Ric Clark (pictured), chairman of Brookfield Property, on tech v innovation and telling WeWork to get lost.
“It’s about more than tech, it’s about innovation. Over the years landlords would rent space to a tenant for 15-20 years, leave them alone and then wonder why they didn’t want to renew. We have to be service providers now.
“WeWork really started making us think about this and if we aren’t careful, offices will go the way of hotels – the real estate sector will provide the bricks and mortar and someone else will come in to provide the service. It takes time to see it. We told Adam Neumann to get lost several times before we agreed to work with him.”
Scott Rechler, chief executive and chairman of RXR Realty and former vice chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, on rumours that Amazon’s HQ2 could be split between Virginia and Long Island
“That would mean a lot for the economy and property in the city and it would be amazing to bring in someone like Amazon. But we’ll need to invest in infrastructure if we are going to accommodate all those extra people – 50,000 jobs it’s set to create. If this comes to fruition, we will need to use this opportunity to re-energise the infrastructure conversation.”
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Ric Clark (pictured), chairman of Brookfield Property, on tech v innovation and telling WeWork to get lost.
“It’s about more than tech, it’s about innovation. Over the years landlords would rent space to a tenant for 15-20 years, leave them alone and then wonder why they didn’t want to renew. We have to be service providers now.
“WeWork really started making us think about this and if we aren’t careful, offices will go the way of hotels – the real estate sector will provide the bricks and mortar and someone else will come in to provide the service. It takes time to see it. We told Adam Neumann to get lost several times before we agreed to work with him.”
Scott Rechler, chief executive and chairman of RXR Realty and former vice chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, on rumours that Amazon’s HQ2 could be split between Virginia and Long Island
“That would mean a lot for the economy and property in the city and it would be amazing to bring in someone like Amazon. But we’ll need to invest in infrastructure if we are going to accommodate all those extra people – 50,000 jobs it’s set to create. If this comes to fruition, we will need to use this opportunity to re-energise the infrastructure conversation.”
[caption id="attachment_923939" align="alignnone" width="847"] Vanessa Butz[/caption]
Vanessa Butz, founder of District Technologies and winner of the MIPIM Proptech New York start-up competition, on opening an office in the US
“I think the place has to be New York. If we were looking to cater for consumer tech then maybe the West Coast would be the better choice. But for B2B, this is the right market.”
Julie Samuels, executive director of Tech:NYC, on the Proptech tipping point
“The tides are turning and changing. Some of that is just customer and consumer demand. But proptech is getting accepted by the people who control real estate.
“Look at the actual money. It’s widespread. People have a fear of missing out and you have really big companies out there now like Compass and Cadre and Convene. These are not start-ups anymore and the property sector can see it. It tips and then it goes. I think we are there at that tipping point now.”
Riggs Kubiak, founder of Honest Buildings, on the future
“I have the answer to everything. And it’s data.”
To send feedback, e-mail emily.wright@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmilyW_9 or @estatesgazette
