Ground/Entry Level Development and Investment Platforms

Ground/Entry Level Development and Investment Platforms [Distressed Condominium / Tax Lien and Deed Investment]


Speakers
Jay Yang ‘12 MSRED, President of Klyn Real Estate LLC
Josh Cohane '12 MSRED, President of Blue Cradle Mountain LLC


Organized by the M.S. in Real Estate Development Program at Columbia GSAPP. This event is open to Columbia University affiliates with a valid University ID.


About the Speakers

Jay Yang is the president of Klyn Real Estate, LLC. Currently managing three residential assets in Brooklyn, NY and Greenwich, CT core locations. ($5M AUM). The firm is targeting to add one additional asset in the portfolio by the end of 2023 with a target to grow the portfolio to $20 - $30M with financing or partnering in 4- 5 years. He still acts as an executive disposition consultant for Twenty Lake Holdings, LLC and a regional officer at SH Holdings USA, LLC.

Prior to becoming the president of Klyn Real Estate, LLC, Jay Yang was a vice president at Twenty Lake Holdings, LLC - (Private Equity Family Office). He has played a key role in valuation, disposition and asset management of value added, distressed assets. With specialized competencies in unique office, industrial and retail asset classes including tax liens/deeds assets, he has focused his efforts on executing asset purchases, sales, re-positioning properties, maximizing gross capitalization and minimizing operating expenses. Managed a total portfolio of $543M, 110 assets across the nation.

Prior to joining Twenty Lake Holdings, Mr. Yang acted as a director of corporate real estate for Digital First Media - #2 in circulation and printing in newspaper industry followed by Gannett. He helped manage a portfolio of 6.0 million square feet of owned and leased newspaper real estate across 250 locations in the country. He managed to dispose over 125 commercial newspaper asset transactions with $230M in gross capitalization, $70M in lease restructure and tax savings. Mr. Yang obtained extensive knowledge and perspective in commercial real estate transactions, investment advisory, development, asset management, research and valuation and Cushman & Wakefield and Savills. He worked at Signature Community Investment Group based in New York City and was responsible for the underwriting analysis of commercial real estate investments.

He received a bachelor degree in Economics from Tufts University and a master degree in real estate development from Columbia University.


Josh Cohane is the President of Cradle Mountain Holdings, LLC. He is a seasoned professional with a wide depth of experience and leadership under extreme conditions. His experience spans 25 years including contributions to a successful tech start up through IPO, serving as a forward deployed military officer in the US Navy during wartime operations as well as launching a successful career in brokerage and entrepreneurial real estate in Southern California and New York City.

He served as a forward deployed engineering officer onboard the USS Bonhomme Richard during Operation Iraqi Freedom where he was awarded various commendations for his service. Following completion of his military commitment and a short time spent in the reserves, he set his sights on real estate and was hired by the national Commercial brokerage Marcus and Millichap in 2006. During his time at the firm, he focused on apartments and land markets and quickly made an impact with his creative approach to building a niche within the San Diego submarket.

Following time in the west coast, he relocated to build a real estate platform in up-and-coming North Brooklyn neighborhoods. Taking advantage of the rapid growth in the area was the key to building a $30M residential and mixed-use real estate portfolio from scratch within a 10-year period. This process led him to develop acumen in locating and underwriting deals and developing submarket and product type expertise. Day to day challenges included all aspects of real estate analysis, negotiation, development, management and administration. While working to build his real estate platform in NY, he also worked full time as an engineer for the city of New York while simultaneously earning two masters’ degrees at Columbia University including construction administration and real estate development. He graduated Boston College, BA.