Elie Hirschfeld

Career

Elie Hirschfeld started his career as a real estate attorney at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. The son of New York real estate mogul Abraham Hirschfeld, Hirschfeld has developed properties such as the Grand Sutton, the Hotel Pennsylvania, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Park Avenue Court, Sports Club LA Building, Manhattan Mall at Herald Square, the Gotham and Exchange Tower.

He owns more than 1,000 apartments and in excess of 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m²) of commercial space in the NYC metropolitan area.

One of Hirschfeld's properties, an East Hampton estate which is worth an estimated $32.5 Million, was frequently leased as a summer residence by Bill and Hillary Clinton.

In 2014, Hirschfeld completed the fourth-largest Manhattan office leasing deal of the year, as ranked by square footage. The agreement with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency renewed the deal on 570,000 square feet of space in W. Chelsea.

In 2015, Elie Hirschfeld purchased a Westhampton Beach mansion for $14 million, which the developer plans to use as investment property. It is marketed as a summer rental.

In September, 2016, Hirschfeld bought a 40-unit mixed retail and residential building in the Yorkville area for $23 million. This 21,640 square foot Upper East Side property adds to Hirschfeld's substantial portfolio of residential units in NYC. Hirschfeld also acquired a 7,058 square foot condominium unit, a triplex penthouse in the Marquand building, for $37.5 million as an investment property.

Elie Hirschfeld was featured in the ‘NYC Titans of Business’ panel discussion at the 2017 Luxury Real Estate Summit at New York City’s CORE club on April 28, 2017, moderated by Peter Grant of The Wall Street Journal, and Jennifer Gould Keil of the New York Post. Mr. Hirschfeld provided insights on the city’s luxury real estate rental and buyers’ market, and spoke about his many real estate development projects and his successful past partnership with his friend, President Donald Trump.

Philanthropy and arts

Hirschfeld created the Hirschfeld Foundation in support of education, healthcare, athletics and Jewish causes. He serves as trustee emeritus of Brown University and Long Island University, director of the United States board of the Weizmann Institute of Science, and trustee of numerous New York City hospitals. He has served on the board of directors and steering committees of several organizations, including the Jewish National Fund.

In 2011, Hirschfeld donated an additional $125,000 to Brown University, at that time making his total gift to his Alma Mater $1 million.

In 2015, Elie Hirschfeld and his wife, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger, MD, attended the Rockefeller University Women & Science Symposium along with a list of dignitaries including former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. "An event such as this puts a spotlight on the many accomplishments of women in science," said Elie Hirschfeld.

In 2016, Elie Hirschfeld ran the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon, and dedicated his race to Team for Kids. Team for Kids works with New York Road Runners and raises funds to promote and engage children in running as part of a healthy lifestyle.

In 2016, Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah again gave to Brown University, with a $3.5 million donation to renovate and maintain the Judaic Studies building. In recognition of this gift, Brown University renamed the building the "Hirschfeld House." The renovation of this 108 year old historic treasure will help improve and ensure the viability of the Judaic Studies program long term.

Hirschfeld's art collection consists of the original art of world class artists depicting scenes of New York City. The collection includes Andy Warhol's "Brooklyn Bridge" and Karel Appel's "Untitled", as well as "Gingko Trees in Central Park" (2002–2004, Oil on Canvas) by Francoise Gilot.

Hirschfeld is also Tony Award voting member of The Broadway League and has produced and co-produced Broadway shows including Passing Strange, Equus and the David Mamet play, Oleanna.

In 2016, Elie Hirschfeld supported the Adopt-a-Highway program, designed to encourage city pride and support efforts to clean and preserve the city's roadways. He adopted a portion of New York's Grand Central Parkway, stressing the importance, "Our roads are the gateways to our communities..."

Elie and Sarah Hirschfeld were honored to receive the 2016 Patrons of Education Award from New York's Park East Synagogue.

