Building Knowledge

Westchester County needs more housing—but what resources are available to help make it happen? In Episode 126 of Building Knowledge , we welcome Blanca Lopez, Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Planning, for a conversation about the county's housing initiatives, funding opportunities, and programs that support new development, rehabilitation, and preservation. Commissioner Lopez...

In Episode 125 of Building Knowledge , we welcome Sarah Tavares , Campaign Organizer for Welcome Home Westchester , to discuss the coalition's ongoing efforts to address Westchester County's housing shortage. Sarah explains the coalition's mission, membership, and the local policy options that cities, towns, and villages can adopt to expand housing opportunities. She also shares an update on the m...

Episode 124 of Building Knowledge explores security considerations for building owners, property managers, homeowners, and consumers as summer gets underway. Guest Thad McKeown, Director of Sales for Integrated Protection Services in Darien, Connecticut, returns to the podcast to discuss seasonal security challenges and best practices. Topics include summer security planning for residential and co...

“The Latest in Laundry Room Solutions for Building Owners and Managers” is the topic of Episode 123 of Building Knowledge . Our guests are Scott Scarpato Jr., Chief Operating Officer of Automatic Laundry, and Matthew Mariella, Regional Sales Manager for Westchester and Fairfield Counties. This marks the first appearance on Building Knowledge for both guests. During the episode, Scott and Matthew d...

Episode 122 of Building Knowledge pays tribute to Tim Foley, CEO of the Building and Realty Institute, as he is recognized by Westfair Business Journal as a recipient of its prestigious 2026 C-Suite Award. The C-Suite Awards celebrate the outstanding leadership, vision, and achievements of senior executives and organizations throughout Westchester and Fairfield counties. The program honors leaders...

Episode 121 of Building Knowledge explores the challenges, concerns, and opportunities facing business leaders across New York's Hudson Valley region. Our guest is Michael Dardano, principal of Buzz Potential, a respected public relations and marketing firm based in Tuckahoe, N.Y. A familiar voice to BRI audiences, Michael has appeared on both the Institute's former radio programs and previous epi...

This episode of “Building Knowledge” focuses on trends in wood maintenance and restoration projects with guest Willy Montano, Principal of Montano Wood Care Corporation in Yonkers, New York. A former guest on the Building and Realty Institute’s radio programs, this marks Montano’s first appearance on “Building Knowledge.” Topics include the lasting appeal of wood in commercial buildings, the impor...

Episode 119 of “Building Knowledge with the Building and Realty Institute (BRI)” takes a closer look at how Co-op and Condo Boards can effectively prepare for and conduct successful Annual Meetings. Our guest is David Amster, Chairman of the Advisory Council of Managing Agents (ACMA) of the BRI and Principal of Prime Locations, a leading property management company based in Yonkers, New York. Duri...

Episode 118 of “Building Knowledge” takes a deep dive into the insurance challenges impacting New York’s building, realty, and construction industries. Joining the program is Jason Schiciano, Co-President of Levitt-Fuirst Insurance and Bonding, based in Tarrytown. A familiar voice to members of the Building and Realty Institute (BRI) and its affiliate organizations, Jason has long been a trusted r...

Episode 117 of Building Knowledge takes a close look at how the Apartment Owners Advisory Council (AOAC) of the Building and Realty Institute (BRI) is preparing for the upcoming public hearings and deliberations of the Westchester County Rent Guidelines Board in New York State. Our guest is Alana Ciuffetelli, Chair of the AOAC. In this episode, she discusses the growing pressures facing small buil...

Episode 116 of Building Knowledge takes a timely look at the state of housing across the New York metropolitan area, featuring Ron Abad, CEO of Community Housing Innovations (CHI). The conversation highlights CHI’s ongoing efforts to address the region’s housing challenges while spotlighting key upcoming initiatives, including the City & State Affordable Housing Summit on May 7—where Abad will...

Public relations and marketing aren’t just support functions anymore—they’re powerful drivers of growth, credibility, and leadership. In this episode of Building Knowledge , we continue the conversation with a dynamic new voice: Christina Rae, President of Buzz Creators, Inc., making her debut on the show. Christina breaks down what’s really working in PR and marketing today—from the biggest misco...

