REAL ESTATE
Jim Abdo
Founder, Abdo Development
Abdo revitalized now-burgeoning Dupont and Logan Circles, where nightclubs, high-end boutiques and galleries line the corridors of 14th street. Most recently his $200 million investment on H Street NE is transforming the former “riot corridor” now known as Senate Square into luxury residential development that has attracted high-profile buyers like former Mayor Anthony Williams and Mystics owner Sheila Johnson. He now has his sights set on redeveloping the New York Avenue gateway to Washington, where he controls 16 acres of land now approved for 3.5 million square feet of development. Among his and wife Mai’s other philanthropic activities, they are a driving force behind the National Children’s Museum, scheduled to reopen in 2012 at the National Harbor. His ability to gain access and influence the powers-that-be in local government is a testament to his ability to reshape the face of Washington.
Tom Anderson, Dana Landry, William F.X. Moody, Marc Schappell
Washington Fine Properties
In a tough real estate market, this firm continues to set records in high-end sales. They sell 40 percent of their own listings (the national average is 17 percent) by getting all of their agents behind each client. From $25 million homes to $500,000 condos, WFP handles a startling percentage of the sales and purchases of the most valuable properties in the area.
A. James Clark
Chairman, Clark Enterprises
As the grandfather of one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. with just over $2 billion in annual revenue, Clark’s name carries plenty of clout. He and CEO Larry Nussdorf have personally touched almost every major building project in town (the National’s Stadium, the Verizon Center) and beyond (the Hobby Airport expansion, Downtown Disney and the Flamingo Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas).
P. Wesley Foster, Jr. & Brenda Shiplett
Preisdent, L & F Companies
Real Estate Agent, Long & Foster
Under Foster and Shiplett’s leadership, the L&F Companies (which encompass Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Prosperity Mortgage Company, Mid-States Title Insurance Agency, Inc, and Long & Foster Insurance Agency, Inc.) continued to grow, reporting a sale volume of $61 billion last year. Shiplett’s their top exec and Foster’s right-hand woman (she’s general manager for Long & Foster’s Virginia/West Virginia region).
John T. “Til” Hazel
Partner, Reed, Smith, Hazel & Thomas
Hazel is a partner in Reed, Smith, Hazel & Thomas Real Estate. Since the 1960s, the Hazel family’s major commercial developments (Tysons Corner, for example) have been legendary and far-reaching. The sheer number of companies under the family crest is staggering: to name a few, there’s Hazel Land Companies, Inc., Hazel Peterson Development Company, William A, Hazel, Inc., and the ubiquitous law firm of Reed, Smith, Hazel and Thomas, which is the place to go to get things done for matters involving D.C.’s local government.
Benjamin Jacobs, Donald Brown & Joseph Gildenhorn
Partners, JBG companies
Real-estate giant The JBG Companies is headed by this trio, (with Mike Glosserman acting as managing partner) and has recently been redeveloping tracts of land in Bethesda. Most recently, JBG closed the purchase of Bethesda commercial hub Artery Plaza for $135 million. A power player since 1960, JBG continues to be one of the dominant players in the Washington-area real estate market.
Ted Lerner
President, Lerner Enterprise & Principal Owner of the Washington Nationals
Nobody tells this guy what to do. He’s a key player in Washington-area development, developing more than 6,000 apartments and over 22,000 homes, creating one of the largest privately-owned real estate operations in the region, and getting on the Forbes 400 richest Americans list. His tactical and quiet approach to business won him ownership of the Washington Nationals, and this Washington native made headlines recently with the kickoff of the Nationals third season in their splashy new $661 million stadium (courtesy of Lerner Enterprise development, of course).
Herb Miller
Chairman & CEO, Western Development Corp.
Potomac Mills is a legendary shopping mecca, and Miller is the force behind it. He also built Gallery Place and developed Washington Harbor. Miller, who sold his luxurious Georgetown mansion in 2007 for a whopping $24 million, is now working on the redevelopment of Georgetown Park and continues to be a force to reckon with in Washington real estate circles.
Abe Pollin
Chairman, Washington Sports and Entertainment
Still running his company at age 77, this real estate and sports tycoon has been as much a part of the D.C. development scene as the Lerner clan. But he doesn’t stop there. Pollin serves as chairman of the Advisory Council for UNICEF and the American Foundation for Autistic Children, donating countless dollars to charities around the world. He even has an award named in his honor, The Pollin Award, which recognizes those dedicated to helping the Washington community.
Deborah Ratner-Salzberg
President, Forest City Washington, Inc.
Baltimore has the Harbor, but Washington’s waterfront is woefully underdeveloped in terms of family-friendly fare. Ratner-Salzberg and Forest City Washington saw the vast potential sleeping in the District¹s Southwest quadrant, and with “The Yards” 42 acres situated between the new Nationals baseball stadium, the Navy Yard, M Street SE and the Anacostia River ¬Ratner-Salzberg is well on her way to creating Washington’s newest, fully-loaded waterfront neighborhood. Including five million square feet of development ¬ 2,800 residential units, 1.8 million square feet of office space, and 300,000 square feet of retail, The Yards, slated to open in 2010, may well become a neighborhood hub as prosperous and bustling as the northwest corner of our city.
Joe Robert. Jr.
Chairman, J.E. Robert Companies
Each fall, real-estate magnate Robert pulls together a boys-only night where CEO’s, Cabinet members, senators, and tycoons gather for a dinner that raises millions for Fight For Children, which distributes several grants to Washington schools. Robert can count among his friends Quincy Jones, Oprah Winfrey, and Herbie Hancock, who has signed his Boesendefer piano, as well as a host of Republican politicians. Though he and fiancée Ashley Taylor are keeping mum about their September nuptials, they will be as star-studded as a State dinner under the direction of famed Hollywood wedding planner Mindy Weiss.
