2025 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Daniel Pupke, Reuveni Development Marketing

 

“Despite his age, Daniel has already established himself as one of the most sought-after marketing consultants and Urban Planners in New York City, where he is currently consulting for some of the most revered development titans in the industry. In his current role as Director of Development for Reuveni Development Marketing, an affiliate of Christies International Real Estate, he is responsible for building residential projects on “paper” before they begin construction. He assists developers in evaluating the financial feasibility of potential and planned projects, studying complicated zoning and building codes, assembling and providing direction for project design teams, optimizing project unit mix and amenities, finessing layouts, and developing iconic marketing campaigns. His passion for high quality, iconic architectural and interior design, paired with his astute understanding of real estate economics and consumer behavior results in a palpable alchemy on the projects he has been involved with. His experience spans both residential and commercial projects and has included iconic properties such as Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development and the google-anchored Pier 57 in Chelsea. He has contributed to the successful delivery of over 3000 new or redeveloped housing units throughout New York City and the Tri-State area and has been involved with over $750M in condominium and cooperative transactions. Daniel first joined the real estate industry at the young age of 15 as an intern, an opportunity that allowed him to grow his career under the mentorship of some of the most legendary and revered names in the industry. He is passionate about paying it forward by mentoring novices of the real estate development industry. He has also volunteered his knowledge and passion for the built environment to the land use master planning of several institutions, including his alma mater(s) Kellenberg Memorial and Providence College. Daniel is currently steering the planning process of several of the most highly anticipated residential projects in New York, including the residential conversion of an extremely prominent landmark office tower in midtown Manhattan, as well as a large-scale residential project on Manhattan’s west side and several boutique projects in Downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. His contributions on these projects and others are helping advance the conversation of the future of Urban Living in New York. Daniel was named as part of Crains New York Business 2023 Notable Leaders in Real Estate..” - Shlomi Reuveni, CEO, Reuveni Development Marketing.

What’s one challenge you’ve overcome in your career so far, and what did it teach you? I was fortunate to enjoy a series of very hands-on summer internships when I was in college with a few big name developers. The only possible downside was that they were mostly with very large, very institutional companies. My colleagues were all super impressive, and it was nearly impossible to avoid benchmarking myself. I allowed a lot of self doubt to seep in which was soul crushing, and at times I questioned my career choice. It was only after I began working for smaller organizations that I found my voice and became confident in the value I bring to the table.

What recent professional milestone or project are you most proud of, and why? While I have been lucky enough to work on a plethora of projects over the past few years, there are two close to my heart (both boutique condominium conversion projects in downtown Manhattan) that will be launching this summer. The feedback and fanfare we have received thus far from the brokerage community and potential buyers alike has been fantastic. It is extremely rewarding to receive such a warm response after pouring so much heart and soul into these projects for the past three years.

What is your top advice for someone just starting out in your field? Read Read Read. Every real estate book, magazine, forum, blog, social media post, etc. Learn who the players are and how they grew their careers. Absorb as much terminology and concepts as possible. Learn the capital stack. Study the best projects and addresses and why they were successful. And when given the opportunity, meet the players and ask questions on all of these subject matters. Before you know it you will be speaking like one of them.

Who has been pivotal in your professional development, and how have they influenced you? I am incredibly lucky to have had hands on learning experiences from many of the best. But at the end of the day I owe 100% to Michele, Sabrina and Samantha Kleier who took a chance on me, hiring me as an intern at 15 years old and ushering me into the world of New York Real Estate. There have been many career highlights since then, but ultimately if not for them I would not be in the position I am today. And, as an added benefit, I am lucky to still call them great friends.