Episode 114 of Building Knowledge dives into why smart, strategic marketing is essential for building, real estate, and construction companies—especially in a region as distinct as the Hudson Valley. This episode features first-time guest Katy Dwyer, Founder and Creative Director of KDD Marketing in Kingston, NY. She shares practical insights on how businesses can better connect with Hudson Valley...

This episode of Building Knowledge takes a closer look at the growing threat of online fraud in real estate transactions—and what industry professionals and consumers need to know to stay protected. Joining the conversation are Tom Linehan, Executive Vice President and Director of the National Deposits Group at Apple Bank, and Anastasios Papaioannou, Assistant Vice President of the same division.&...

Episode 112 of Building Knowledge spotlights Co-ops and Condos United of New York, a newly formed group representing more than one million New Yorkers living in cooperative and condominium communities across New York City. The episode features insights from Geoffrey Mazel, a founding member of the law firm Hankin & Mazel and a key leader behind the organization, alongside Michael Wolfe, Presid...

Episode 111 of “Building Knowledge” dives into the latest from the Clean Energy Action Coalition (CEAC) of The Business Council of Westchester, featuring Ron Kamen, CEAC Director and Co-Founder. From skyrocketing energy costs to urgent climate realities, Ron breaks down what homeowners, businesses, nonprofits, and local governments can do right now to lower costs and reduce emissions. The conversa...

Episode 110 of “Building Knowledge” explores how outsourcing can help businesses operate more efficiently and cost-effectively. The episode features Lola Gazivoda, Founder and CEO of BOTA Consulting Group, which supports managing agents and other companies with back-office operations. During the conversation, Lola breaks down why businesses of all sizes—especially small firms—should consider outso...

“How This Winter’s Harsh Weather and Current Events in the Middle East Are Affecting Energy Costs” is the focus of this episode of Building Knowledge . Our guest is Tim Connors, Vice President of The Slattery Energy Consulting Group, returning to the podcast for his second appearance. During the conversation, Connors discusses how this winter’s unusually cold temperatures have driven up prices for...

Episode 108 of Building Knowledge from the Building and Realty Institute delivers timely guidance for employers navigating today’s complex workplace challenges. Guest Matthew Persanis, Labor Counsel to The BRI and principal at Elefante and Persanis, LLP, breaks down what employers need to know if representatives from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrive at a worksite. The conversa...

Spring is around the corner — is your building ready? On this episode of Building Knowledge , we explore what owners and managers should assess as winter ends — and why preventative maintenance isn’t just seasonal, it’s year-round strategy. Our guest, Alexis Ferrara, Account Executive at Ferrara Management Group (FMG) and a member of the Advisory Council of Managing Agents (ACMA) of the Building &...

Episode 106 of Building Knowledge spotlights the work of “Unlock New York’s Future,” a coalition of more than 30 organizations representing housing, environmental, transit, community development, business, and civic interests across the state. The coalition recently issued a joint letter urging the New York State Legislature to modernize the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) as part o...

This episode of Building Knowledge features a wide-ranging conversation on Revenue Leadership Architecture across real estate platforms with Robert Withers , President of M1 Capital Corporation and RBW Consulting . Robert is a nationally recognized analyst on issues impacting the finance and real estate sectors. His insights have been featured on NBC and CNN , and in The Wall Street Journal , The...

Is your multi-family property ready for the new state mandates? In Episode 104 of Building Knowledge , we welcome back Leslie Liberatore , Health Services Coordinator for the Westchester County Department of Health. Following her introductory session in Episode 85, Leslie returns to provide a comprehensive deep dive into the New York State Lead Rental Registry and what it means for property owners...

In this episode of Building Knowledge , we take a hard look at how building owners and managers can prevent disasters before they happen. Our guest is Miguel Quintanilla, Principal of Collado Engineering and a frequent contributor to the podcast. Miguel analyzes recent and past tragedies—including a deadly New Year’s Eve fire at a Swiss ski resort and the Station Nightclub fire—to identify critica...

What’s happening with the U.S. economy—and what could be ahead as we move toward 2026? Episode 102 of Building Knowledge features the return of renowned economic analyst Dr. Robert Goodman for a timely, wide-ranging discussion. A former Partner and Chief Economist at Putnam Investments, with past roles at J. & W. Seligman & Co., Citibank, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Dr. Goodm...