Check out our current listings here: https://www.ripcony.com/property-listings/?broker=Brian%20Whelan%2C%20Mitchel%20Flaherty

This Broker Brunch episode dives into the real challenges of developing in New York City today.

We're sitting down with Sergey Rybak of Rybak Development and Eli Weiss of Joy Construction to discuss rising construction costs, policy confusion, and how developers are adapting to one of the toughest markets in the world.

From navigating 421A and 485X to staying optimistic about the city’s future, this conversation reveals what it truly takes to build in New York in 2025.

Connect with us on LinkedIn
Brian Whelan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-whelan-43155850/
Mitchel Flaherty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchel-flaherty-7b4b1064/


(00:00) Preview 
(00:35) Growing Up in the Upper West Side  
(05:24) Lessons from Affordable Housing 
(07:27) Founding Savanna
(11:35) Scaling Through Partnerships and Institutional Capital  
(14:01) The Art of Raising Money and Building Trust with Investors  
(18:28) Adapting to Economic Shocks
(21:57) Why Local Expertise Wins  
(23:50) The Office Market Rebound and Midtown’s Transformation  
(28:29) Expanding to West Palm Beach and Beyond  
(28:49) Finding Opportunity Amid Distress
(31:20) The Future of Office-to-Residential Conversions