The group’s first tour on the trek was at RXR, where students visited the Starrett-Lehigh building. The group learned about the conversion of a former warehouse into an office space and art studios, as well as the challenges of preserving the historical integrity of a building while pursuing renovations. Students also learned about the building’s tenant history, including temporary offices for the FBI and the Department of Defense.
The next firm visit was at the Westin Times Square, a Tishman hotel property, where students learned how the company evaluated the potential investment in a retail center in Times Square, walking through the deal from a market overview to the intricacies of the debt terms. The visit concluded with a tour of the retail center, which includes tenants such as Target, Five Below, Regal Cinemas, and Dallas BBQ.
At J.P. Morgan, students were treated to a real estate market strategy discussion. During a meeting with the company’s North America real estate team, the students learned about the various funds J.P. Morgan employs based on the risk tolerance of their clients. They also networked with professionals on the team. The students broke up into small groups, and more team members joined the session to share more about their roles in originations, debt, and asset management.
Speakeasy within the restaurant called “Zou Zou.” Building is owned by Brookfield Properties.
The second day of the trek started with a visit to Brookfield Properties. Brookfield’s hotel asset management team broke down the structure of the company and the team before leading a case study on a hotel property in Florida. After the presentation, the team took the students on a property tour featuring some recently finished projects, such as the restaurant Zou Zou’s and residences at the Eugene, which had fantastic rooftop views.
At Starwood Capital Group, students learned about investor relations, capital markets, and hotel asset management. They also learned about role-specific goals such as fostering strong client relationships and understanding the intricacies of fundraising goals, quotas, and investment umbrellas. The investor relations team walked the students through one of its platforms, Field & Stream Lodge Co., focused on building lifestyle lodging near national parks and ski towns. On the capital markets side, students learned about how Starwood sourced financing for investments acquired by its various private equity vehicles.
The last firm visit of the trek was TPG Real Estate Partners. The team discussed how it focuses on the academic nature of investing, detailing the “white book” investment pitches team members present at their annual conference to gain insight into emerging trends in various markets. The team also discussed how they created an industrial platform and a hotel platform and walked the group through some niche asset classes such as film studios and build-to-rent houses.
Student reflections
“The NYC trek was an amazing opportunity to hear from firms that specialize in the different asset classes. This semester, we were invited on multiple property tours and received an in-depth overview of the deal process for major retail and multifamily deals. It was an amazing opportunity to reconnect with alumni whom we’ve previously hosted for speaker panels and learn more about the work they are doing.” — Esha Patel ’27, Nolan Hotel School
“The reunion was an exceptional experience to meet with alumni who have realized some of our professional aspirations. Speaking to Joshua Abada, vice president of investment at Tredway, about his firm specializing in affordable housing, I quickly grew interested in the idea of working in the intersection between real estate, law, and policy.” — Luca Pavlovich ’27, economics, College of Arts & Sciences
“This year’s Real Estate Club trek was my first opportunity to visit New York City and engage with the industry firsthand. Exploring the offices of various firms not only expanded my network to support my recruiting efforts, but also provided me with a clearer understanding of the diverse roles available across the commercial real estate sector. One highlight was our visit to Tishman Speyer, where we toured the Westin at Times Square and learned about the strategic leasing of retail spaces to popular stores and tourist attractions, capitalizing on the area’s high foot traffic. In addition to the trek, attending the CREC reunion provided an opportunity to connect with alumni in a more casual, relaxed setting. It was inspiring to hear how CREC helped shape their careers and to learn about current trends in Manhattan’s office and hospitality sectors.” — Kaden Liu ’27, information science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
“This semester’s New York City trek truly broadened my perspective on asset classes such as multifamily, office, and retail. I had the unique opportunity to tour the RXR office and Tishman Speyer’s retail mixed-use projects. While touring properties, I was truly able to visualize and apply real estate asset management concepts by learning from experienced professionals. I am so grateful to have connected with these professionals who are dedicated alumni who are more than willing to give unique advice to my fellow trek attendees and me.” — Nandini Singh ’28, Nolan Hotel School
