Date: Nov 08, 2006

Redeveloping Long Island in the 21st Century

New Institute of Real Estate at Hofstra University to bring together developers, builders, planners to address future needs

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Building affordable housing, revitalizing downtowns and preserving open space are among the issues that real estate professionals and those in related fields will tackle at Redeveloping Long Island in the 21st Century at Hofstra University.

The seminar, takes place Nov. 29, 2006 from 7:30-11 a.m. at the Monroe Lecture Center Theater, California Avenue, south campus, and is co-sponsored by the newly formed Institute of Real Estate at Hofstra University.

“This is a great opportunity for real estate professionals to share experiences, lessons and articulate a regional agenda for redevelopment and investment on Long Island,” Richard  Guardino, Hofstra’s Vice President for Business Development, said of the seminar.

The goal of the Institute is to promote professionalism and to become a trusted source for real estate education, mentoring, information and networking for the real estate industry on Long Island, according to its founders. “The real estate industry on Long Island needs to establish a dominant source for authoritative information and quality post-graduate educational opportunities,” said founding member Alan Eidler, president of the Jericho-based development firm Spiegel Associates. “The desired levels of professionalism and practice are best achieved through an affiliation with a highly credible university like Hofstra. The University has demonstrated its ability to combine academic excellence with pragmatic reality.”

Other seminar sponsors are the Association for a Better Long Island, Long Island Board of Realtors, Long Island Builder’s Institute and Commercial Industrial Brokers Society of Long Island. Scott Rechler, chairman and CEO of Reckson Associates Realty Corp., is the keynote speaker.

Among the issues to be discussed at the seminar are:
• Can we create new downtowns for a new century?
• How must zoning change to meet Long Island’s needs?
• Existing downtown challenges, can we make them work?
• What’s ahead for housing in the new century?
• Will the municipalities be able to shorten the permit process?
• Are planning and building permits driving up the cost of housing?
• Can we have affordable housing, open space and lower taxes?
• Can we do all this and still maintain the environment we love?

The program will consist of two panels:

•    Redevelopment in the 21st Century, with David Bender, Apollo Real Estate; Andrew Freeling, American Planning Association; Joseph Mottola, Long Island Board of Realtors; Alec Ornstein, Long Island Builders Institute;  and Michael White, League of Conservation Voters. Moderator: Prof. Marshall Tracht, vice dean, Hofstra Law School

•    The Process, with David Blumenfeld, Blumenfeld Development Group; Donald Eversoll, Developer, Eversoll Consultants; Scott Rechler, Reckson Associates Realty Corp.; Ray Ruiz, CB Richard Ellis;  and Matthew Whalen, Avalon Bay Communities, Inc. Moderator: Prof. Robert Campbell, Zarb School of Business, Hofstra University.

To register or for more information, contact Theresa Haller at (516) 463-4069.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students find their edge to succeed in more than 140 undergraduate and 150 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 25 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.