Index: The EPR Real Estate Coverage Directory — the master index of EPR's real estate coverage.
Updated June 2026. Originally published April 2013 framed around non-profit communications and Hirschfeld's philanthropic work. Refreshed as the canonical Elie Hirschfeld profile in EPR Builders — covering his substantial Hirschfeld Properties real estate work, his philanthropic infrastructure, and his role across New York's substantial civic and cultural institutions.
EPR Builders — entrepreneurs shaping major markets:
- David A. Steinberg — Zeta Global, marketing technology
- Richelieu Dennis — SheaMoisture, Essence Ventures, Beauty & CPG
- Marc Roberts — Miami Worldcenter, Florida real estate
- Elie Hirschfeld (this piece) — Hirschfeld Properties, NY real estate & philanthropy
- Chris Burch — Burch Creative Capital, NIHI Sumba, consumer investments
- Avery Andon — ArtLife Gallery, ArtGrails, contemporary art
Related Elie Hirschfeld coverage: Elie Hirschfeld: A New York Institution
Elie Hirschfeld: New York Real Estate, Philanthropy, and a Career Built on the City
Elie Hirschfeld is one of the most substantively rooted figures in modern New York real estate — a multi-generational New York real estate operator, substantial philanthropist, art collector, Broadway producer, and substantial figure across New York's civic and cultural institutions. His career has operated substantially across more than four decades of New York real estate development and management work; his philanthropic infrastructure has operated substantially across athletics, healthcare, education, and Jewish community institutions. His broader work operates as substantial reference example of multi-generational New York entrepreneurial and civic continuity.
This page is EPR's canonical reference on Hirschfeld's career, philanthropic infrastructure, and broader role across New York's substantial civic and cultural infrastructure.
Background and Educational Foundation
Elie Hirschfeld grew up substantively in the New York real estate context — the broader Hirschfeld family operated substantial New York real estate operations across multiple generations. He attended New York University School of Law where he earned his JD, subsequently practicing as a real estate attorney. The substantial legal training operated as substantial foundation for the real estate development work that followed; substantial New York real estate operates substantially at the intersection of substantial legal sophistication around zoning, financing, regulatory dimensions, and the broader complexity of New York real estate transactions.
Hirschfeld Properties
Hirschfeld Properties operates as substantial New York real estate portfolio across commercial office and residential operations. The substantial portfolio includes more than 1 million square feet of commercial office space across substantial Manhattan locations including substantial West Chelsea office infrastructure with major government tenant relationships, and more than 1,000 residential apartments across substantial New York multi-family operations.
Substantial portfolio acquisitions across the broader career have included substantial high-profile transactions including the substantial triplex penthouse atop the Marquand building and substantial Yorkville building operations on the Upper East Side. The substantial transaction history operates across multiple decades of New York real estate market work — including the substantial New York market cycles across the 1980s real estate market evolution, the substantial 1990s recovery, the substantial 2000s expansion, the 2008-2010 contraction, the substantial 2010s recovery, and the substantial post-2020 market dynamics.
Philanthropic Infrastructure
Hirschfeld operates substantial philanthropic infrastructure across multiple categories. The Hirschfeld Foundation operates as substantial vehicle supporting athletics, healthcare, education, and Jewish community institutions. The substantial sustained philanthropic work operates across multiple decades of giving infrastructure.
Specific institutional infrastructure Hirschfeld operates includes:
- Weizmann Institute of Science U.S. board — operating as director of the U.S. board for the substantial Israeli scientific research institution
- Brown University trustee emeritus — sustained relationship with one of the substantial American Ivy League institutions
- Multiple New York City hospital trusteeships — substantial board service across New York healthcare institutions
- Jewish National Fund involvement — substantial board and steering committee service
- Park East Synagogue relationship — substantial congregational involvement including the substantial 2016 visit to Rome on behalf of Rabbi Arthur Schneier including the meeting with Pope Francis at the Great Synagogue of Rome
The Athletic and Cultural Career
Beyond the substantial real estate and philanthropic work, Hirschfeld operates substantial additional activity across athletic and cultural categories.
