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May 14, 2008

Richard Lipsky: Real Estate Scion

The Neighborhood Retail Alliance

Unlike the self-deprecating Norman Oder, lobbyist-for-the-little-guy-like-Bruce-Ratner, Richard Lipsky, toots his own horn upon being named to the NY Observer's list of the 100 Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate, and complains that he's ranked below... Norman Oder.

We really got a big kick out of the Observer's ranking of Richard Lipsky as one of the 100 most influential people in NYC real estate. Here's the blurb:
80
Richard Lipsky
Lobbyist, Richard Lipsky Associates To many large developers, particularly those who build big-box retail, Mr. Lipsky is a pain in the ass. He organizes public opposition and pitches to the media a constant David vs. Goliath story line, usually with small retailers, threatened by the Vornados and the Related Companies of the world, playing the David role.

In over twenty five years of lobbying work on behalf of small businesses, communities and labor, we have stooped over twenty separate big box and shopping center developments-the only consistent force operating successfully in this capacity; which makes the ranking of Norman Oder ahead of us as something of a mystery. What has Norman actually stopped in his vendetta against Atlantic Yards, and has he ever done anything else to create a body of work?

Oder posted this response on Lipsky's MomandPopNYC blog:

Richard, guess what--I'll agree you (and others) should be ahead of me.

I won't agree it's a vendetta.

And shouldn't you mention that you're paid by Ratner?

Cordially,
Norman Oder

link

NoLandGrab: Frequent reminders that the big-box-fighting Lipsky is on the payroll of the big-box-building Ratner wouldn't sit well with the lobbyist's David-vs.-Goliath storyline. Of course, as Kathy Goldman, the founder of a nonprofit group that supported a project against which Lipsky lobbied, told The New York Times in 1997, "He'll work for whoever pays him. I don't know where principle ends and expedience starts when you do that."

We're also not sure why Lipsky called his post "Real Estate Scion," since a scion is a descendant or heir. Lipsky's pop was a theatrical agent, according to that same Times article. Maybe he confused his father with his patron, Bruce Ratner.

Posted by eric at May 14, 2008 11:06 AM