Hillary Called Ratner

Editor’s Note: Hi I’m Barbara, new Editor here at Brownstoner. This is my first post. We’ll be sharing the rest of our new lineup soon.

Yesterday’s Make It In Brooklyn Innovation Summit started with a bang. And a few surprise blasts from a full marching band. But the real show was seeing real estate bigs David and Jed Walentas of Two Trees and Bruce Ratner and Maryanne Gilmartin of Forest City Ratner share the stage in chummy conversation.

During the Q&A, we asked Ratner how he felt about having Hillary Clinton as a tenant at 1 Pierrepont Plaza, a building he built way back in 1987. His answer: “I was honored. I was sort of surprised. I’m delighted. No matter what my politics are.”

Ratner went on to share that Clinton personally called him a week after leasing the space. “It wasn’t for a campaign contribution,” he clarified. Building on the banter, President and CEO of Forest City Ratner, Maryanne Gilmartin chimed in, “It was a fair market deal. She’s paying rent.”

Clinton moved her campaign headquarters into 1 Pierrepont Plaza in April, though Politico recently reported that she’s only visited it once.

Reader pics of Hillary on her one trip to Brooklyn since leasing her HQ. With an unidentified fan at Monty Q’s, above left. Admiring Pierrepont Street near the Brooklyn Historical Society, above right.

More highlights from “The (Real Estate) Kings of Kings County” panel below.

David Walentas: “I played Monopoly as a kid. I just wanted to be a real estate developer.” #makeitinbk @DowntownBklyn pic.twitter.com/Zxdy3nbDoJ — Benjamin M. Branham (@benbranham) June 25, 2015

Overheard back stage: D. Walentas @TwoTreesNY to B. Ratner #FCRC Well we certainly ‘Made it in Brooklyn’ @makeitinbk pic.twitter.com/ViLzEUewo0 — Tucker Reed (@TuckerDBP) June 25, 2015

#BruceRatner believes the future of #Brooklyn is technology, and that the boro will be an east coast Silicon Valley in 30yrs. #MakeitinBK — Dena Libner (@denasl) June 25, 2015