstein
Today, Carl Weisbrod works his last day as a partner at real estate consultancy HR&A Advisors. On Monday, he will report to work as Bill de Blasio’s planning commissioner, a job where he will wield nearly unrivaled power over major real estate projects in New York City, including some in which his former employer has had a hand.
In the de Blasio administration, Weisbrod will be joined by fellow HR&A alums Shola Olatoye, who will chair the New York City Housing Authority, and Anthony Shorris, de Blasio’s first deputy mayor.
De Blasio's Small Business Services commissioner Maria Torres-Springer, meanwhile, is married to Jamie Torres Springer, a partner at the firm. (She hyphenates her name, he doesn't).
“So you say, ‘Are we plugged in?’” said John Alschuler, the firm’s chairman, in a recent interview. “I mean, ‘plugged in’ implies that we’re just familiar. Yeah, we’re familiar.”
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/02/8541024/real-estate-consultancy-see-de-blasio-era