Jason Muss Named President of Muss Development
His father, Joshua Muss, steps into the role of chairman and Jason will continue his work at the real estate development firm, which his family has owned for more than a century.
NEW YORK CITY—Jason Muss, 47, has been appointed president of Muss Development LLC. Founded in 1906, the Forest Hills, Queens-based real estate company has developed more than 15 million square feet of office, residential, retail, industrial and hotel assets throughout New York City. Jason now officially leads the company which in addition to developing property, actively invests in and leases multiple buildings.
His father, Joshua Muss, 77, is stepping into the role of chairman. He will remain involved in the business that has been family run for more than 100 years.
“As the firm’s new president Jason continues our multigenerational history of family ownership and management, I am confident that Muss Development is in good hands,” says Joshua.
“Being named president of Muss Development is a great honor,” says Jason. Upon receiving his JD from New York University School of Law, since 1996 he has worked at the firm.
“We have an excellent team in place, with a strategic plan to build on the last hundred years and move toward the next hundred. This is an exciting moment in my career and I’m looking forward to continuing the legacy that has been built,” he adds.
Jason is credited with refocusing the company’s efforts over the last five years. In Brooklyn, he initiated a joint venture with Avalon Bay. The development, called 1 Brooklyn Bay, is a new ground-up, luxury high-rise residential project in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Jason also oversaw the final tower at Muss’s Oceana Condominium & Club, a 927-unit, 16-building condo development in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.
While he led the company’s acquisition program, Muss purchased 10 different properties in the past few years. Most recently, this included an inaugural foray into California. They acquired an approximately two-acre property within a shopping center in the Los Angeles suburb, Thousand Oaks.
He has worked on repositioning the firm’s generational assets. For example, he oversaw the financing and renovation of the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, Muss’s 667-key hotel in Downtown Brooklyn. Jason also managed the repositioning at Forest Hills Tower, Muss’s 375,000-square-foot Class A office building in Forest Hills, Queens. This involved an extensive capital improvement program and a shift in leasing strategy.
His accomplishments include supervising the refinancing of more than $300 million worth of properties in 2018 alone.
Muss Development also notes that under Jason’s leadership, its entire 20-plus building retail portfolio is fully leased and stable.