Ryan Lee – Real Estate’s Rising Young Star

RXR Realty

Since joining RXR Realty in 2015, Ryan Lee, 28, has been responsible for transacting over $15 billion in investment activity at the firm. A First Vice President on the Investments Team at RXR, a vertically integrated real estate company, Lee focuses on executing equity and debt investments across all types of asset classes, from office to industrial to retail and residential.

Amazon

Of the numerous deals that many would consider a career highlight, one standout is the 1 million-square-foot, multi-story, high-tech, logistics facility custom-built for Amazon in Queens. Lee has been involved in the deal throughout the process, acquiring the raw land in 2018, developing it, and bringing it to Amazon. Recently, he helped negotiate a deal to sell an interest in the project to a few investors.

Over the past year alone Lee spearheaded $3 billion in transactions, a very high volume, especially coming out of the pandemic. In addition to the Amazon project, this year’s deals included a 2,000-unit multifamily portfolio throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a 3,600-unit self-storage portfolio in the New York metropolitan area, and a 2 million-square-foot, state-of-the-art distribution center in Brooklyn.

Real estate wunderkind

After graduating with high distinction from the University of Michigan’s prestigious Stephen M. Ross School of Business, he jumpstarted his career at RXR as an intern. A few months into the job another employee left, and Lee was promoted to a full-time analyst. Within seven years he went on to become a Vice President at 25, and later, a First Vice President at 26. That trajectory directly into real estate investment and acquisition is even more remarkable given RXR’s reputation as a blue-chip company highly sought after by the industry’s brightest talents.

Commercial Observer’s top 30

In 2021, Lee was named one of Commercial Observer’s top 30 national real estate professionals in finance and equity under 35 years old. The publication also featured him as this year’s “Day in the Life” honoree, documenting his typical daily routine, from early morning gym session through the workday and into evening’s extracurricular activities.

Philanthropy

Lee plays an active role on the Board of Governors of the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association of New York (YM/WREA), among the city’s most prestigious professional groups. In addition to networking opportunities, Lee participates in YM/WREA’s charitable and community outreach efforts.

Cycle for Survival

One recent Saturday he helped to rehabilitate a community center in Coney Island that offers educational programs for at-risk youth and families. Last spring, the group donned rubber gloves and filled trash bags cleaning up Madison Square Park, and later did a similar cleanup on streets throughout various parts of Brooklyn. Other recent charitable endeavors included a Cycle for Survival to raise funds for cancer research, blood drives, and fixing up a community garden with Rebuilding Together NYC. These outdoor programs enabled YM/WREA to continue to serve the community throughout the pandemic.

Habitat for Humanity

They’ve also worked with Habitat for Humanity and Crossroads Community, and the group holds an annual “Operation Backpack” program in which they pack backpacks with all necessary school supplies for underprivileged youth. Lee is on the Young Leaders Group (YLG) Committee for the Urban Land Institute of New York (ULI) and is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY).

A San Francisco native, Lee is Chinese American, and serves on RXR Realty’s Racial Equity Working Group, working to leverage the firm’s position as an industry leader to address systemic racism and structural inequality throughout underserved communities.

Newly minted homeowner; art collector; investor

Lee recently bought his first apartment in NoHo and is working with interior designer Nicole Fuller to complete the space. He also collects art, focusing on post-war, contemporary, and emerging artists with the guidance of art advisor Rachel Cole. His collection so far includes artworks ranging from George Condo to Stephanie Temma Hier.

Marea & China Live

Other personal investments include Marea, the restaurant in Columbus Circle, Outer Heaven, a forthcoming Lower East Side nightlife destination, online fitness platform Ladder, and China Live, a culinary and cultural destination in San Francisco’s Chinatown that Eater described as “a Chinese version of Eataly” and “one of the biggest openings to hit San Francisco in quite some time.” Lee is a lifelong Golden State Warriors and San Francisco 49ers fan, and he enjoys playing basketball, golf, and chess – he won the California state chess championship as a child.