For over 30 years, John has guided HR&A’s real estate advisory practice.

 

John’s work focuses on development finance, the revitalization of urban communities, regional economic development, waterfront redevelopment and asset planning for institutions. John’s core skills include structuring public-private partnerships, development finance, building parklands, and creating innovative development strategies.

John’s wide-ranging practice is national and international in scope ranging from New York to Cincinnati, San Antonio to London. His work focuses on large-scale urban transformations, as well as discrete real estate transactions. Since founding the New York office of HR&A in 1984, he has led bold plans that have reshaped important waterfronts, downtown districts and neighborhoods.

John has:

• Led the award-winning development of the 4,500 acre Daniel Island for the Guggenheim Foundation;
• Conducted a comprehensive review of master planning efforts for the 2012 Olympic Parklands in London;
• Led waterfront development efforts for sites in New York City, Toronto, Hong Kong, Philadelphia, Charleston, St. Louis, and along a ten mile stretch of the Anacostia River Waterfront in Washington D.C.;
• Advised on the creation of a new sustainable community in Chengdu, that will total in over 6 million square feet of mixed-use development;
• Created numerous public-private partnerships including theCenter City Development Corporation, the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation, the Daniel Island Development Corporation and the National Capitol Revitalization Corporation;
• Provided strategic real estate advisory to educational, medical and cultural institutions such as the New York Blood Center, the University of Pennsylvania, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the Research Triangle Park Foundation; and
• Advised private developers including General Growth Properties, the Related Companies, Brookfield Properties, and Macerich.

John held several positions in city governments and brings his experience in public budgeting and public finance to his practice. He served as the City Manager of Santa Monica, California, where he was responsible for the planning and development of the Third Street Promenade.

John is a regularly requested speaker for conferences and events hosted by large professional organizations throughout the United States and internationally. Recently, he has held speaking engagements for the Urban Land Institute, the New York City Bar Association, WNYC, the New London Architecture Centre, and the International Skyrise Greenery Conference.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and a Doctorate from the University of Massachusetts.

• Emeritus Chair, Friends of the High Line
• Member, Board of Directors, Center for an Urban Future
• Member, Board of Directors, SL Green Realty Corporation (Lead Independent Director and Chair, Compensation Committee)
• Member, Board of Directors, Macerich
• Member, Global Agenda Council on Urbanization of the World Economic Forum
• Adjunct Associate Professor, Columbia University, Masters in Real Estate Development Program
• Member, Board of Directors, Xenia Hotels & Resorts (Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Compensation Committee)