Harry Skydell has served for more than two decades as the director of acquisition and development for The 601W Companies in New York. During his tenure, the company has purchased approximately 50 million square feet of prime commercial real estate in, among other major cities across the country, including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. In his role, Harry Skydell has overseen the redevelopment of several major properties, including 601 West 26th Street, the landmark 2.3 million sf building from which the company derived its name. Skydell presided over this major redevelopment of the massive, half-vacant warehouse and industrial facility, encompassing a square block on Manhattan’s far West Side. 601W installed new mechanicals, including elevators, electrical service and heating and cooling throughout the property, as well as a trendy, new lobby at a total cost that exceeded $70 million. He also coordinated all of the leasing efforts that resulted in nearly 2 million sf of new leases to high caliber tenants, which included LVMH, Zurich Insurance, Hugo Boss, Martha Stewart and Dentsu, among many others. Skydell led this complex conversion and development of the 100-year old industrial building into a new media and technology center that 601W acquired for $151 million in 1998 and subsequently sold for $950 million. Some of his more recent projects include the renovation of Minneapolis’ Macy’s Building and Chicago’s Old Main Post Office. Additionally, Mr. Skydell was involved with the redevelopment of 111 W. Jackson Street and 600 west Chicago in Chicago and Whale Square in Brooklyn.
A summa cum laude graduate of Yeshiva University with a BA in economics, Mr. Skydell remains actively involved with the University as a member of its Board.
