Urban Land Institute New York (ULI New York) launched its Urban Visionary Series with developer, owner and manager, Bill Rudin of Rudin Management Company.
During the exclusive members-only luncheon at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Rudin engaged in a candid discussion, sharing his unique experiences and lessons learned.
Highlights included an exploration of Rudin’s career, including insight into the Rudin family legacy and how Rudin Management Company has played a role in the creation of the New York City landscape. “We are very connected to this neighborhood and this city. We believe in this City; we love this City,” he said.
Rudin emphasized the importance of maintaining a convenient and livable city, quoting his father, Lewis Rudin: “If I can’t get there by subway, I don’t want to own it.”
Understanding the value of mass transit and infrastructure has allowed the Rudins to develop successful projects throughout New York. The company has been vital in facilitating the Downtown Renaissance.
In the mid-1990s, Lower Manhattan had 8,000 residents and now has over 40,000. This dramatic population shift is the result of the Rudins, and like-minded developers, transforming underused commercial office space into residential property – an achievement Rudin is very proud of.
The program concluded with a Twitter Q&A moderated by ULI New York chairman, Robert C. Lieber.
When asked what he thought the city needed to maintain competiveness, Rudin expressed a positive and confident outlook for the future of New York City and the new administration: “We have to continue to grow the economy and create jobs.”