Athletic infrastructure. Hirschfeld has completed more than 100 triathlons across substantial domestic and international competition. The substantial 2015 fourth-place finish in his age group at the AJ Bell London Triathlon operated as substantial international athletic recognition. The discipline of operating substantial athletic infrastructure alongside substantial business and philanthropic work has operated substantially across the broader career.
Broadway production. Hirschfeld operates substantial Broadway production work alongside the broader real estate work. He serves as substantial Tony Award voting member of The Broadway League. Additional theater and film production credits operate across substantial entertainment industry infrastructure.
Art collection. Hirschfeld operates substantial art collection including substantial works by renowned abstract painter Frank Stella, substantial street art including Keith Haring works, substantial New York-themed works including Karel Appel's "Untitled," Francoise Gilot's "Gingko Trees in Central Park," and Andy Warhol's "Brooklyn Bridge." The substantial collection operates substantially around New York-themed works reflecting the substantial personal connection to the broader New York cultural infrastructure.
Personal Context
In 2011, Hirschfeld married Dr. Sarah J. Schlesinger, an associate professor of clinical investigation at Rockefeller University. Dr. Schlesinger operates substantial scientific research focused on immune system work — including substantial work on inducing the human immune system to heal itself using dendritic cells to treat conditions including cancer and HIV. The substantial scientific work operates as substantial parallel professional infrastructure alongside Hirschfeld's real estate and philanthropic work.
Hirschfeld in the Broader New York Context
Hirschfeld operates as substantial figure in the broader New York real estate and civic infrastructure. The substantial multi-generational New York real estate continuity operates as substantial example of sustained family-business operation across multiple market cycles. The substantial philanthropic infrastructure operates as substantial example of substantial private philanthropic capacity operating across multiple institutional categories.
The substantial New York real estate context includes substantial competitive landscape across major developers including Related Companies (Stephen Ross), Vornado Realty Trust (Steven Roth), SL Green Realty (Marc Holliday), Tishman Speyer, RXR Realty (Scott Rechler), Brookfield Property Partners, and substantial additional New York real estate operators. Hirschfeld Properties operates as substantial mid-sized portfolio within this broader competitive landscape — substantial sustained ownership and operating discipline rather than substantial scale relative to the largest New York operators.
Why Hirschfeld's Work Matters in the 2026 Context
Three substantial reasons Hirschfeld operates as substantial reference in contemporary New York entrepreneurship and philanthropy discourse.
Multi-generational family business continuity. The substantial sustained New York real estate operations across multiple generations operates as substantial example of family-business continuity in a market where substantial generational ownership transitions frequently produce substantial business disruption.
Cross-category infrastructure. The substantial operating across real estate, philanthropy, athletics, Broadway production, and art collection operates as substantial example of broader civic and cultural engagement alongside substantial business operations. The substantial integration operates substantially differently from the substantial single-category operations that characterize much contemporary entrepreneurial work.
Sustained philanthropic capacity. The substantial philanthropic infrastructure across the Hirschfeld Foundation, Weizmann Institute, Brown University, New York City hospitals, Jewish National Fund, and Park East Synagogue operates as substantial example of substantial sustained private philanthropic capacity. The substantial multi-institutional infrastructure operates substantially across the broader career rather than concentrated in single institutional categories.
Related EPR Coverage
- The EPR Real Estate Coverage Directory — master index of all real estate coverage
- Elie Hirschfeld: A New York Institution (companion piece)
- Real Estate PR pillar
- David A. Steinberg — Zeta Global (EPR Builders)
- Richelieu Dennis — Beauty & CPG entrepreneur (EPR Builders)
- Marc Roberts — Miami real estate developer (EPR Builders)
- Chris Burch — Burch Creative Capital, NIHI Sumba (EPR Builders)
- Avery Andon — ArtLife Gallery, ArtGrails (EPR Builders)
- Crisis PR pillar
- How to Search for a Public Relations Firm in 2026
Adjacent EPR framework
- UHNW Communications: How Billionaires Manage Reputation — the reference framework on ultra-high-net-worth reputation discipline. Hirschfeld's multi-generational New York real estate operations and the Hirschfeld Foundation's sustained philanthropic infrastructure across Weizmann, Brown, JNF, and Park East Synagogue are the canonical case for the generational-continuity and philanthropic-moat disciplines.
