Sterling Project Development is a full-service development management and advisory firm focused on complex real estate projects worldwide.
We have deep experience in all aspects of real estate, analytics, entitlement, design and engineering management, construction and turnover to end users. As an affiliate of Sterling Equities, a highly regarded national real estate owner manager founded over 50 years ago, we bring our inherent owner's mentality to every project we undertake. Since SPD is family-owned, we are independent of third-party financial or brokerage control, allowing us to determine the focus and trajectory of the firm without the potential for the misaligning interests of our clients.
We have also recently made a commitment to supporting projects that positively impact society and our planet. This starts with work that supports climate change initiatives and extends to mission-driven work benefiting cities and the citizens within them.
Whether our role is to provide advisory services or to actively manage all aspects of development, SPD is committed to the highest standards of integrity, excellence, inclusion and respect on behalf of our clients as well as our own work environment.
Jeff Wilpon is a Founding Partner and CEO of Sterling Project Development with over four decades of experience overseeing major construction projects. He has supervised and or advised on more than $10 billion worth of commercial, residential and sports-related development projects.
Mr. Wilpon recently developed and executed the Belmont Park Masterplan that included UBS Arena, the new home for the New York Islanders, and Belmont Park Village, a 154-store luxury retail destination. He is part of the team providing owner’s representative services at Willets Point, a masterplanned 4 million square-foot mixed-use development in Flushing, New York that includes a 25,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium and 2,500 units of affordable housing.
Mr. Wilpon collaborated with the Green Bay Packers on the creation of Titletown, a 45-acre sports and entertainment district anchored by Lambeau Field. Over the past 10 years, SPD has supervised and coordinated the design and construction of over 900,000 square feet of mixed-use development across the Titletown campus.
Previously, Mr. Wilpon led the planning, design and building of 383 Madison Avenue, a 47-story tower encompassing an entire city block in Manhattan, and spearheaded the renovations of Radio City Music Hall and the headquarters of Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League.
During his 18 years as chief operating officer of the New York Mets, Mr. Wilpon oversaw the construction of multiple baseball stadiums highlighted by Citi Field. He built the team’s minor league ballpark in Brooklyn, New York and the Mets complex in the Dominican Republic, he also renovated its Spring Training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida and minor-league ballparks in Syracuse, New York and Kingsport, Tennessee.
Mr. Wilpon also serves as Chairman and CEO of Alta Vista Partners, a real estate investment and operating platform.
Mr. Wilpon sits on the board and the executive committee of the Hospital for Special Surgery and the Association for a Better New York. He also serves on the boards of the 92nd Street Y, 9/11 Memorial &Museum, Harlem Village Academies, Michigan Medicine Advisory Group, the Michigan Sports Business Conference and Titletown Tech.
Since entering the industry in 1986, Richard Browne (Managing Partner of SPD) has enjoyed equally successful careers as a builder, commercial building owner and project consultant.
Mr. Browne’s real estate career began as a property owner and manager of two large commercial buildings as well as a construction company owned by his family in New York City. He became managing general partner of the family businesses in 1989 and subsequently sold the properties to outside investors in 2001.
From that point forward, Mr. Browne has focused on managing and advising third-party clients on literally hundreds of real estate development projects across the globe. This included significant restoration work in Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center from 2001 through 2004.
From 2005 until its final completion in 2010, Mr. Browne served as Owner’s Representative to Queens Ballpark Company, LLC, which spearheaded the development and construction of Citi Field, the Home of the New York Mets. This $800 million ballpark, which was completed on schedule and under budget, is regarded as one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in the country.
In addition to managing the day-to-day affairs of SPD, recently completed projects in which Mr. Browne has played a role include UBS Arena, the new home of the New York Islanders hockey team, as well as St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.
A certified mediator, Mr. Browne currently devotes the majority of his time to complex / distressed project work as well as dispute resolution, which is his true passion.
