2025 Year in Review: Joseph Fingerman, Peapack Private Bank & Trust

What accomplishment, milestone, project or transaction stood out for you or your firm in 2025? 

Peapack Private has expanded its New York City footprint with the opening of a retail financial center at 300 Park Ave. along with a full office presence above establishing a significant anchor in Midtown. We have also opened offices in Melville and Garden City to complement our existing infrastructure. Since joining the firm our CRE team has delivered financing solutions to leading real estate owners across the multifamily retail office and industrial sectors. Major market players are enthusiastic about partnering with Peapack Private where they can work directly with seasoned bankers.

What emerging trends or shifts will shape opportunities for you, your firm, or market sector in 2026? 

In 2026 AI will be one of the biggest drivers of opportunity in commercial real estate. It won’t replace jobs in our industry but it will dramatically speed up how we work — streamlining underwriting automating document review and improving market forecasting. That efficiency allows bankers, owners and investors to focus more on relationships and strategic decisions not paperwork. The firms that win will be those that use AI to move faster, see around corners and amplify the value of human judgment.

What transaction, project, or key moment best reflected the direction of the New York CRE market this year? 

To me the most telling sign of the direction of the New York City market has been the broad return to office — from major corporations to small businesses. In Midtown, restaurants once again have lines out the door at lunchtime the subways are full and commuter trains are standing room only. As developer Gary Barnett recently noted “We’re back to where business centers matter… There’s nothing like being together in person.”