Bio: Executive VP of Acquisitions and Development and part-owner at EYA. MBA from Wharton, Environmental Psychology training from Cornell. Led Pike & Rose development at Federal Realty before joining EYA to continue Bob Youngentob's vision.

EYA's Evolution [00:00 :01-00:06:31 ]: Goldman became EVP when he and partners became part-owners. Recent passing of Founder Bob Youngentob, who created sustainable long-term transition plan five years before illness. Goldman, Jack Lester, Akash Thakkar, and McLean Quinn are four of five owners. Time split: 1/3 acquisitions, rest development, focusing on vision, economic viability, and implementation. Core business remains townhomes (3-10 acre sites with high entitlement barriers), but dramatically expanded into commercial mixed-use, master planning, and substantial multifamily practice over 15 years.

Origin & Education [00:09 :34-00:23:45 ]: Grew up in Suffern, NY in economically unstable household with gambling father (Atlantic City trips as "vacations"). Turned to drawing/sketching houses as outlet and coping mechanism. Early hotel exposure sparked design fascination. Attended Cornell's Design Environmental Analysis program combining interior architecture with Environmental Psychology—studying how spaces psychologically affect people (McDonald's loud, hard-seated quick-turnover design vs. fine dining comfort). Small 11-person cohort provided mentorship and stability.

Career Journey [00:23 :45-00:35:48 ]: BBGM architecture firm → Mandarin Hotel competition (Tishman Speyer) loss convinced him developers drive key decisions → Russian Tea Room $30M renovation as VP of Design at 26 under perfectionist Warner LeRoy (briefly fired, then brought back with scholarship) → Wharton MBA → Tishman Speyer → Holiday Corp → Federal Realty. Advice for young professionals: Get lots of "reps" on different projects early. Leverage your strengths while staying multidisciplinary enough to ask right questions. Be bold, take calculated risks, "go first"—don't wait for permission.

Pike & Rose [00:44 :48-01:13:01 ]: Led Federal Realty's 24-acre Mid-Pike Plaza transformation (original Toys R Us site). Massive entitlement: 29M sq ft approved required 80+ community meetings in one year. Hired political organizers (Dewey Square) to combat opposition and build support through polling and targeted outreach. 2008 recession required phased approach with interim and ultimate plans. Collaboration with Don Wood, Street Works, Sandy Clinton, Paula Reese balanced vision with economics using Federal Realty's corporate debt advantage. Key insight: Retail knowledge and street-level activity are foundation for best mixed-use projects. Created Project Visioning Committee (PVC) meeting bi-weekly for Bob Youngentob knowledge transfer to next generation, ensuring design rigor. Goldman frequently asks "What would Bob do?"

Key EYA Projects [01:18 :55-02:37:01 ]: Montgomery Row: IBM office-to-residential in Rock Spring Park office park. Strathmore Square: Holy Cross Seminary partnership, first geothermal trial. McMillan Reservoir: 15-year effort with JAIR Lynch/Trammell Crow, city handled historic sand filtration restoration, 20-30% affordable housing, overcame legal challenges from external opponents. Graham Park Plaza: Loehman's Plaza retail conversion to attainable smaller townhomes (14-foot units at $600-650K). Robinson Landing: High-end Old Town Alexandria waterfront condos ($1,000+/sq ft), became largest archaeological dig on Eastern Seaboard after discovering three Revolutionary War ships—14-month work stoppage, $7M+ archaeology costs. Providence Reimagined: 25-acre hospital site requiring $30M demolition and complex utility replacement for operating medical office buildings.

Competitive Edge: In-house construction company provides pricing structure competitors lack. Willing to take entitlement risk others avoid. 30-year track record: only one failed entitlement of 50+ projects. Never closes on land until fully entitled. Programmatic relationship with Bernstein Management Company (8 years) for townhome equity. Targets distressed suburban office/retail for residential conversion.

Civic & Personal [02:37 :01-02:44:06 ]: 2012 Livable Communities Leadership Award for Pike & Rose. Coalition for Smarter Growth advocate. ULI vice chair, chair of mission advancement, involved in Future Forum on regional collaboration. Family priority: wife Amy (investments), three kids in Adams Morgan. Charitable focus: Jewish community (JCC board, Jewish Federation, Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School). Hockey coach/team manager for son's travel team.

Billboard Message [02:35:58 ]: "That house you love, the coffee shop, farmers market, grocery store, office—all brought to you by your neighborhood developer." Reminds public development creates the spaces we live in, including parks and playgrounds. Advocates viewing development as ecosystem, working collaboratively vs. demonizing industry, which hinders affordable housing and infrastructure progress.