In February, 2017, Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld were honored by Israel Bonds with the Israel69 Award for their support of Israel and the Jewish Community. They attended the awards celebration dinner at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hosted by actor, Jason Alexander, along with other award recipients from the United States, Canada and Mexico.

From January 27 through April 7, 2017, a piece entitled "Central Park Winter" by Adolf Dehn, was loaned to the Fairfield University Art Museum from the art collection of Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld. The exhibition at the university in Connecticut focused on Dehn and his favorite subject, the places and people of Manhattan.

Elie Hirschfeld announced in March of 2017, that the Keith Haring original work entitled, Radiant Baby, was acquired and added to the Elie and Sarah Hirschfeld Art Collection. Said Elie Hirschfeld of this meaningful symbol of the NYC street art scene, "Keith Haring unifies many layers of New York City's culture -- both the refined and gritty, the cultivated, edified and self-taught. The energy carried through his artwork is unmatched. Sarah and I will always treasure the work of Keith Haring that we recently added to our collection."

On April 22, 2017, Elie Hirschfeld hosted at his home in NYC, cycling legend Greg Lemond. Mr. Hirschfeld wanted to help highlight Lemond’s work with 1in6.org, which helps men who have been victims of abuse in their youth. Lemond, who was a victim of such abuse, participates with the 1in6 organization to bring awareness and attention to this horrible crime and support the victims.

Personal

Hirschfeld is a 1971 graduate of Brown University. He studied at the London School of Economics and then graduated from New York University Law School in 1974. He is a trustee emeritus of Brown University.

Hirschfeld has completed over 100 triathlons, marathons and other endurance events including the 2012 New York City Ironman Triathlon at age 62. He reached the best level so far on the international stage when he placed fourth in his age group at the prestigious and highly competitive AJ Bell London Triathlon.

Mr. Hirschfeld’s wife, Sarah J. Schlesinger, is a physician, researcher and associate professor of clinical investigation at Rockefeller University. Dr. Schlesinger is interested in developing vaccines that manipulate the dendritic cells of the immune system to prompt an immune response to treat conditions ranging from HIV to cancer.

In December, 2011, Elie Hirschfeld and his wife, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger, MD attended the Nobel Prize Ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden, in honor of the late Dr. Ralph Steinman, MD who received the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Steinman and Schlesinger had been scientific collaborators for 35 years.

Elie Hirschfeld's wife, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger, MD was appointed to the Board of Directors of ARIAD Pharmaceuticals in July of 2013. Stated ARIAD CEO, Harvey J. Berger, MD, "Dr. Schlesinger brings a deep understanding of translational medicine, clinical research and immunology to our Board of Directors."

On January 27, 2014, Elie Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah attended the commemorations at Auschwitz of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This Day was established by the United Nations to honor the 6 million victims of the Holocaust, including 1.1 million Jews who died at Auschwitz.

To honor and celebrate Elie Hirschfeld's 65th birthday, New York leaders and luminaries gathered at the historic Harmonie Club in Midtown Manhattan. On hand were: former NY State Attorney General, Robert Abrams; NY Times journalist, Dan Shaw; Stewart F. Lane of MrBroadway.com; international singing sensation, Neshama Carlebach; Elie's wife, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger, MD.; their children and many others.

In 2016, Hirschfield and his wife Sarah went to Rome to represent Rabbi Arthur Schneier and New York City's Park East Synagogue for the visit of Pope Francis to the Great Synagogue of Rome.

In January, 2017, Mr. & Mrs. Hirschfeld, along with other NYC real estate developers, converged in Washington, D.C. to attend and support the Inauguration of their former business partner and friend, the 45th U.S. President, Donald Trump.

Elie Hirschfeld's wife, Dr. Sarah Schlesinger Hirschfeld was part of a team of researchers at Rockefeller University whose work on Antibody 10-1074, showing encouraging clinical results to prevent or treat HIV, was published in the medical journal, Nature Medicine, on January 16, 2017.