The Barclays Center, the New York Times Building, Atlantic Yards; these are just a few of the large scale development projects that Forest City Ratner has undertaken in New York City. Forest City Ratner has developed hundreds of properties throughout the U.S focusing on retail, office and multifamily development, with a distinct focus mixed use transit-oriented projects. On September 25th, 2014, the Baker Program in Real Estate will welcome Kate Bicknell (BS ’99) to Cornell for the Distinguished Speaker Series. Kate Bicknell currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Commercial and Residential Development for the Forest City Ratner Companies.
Kate Bicknell has been integral in the advancement of the CornellTech project on Roosevelt Island. She was responsible for securing the partnership between Forest City Ratner and Cornell University. Bicknell has also led the initial development for Forest City on the co-location building which is set to be the premier office building developed on the Roosevelt Island campus. The building will host both CornellTech and private technology companies. “Kate is a rising star in the real estate development world. She and Forest City Ratner Cos have a unique perspective on the benefits of public private partnerships in this new economy” said Dustin Jones, Associate Director to the Baker Program in Real Estate.
Forest City Ratner was selected to be the master developer of the first phase of the CornellTech project which is scheduled to open in 2017 on Roosevelt Island. The project will include over two million square feet of space in a series of highly integrated buildings. The project is designed to be an extremely innovative and diverse mix of academic facilities, commercial businesses, research and development buildings and living space. “You constantly hear of the large scale development Forest City Ratner is working on in New York City. It is really exciting to be able hear from someone who is at the forefront of that development” said Annamaria Lookman (Baker ’16). It is clear that students are eager to hear more on this project during Bicknell’s visit.
Bicknell has also been working on progressing the next phase of the mixed-use Brooklyn development project Pacific Park (formerly Atlantic Yards). Forest City Ratner Companies have been instrumental in the reshaping of Brooklyn and Bicknell is actively working towards the continued development of New York’s most populated borough. Bicknell began her career as a legislative aid in Washington DC working for Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Subsequently, Bicknell was responsible for helping to secure the passage of the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfield Revitalization Act while working as a federal policy director for Smart Growth America.
