The Richest in Real Estate Top 100
The Basics
Location: New York City | Net Worth: $1.93 B
Location: New York City | Net Worth: $1.93 B

Coming from a life of poverty on a farm in Rochester, NY, David Walentas has become one of NYC’s biggest real estate developers as he and his company Two Trees Management lead the way for Brooklyn’s redevelopment.
In the 1970s, David paid $12M for 2M SF of Brooklyn warehouses in what is now Dumbo. Now owning more than 15 properties across Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg and Manhattan, David has transformed Brooklyn from a bunch of decaying warehouses into The Big Apple's hottest location and continues to improve Brooklyn’s waterfront. In 2012, David acquired the old Domino Sugar refinery for $185M and has been working to turn it into a mixed-use complex.