Joseph Farkas is President and Founder of Metropolitan Realty Associates “MRA” a privately held real estate investment and development firm established in 2001. With over 30 years of hands on real estate operating expertise including development, leasing, management, construction and financial underwriting experience, Farkas has successfully led MRA’s investment and development activities in over $1 Billion of commercial, residential and retail projects focusing on opportunistic investment through ground up development, adaptive reuse and leasing strategies.
Most recently, MRA completed the development of RIVERDALE CROSSING, a 165,000 square foot destination outdoor retail shopping mall located in Riverdale, NY on the former site of the Stella D’Oro Cookie factory. Mr. Farkas secured a 20 year lease with BJ’s Wholesale Club (the retailers 2nd Bronx location) as well as several national, well known retailers including PETCO, Bank of America, Buffalo Wild Wings, CHIPOTLE, SUBWAY, Smashburger, T-Mobile, Dunkin Donuts and CityMD. It should also be noted that Riverdale Crossing represents the first Bronx location for CHIPOTLE, BUFFALO WILD WINGS, PETCO AND SMASHBURGER and the overall project has created over 500 new jobs for the Bronx.. Mr. Farkas sold Riverdale Crossing in October 2015 for $133 Million to a NYC Pension Fund through its adviser the Vanbarton Group LLC
MRA’s work has been recognized time and again by leading real estate industry media including the Wall St. Journal, NY Post, NY Commercial Observer, NY Times, the Daily News, Long Island Business News, Real Estate Weekly, Real Estate Journal, Real Estate FORUM, The REAL Deal, and Real Estate Finance News and has won 14 prestigious awards for its development and transactional work.
Farkas has been listed as one of the TOP 20 Under 40 “New York City Movers & Shakers” by the New York Post and One of the top 30 under 40 Rising Real Estate Stars by New York Real Estate Magazine.
Joseph Farkas resides in Garden City, New York with his wife Michelle and two daughters, Stefanie 14 and Kimberly 13.