New Yorkers Build This City! -With Jim Somoza

With me today, I have Jim Somoza! He is the Managing Director at Industry City.

Join them on this episode where they go back in time. Jim tells us what it was like growing up in New York in the 70s and 80s. He talks about how his dad moved to an apartment on the upper west side, overlooking central park. He tells us how he would spend his afternoons in the parks, and weekends in the west village with his best friend. He talks about going to the arcades in Times Square, as well as other games they made up to entertain themselves.

Jim then talks about his time as a Real Estate Lawyer. How when he started his practice, it was very difficult to find work. But after sticking with it, even through the crash of the late 90s, he was able to find work and also met people that would bring him to his next career shift in working on Chelsea Market.

Kelly asks Jim about the history of Chelsea market: How it got started, what it was like to work there, and he tells us about its founders' vision and what he wanted Chelsea Market to be. Kelly also asks him about a famous sweet treat that was invented at Chelsea Market, and Jim tells us a little known fact about it.

Jim then talks about his time developing Industry City. He talks about how the proposal came to him. He tells us what Industry City used to be and how it used to function. He talks about how large it is in comparison to Chelsea Market and even the Empire State building. He then tells us what his strategy was in order to get not only retailers in the space, but also offices and patrons. Jim talks about the community aspect of Industry City, and what he hopes people will get from it when they come for a visit.

But above all else; Jim Somoza is a New Yorker.

Kelly's Social Media

@NewYorkCityKopp

Jim's Social Media and Industry City

@Jim_Somoza

@IndustryCity

Jae's Social Media

@Studiojae170

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Inside New York's Industry City
• (00:00:40) - New Yorkers
• (00:01:56) - The Story of New York City
• (00:05:17) - Living in New York City in the 70s and 80s
• (00:09:59) - Coming soon: Jay-Z on Growing Up in Brooklyn
• (00:11:24) - Living The Warriors In NYC
• (00:15:24) - Brooklyn doctor on New York City
• (00:21:06) - Real Estate Broker: The Crash of the Internet
• (00:26:50) - Real Estate Story: The Chelsea Market Sale
• (00:30:54) - Joe Bastianich on Chelsea Market and
• (00:34:07) - The Chelsea Market Building Sale
• (00:38:27) - The Fight for the Upper Flights
• (00:40:11) - The Japanese grocery store in Brooklyn
• (00:44:10) - Brooklyn Core: The Sake Brewery
• (00:47:32) - Mayor Bill de Blasio on New York's Walking Communities
• (00:51:20) - What Does It Mean to Be a New Yorker?
• (00:53:58) - Jim Samoza on New Yorkers Podcast
• (00:55:30) - New Yorkers: Thank You!