On this episode of Closed!, Lee sits down with David Helbraun, founding partner and chairman of Helbraun Levey, a New York hospitality law firm representing restaurants, bars, hotels, and nightlife operators across the city.

Before becoming a lawyer, David spent years in the restaurant industry himself, first behind the bar and later as the owner of Pyramid Coffee Company, a multi-unit Manhattan café chain. In this conversation, he brings both perspectives to the table, breaking down what restaurant operators actually look for when evaluating a New York City space.

David walks through the practical and legal considerations that can make or break a restaurant deal, from liquor license restrictions, outdoor dining, landmark issues, ventilation, electricity, basements, and second-generation spaces to the informal broker networks that often determine who gets access to the best locations before they ever hit the market.

The conversation also explores the pressures facing restaurants today, including labor shortages, rising costs, landlord leverage, delivery platforms, restaurant group consolidation, and why the future of New York dining may look very different from the fine-dining era that came before it.

To learn more about David Helbraun and Helbraun Levey, visit helbraunlevey.com.

To learn more about Lee and Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit bfkplaw.com.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, Lee sits down with Jonathan Miller, co-founder of Miller Samuel, a New York-based real estate appraisal and consulting firm, for a timely conversation on New York City’s rental market and the recent decision to freeze rents for rent-stabilized apartments.

Jonathan breaks down what the rent freeze does and does not mean, including why it applies to rent-stabilized units rather than the entire rental market. He explains how the decision could affect renters, landlords, lenders, open-market rents, and the long-term condition of New York City’s affordable housing stock.

The conversation also explores the broader pressures facing the city’s housing market, from rising operating costs and limited financial incentives to maintain older buildings, to constrained lending, historically high market rents, and the ongoing distortion created by low inventory and elevated mortgage rates. Jonathan discusses why maintaining existing affordable housing may be just as important as building new units, and why the city’s rental market remains one of the most complicated pieces of New York’s real estate economy.

To learn more about Jonathan Miller and his work, visit housingnotes.com and follow his market commentary through The Real Deal.

To learn more about Lee and Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit bfkplaw.com.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, Lee sits down with NY State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, who represents District 59 in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and serves as Chair of the Senate Internet and Technology Committee, to discuss her sponsorship of the Responsible Data Center Development Act.

Senator Gonzalez breaks down why data centers have become such a pressing issue in New York, particularly as large language models and generative AI drive demand for hyperscale facilities that consume great amounts of energy and water. She explains the intentions behind the bill towards understanding the broader impact of large-scale data center development on New York’s energy grid, utility bills, environmental resources, and local communities.

The conversation also covers what it means for New York to become the first state to pass a statewide data center moratorium, why community benefit agreements and labor standards matter, how local governments are facing pressure from major technology companies, and why Senator Gonzalez believes responsible planning is necessary to support innovation without placing the burden on everyday New Yorkers.

To learn more about Senator Kristen Gonzalez and her work, visit nysenate.gov or follow her official account, @SenGonzalezNY.

To learn more about Lee and Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit bfkplaw.com.

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To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, Mike sat down with Tina Larsson, co-founder of The Folson Group and author of “Living the High Life,” to discuss what really happens behind the scenes inside New York City co-op and condo buildings.

Tina explained why co-op and condo boards are not just managing apartments, but effectively running complex businesses with aging infrastructure, regulations, budgets, building-wide mortgages, insurance concerns, and volunteer board members who often have limited time and technical expertise. She also discussed how her own experience organizing a board coup led to major savings for her building and eventually inspired the creation of The Folson Group.

The conversation covers how boards can better manage costs, evaluate vendors, oversee major projects, navigate Local Law 97 and energy compliance, improve board processes, and make more informed decisions for the long-term health of their buildings. Tina also breaks down why shareholders and unit owners need to take a more proactive role in understanding the buildings they live in, the systems they depend on, and the governance structures that affect their investment.

To learn more about Tina Larsson and The Folson Group, visit https://www.thefolsongroup.com/about

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, Lee sits down with Michael Cohen, Managing Partner of Brighton Capital Advisors, to unpack what is happening behind the scenes in the commercial mortgage-backed securities market, and why the next several years could present serious challenges for commercial real estate borrowers.

Michael explains how CMBS loans are structured, why their leverage and nonrecourse features can make them attractive, and what changes once a loan is securitized and the original lender no longer controls it. The conversation also examines the wave of ten-year loans approaching maturity in 2027, the backlog created by post-COVID extensions, and the growing pressure facing multifamily, office, and hotel assets. Michael explains why borrowers should begin preparing six to nine months before a maturity or anticipated default, what lenders expect to see in a workout proposal, and why waiting until a loan reaches special servicing can significantly reduce a borrower’s leverage.

