John Lyons ‘17 MSRED 2025 Award for Commitment to the MS Real Estate Development Program

This award is intended for an individual who has shown unique commitment to the program through student mentorship and volunteerism, and for playing a pivotal role in strengthening the alumni network

Nitin Motwani '04 MSRED & Dev Motwani '06 MSRED 2025 Award for Global Leadership in Real Estate and Citymaking To acknowledge success in the profession of real estate development in impacting the built environment, this award is intended to be a reflection of the values Columbia aims to instill: innovation, integrity, and a deep commitment to shaping better cities.

Join Columbia GSAPP for the 2025 Real Estate Development Conference, Elevating Cities: Actioning Real Estate, on September 19, 2025, at the Mandarin Oriental, New York City.

The conference will bring together influential voices in development, urban planning, investment, architecture, and policy — and demonstrate the dynamic influence of real estate development on shaping the future of cities. Highlights will include how innovative design, sustainable growth strategies, and equitable development practices are transforming cities into more livable, resilient, and connected communities. Through a series of thought-provoking panel discussions, the conference will examine how cities are adapting to complex challenges and what’s required to build urban environments that are smarter, more inclusive, and resilient for the future.

Invited speakers include Larissa Belova ‘09 MSRED (UBS Asset Management); Nicholas Bienstock ‘92 MSRED/'96 MBA (Savanna); Melissa Román Burch (NYCEDC); George Theron Bynum IV (City of Tulsa); Tommy Craig '82 MBA (Hines); Jonathan Flaherty '07 MSUP/MBA (Tishman Speyer); Sonny Kalsi (BGO); Barry Langer '02 MSRED (Vornado Realty Trust); Tiffany Lau '09 MSRED (A P A R T Companies); Adam Lubinsky '01 M.Arch (Columbia GSAPP); Nitin Motwani '04 MSRED (Merrimac Ventures / Miami Worldcenter Associates); Claire Newman '07 MSUP (Trust for Governors Island); Jonathan F.P. Rose (Jonathan Rose Companies); Howard Slatkin '00 MSUP (Citizens Housing and Planning Council); Maria Torres-Springer (Ford Foundation); James von Klemperer (Kohn Pedersen Fox); Claire Weisz (WXY); Tom Wright '95 MSUP (Regional Planning Association / Columbia GSAPP) and additional guests.