How Leslie Himmel Built a 40-Year Career in Commercial Real Estate

I’ve known Leslie Himmel for nearly 40 years, and she has built one of the most respected careers in New York commercial real estate. Leslie is the co-founder and managing partner of Himmel + Meringoff Properties, and in this episode of The Bob Knakal Show, we talk about the decisions, relationships, market cycles, and investment principles that shaped more than four decades in the business. Leslie’s path is a great example of how commercial real estate careers are actually built. She went from Harvard Business School to corporate marketing, institutional real estate, capital raising, acquisitions, and eventually building a real estate company with Steve Meringoff that has owned many properties for decades. We also get into how she created access to institutional investors early in her career, how she and Steve first met, why she used to walk New York City block by block looking for opportunities, and why she still places such a high value on relationships and continuous learning. In this conversation, we cover: How Leslie Himmel entered commercial real estate - Why investment banking ultimately wasn’t the right career path - How she raised major institutional capital early in her career - The creative ways she built relationships with senior industry leaders - How Leslie and Steve Meringoff became business partners - Why Himmel + Meringoff focused on long-term ownership - How they identified undervalued properties and emerging neighborhoods - The strategy behind 1601 Bronxdale Avenue - Why Leslie still prioritizes networking after four decades in CRE - Her advice for women building careers in commercial real estate - Why preparation and continuous learning remain competitive advantages How did Leslie Himmel build a successful commercial real estate career? Her career was built through preparation, persistence, creative problem-solving, strong relationships, and a willingness to create opportunities when the obvious path wasn’t available. What is Himmel + Meringoff’s investment philosophy? The firm has historically focused on finding undervalued properties, repositioning or improving them, and holding assets for long periods rather than relying on short-term transactions. What can commercial real estate professionals learn from Leslie Himmel? Do the work. Prepare thoroughly. Build genuine relationships. Stay curious. And understand that some of the biggest career opportunities can come from directions you never planned for. The Bob Knakal Show is presented by CREXI. #CommercialRealEstate #LeslieHimmel #RealEstateInvesting #CRE #NewYorkRealEstate #RealEstateCareers #CommercialProperty #BobKnakal Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Leslie Himmel 02:00 Growing up in White Plains and learning to compete 04:00 Penn, Wharton classes, and Harvard Business School 06:00 Life before commercial real estate 08:00 Why investment banking wasn’t the right career fit 10:00 Leaving corporate marketing and finding real estate 12:00 Joining Integrated Resources 14:00 Raising institutional capital from pension funds 17:00 Moving into acquisitions 19:00 Meeting Harry Helmsley at NYU 21:00 The first meeting with Steve Meringoff 23:00 Building the Himmel + Meringoff partnership 24:30 Walking New York City block by block for opportunities 27:00 The first acquisition 29:00 The strategy behind 1601 Bronxdale Avenue 32:00 Leslie’s leadership at REBNY 34:00 Tackling the early 1990s credit crisis 35:30 Creating access to mentors and industry leaders 38:00 Why networking still matters 41:00 Career advice for women in commercial real estate 45:00 Life outside the office 46:00 Board service and learning from the credit side 47:30 The person Leslie would most like to meet 48:30 Reflections on a four-decade relationship in CRE 49:30 Closing thoughts Connect with Bob: 🔔 Subscribe to my Newsletter: https://linktr.ee/bobknakalnyc