To learn more about Michael Cohen and Brighton Capital Advisors, visit https://brightoncapitaladvisors.com/leadership-team/michael-cohen/ and follow their latest research and insights on LinkedIn.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, recorded live at The Real Deal Forum, Lee and Emily sit down with Brave Ronquillo-Ascalon, a business development leader at Stage One, to talk about the role of staging and furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) in transforming how real estate is wholly experienced and ultimately sold to buyers.

Brave breaks down why FF&E is the 5% that makes up 100% of a buyer's first impression of a development, demonstrating how the right lobby, amenity space, furniture selection, artwork, materials, and layout can shape their opinions before they ever step inside a unit. She discusses how Stage One works with developers and landlords as a one-stop procurement and furnishing partner to streamline increasingly complex new development projects. From the emotional impact of design to the practical risks of poor staging and designs, Brave explains why even a small slice of a project’s budget can define the entire sensory experience of a building.

To learn more about Brave Ronquillo-Ascalon and Stage One, find Stage One on Instagram and LinkedIn, and as always, to learn more about Lee, Emily, and BFKP, visit bfkplaw.com.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, recorded live at The Real Deal Forum, Mike and Emily sit down with Samir Mezrahi, founder of Zillow Gone Wild, the viral real estate platform highlighting the most unusual and unexpected listings across the country.

Samir talks about the origins of Zillow Gone Wild as a pandemic-era side project that grew into a multi-platform media brand with more than 4 million followers and a hit HGTV television franchise. He breaks down why real estate has become entertainment, what really makes a listing go viral, and how the strangest homes often reveal the most about the personal and creative choices people make with the spaces they live in.

From secret gun ranges hidden beneath private go-kart tracks to 68,000-square-foot Alabama mansions, Samir offers a look inside the internet’s obsession with weird homes and why real estate is the best form of storytelling.

To learn more about Samir Mezrahi and Zillow Gone Wild, follow @samir @zillowgonewild, and as always, to learn more about Mike, Emily, and BFKP, visit bfkplaw.com.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, recorded live at The Real Deal Forum, Lee and Mike sit down with Stephen Siegel, Chairman of Global Brokerage at CBRE and one of the most recognizable names in New York City brokerage, to talk about what the data is really saying about the recovery of the New York City office market.

Stephen breaks down why the return-to-office conversation has shifted so dramatically since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and why working from home was never going to replace in-person work. He discusses how financial services firms, law firms, AI companies, and other major users are reshaping the market, and why premium supply remains scarce. Stephen delves into flight-to-quality, rising rents across Class B buildings, and why landlords who invest in amenities and general improvements will see the market move in their favor.

To learn more about Stephen Siegel and CBRE, visit cbre.com, and as always, to learn more about Lee, Mike, and BFKP, visit bfkplaw.com.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, recorded live at The Real Deal Forum, Lee and Mike sit down with Justin Pelsinger, partner and COO of Charney Companies, to talk about how one of New York's most active developers is building at scale across Brooklyn and Queens.

Justin breaks down how Charney got into Gowanus before the rezoning, how they closed a $450 million construction loan for a 55-story tower in Long Island City, and why relationships still drive large-scale financing in any market. He also gets into the Gowanus Wharf master-brand campus, their cultural cross-branding partnership with Brooklyn music venue Public Records, and why design is never just an afterthought.

To learn more about Charney Companies, find them on Instagram @charneycompanies, and as always, to learn more about Lee and BFKP, visit bfkplaw.com.

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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On this episode of Closed!, recorded live at The Real Deal Forum, Lee sits down with YuhTyng Patka, partner at Adler & Stachenfeld LLP, and one of the leading real estate tax attorneys in the country, to pull back the curtain on one of the most important and least understood forces shaping New York City real estate: property taxes and tax incentives.

Tyng chairs her firm's New York City Real Estate Tax & Zoning Incentives Practice, its Climate Mobilization Act Task Force, and its PACE Financing Practice, and was recently named to Crain's 2026 Notable Women in Law. She works with owners and developers every day on tax certiorari proceedings, incentive programs, and the ever-evolving legislative landscape that determines whether a project pencils out or not.

In this conversation, Tyng breaks down how the property tax system actually works, why the 485x incentive has spawned a wave of 99-unit buildings across the city, and what developers are leaving on the table as a result. She also shares how she uncovered that the city had been misclassifying properties and misinterpreting its own law, winning significant refunds for her clients in the process.

Whether you are a developer, an owner, or a lawyer who wants to better understand the tax side of real estate, this one is not to be missed.

To learn more about Tyng and Adler & Stachenfeld, visit www.adstach.com or find her on LinkedIn. And as always, to learn more about Lee, Mike, and BFKP, visit bfkplaw.com

To find out more about Bergstein Flynn Knowlton & Pollina PLLC, visit our website at bfkplaw.com.

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