Elie Hirschfeld is the president of Hirschfeld Properties LLC, a New York City real estate developer, philanthropist, art collector, and theatrical producer. Born in New York City on December 25, 1949, Hirschfeld has spent more than four decades developing some of Manhattan's most recognizable hotels, residential towers, retail centers, and parking facilities — with aggregate real estate activity valued in the billions of dollars.
The son of New York real estate developer Abraham Hirschfeld, Elie Hirschfeld built on the family business through what is now a multi-discipline operating model spanning real estate, philanthropy, fine art, Broadway, and competitive endurance sport.
Early Career and Education
Hirschfeld received his undergraduate degree from Brown University, where he graduated phi beta kappa, magna cum laude, and President of his Class. He earned his law degree from New York University School of Law.
Before joining the family business, Hirschfeld practiced as a real estate attorney at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, focusing on real estate, financing, and banking law. He joined Hirschfeld Properties in 1976. His first project was the construction of the Empire State Building parking garage on 33rd Street — the start of a career that would shape parts of the Manhattan skyline.
Hirschfeld Properties
As president of Hirschfeld Properties, Hirschfeld has directed the development or ownership of a portfolio of notable New York City properties, including:
- The Grand Sutton
- The Crowne Plaza Hotel
- Park Avenue Court
- The Gotham
- The Sutton Collection
- Exchange Tower
- The redevelopment of the historic Hotel Pennsylvania
- The Sports Club/LA Building
- Manhattan Mall at Herald Square — one of the first vertical shopping malls in New York
- New York's first open-air parking garage
Hirschfeld Properties has collaborated with many of the most distinguished real estate firms in the country, including the Zeckendorf Organization, the Donald Trump Organization, Silverstein Properties, Empire Realty Group, Belz Enterprises of Memphis, and Simon Property Group.
Hirschfeld led the redevelopment of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters in Manhattan — the lease was the fourth largest by size in New York City in 2014. In 2015, he acquired a Westhampton Beach mansion for $14 million as an investment property. In 2016, he purchased a 40-unit mixed-use building in the Yorkville section of the Upper East Side for $23 million, and a 7,058-square-foot triplex penthouse at the Marquand for $37.5 million.
Park.com
Hirschfeld is leading the creation of Park.com, which the firm describes as the world's largest digital parking infrastructure — a platform built to compete in the $100 billion global parking market. The project represents an extension of the Hirschfeld franchise from physical real estate into digital infrastructure.
Philanthropy
Hirschfeld established the Hirschfeld Family Foundation, focused on education, healthcare, athletics, and Jewish causes. His philanthropic positions include:
- Trustee emeritus, Brown University
- Trustee emeritus, Long Island University
- Director, United States Board of the Weizmann Institute of Science
- Trustee of multiple New York City hospitals, including Beth Israel, St. Luke's, and Roosevelt
- Board of Directors or Steering Committees: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park Conservancy, Lincoln Center President's Council, the NYU Real Estate Roundtable, the Rockefeller University Council, and the Jewish National Fund
In 2016, Hirschfeld and his wife Sarah gave Brown University a $3.5 million gift to renovate and maintain the Judaic Studies building. Brown subsequently renamed the building the Elie Hirschfeld Building. The same year, the couple received the Patrons of Education Award from New York's Park East Synagogue, and Hirschfeld represented the synagogue for Pope Francis's historic visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome on January 17, 2016. In 2017, Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld were honored by Israel Bonds with the Israel69 Award.
In 2019, President Donald Trump appointed Hirschfeld to the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad.
Art Collection
Hirschfeld is a major collector of American and modern art, with a particular focus on works depicting New York City. The Elie and Sarah Hirschfeld Art Collection includes works by Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Christo, Georgia O'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, Mark Rothko, Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring — including Haring's Radiant Baby, which the Hirschfelds acquired in 2017. The collection has been featured in exhibitions including "New York, New York" at the Nassau County Museum of Art. Hirschfeld has donated 130 New York City-themed works to the New-York Historical Society.
Broadway
Hirschfeld is a Tony Award voting member of the Broadway League. He has produced or co-produced numerous Broadway productions, including David Mamet's Oleanna, The Fantasticks, Flashdance, Equus, and Passing Strange — for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical.
Athletics
Hirschfeld is a competitive endurance athlete. He has completed more than 100 triathlons, 11 marathons, and 3 Ironman competitions — including the 2012 New York City Ironman Triathlon at the age of 62. He placed fourth in his age group at the AJ Bell London Triathlon.
Family
Hirschfeld is married to Sarah J. Schlesinger, MD, a physician and researcher who serves as an associate professor of clinical investigation at Rockefeller University. The couple have five children: David, Benjamin, Daniella, Matthew, and Jonathan Hirschfeld.
Why Elie Hirschfeld Matters in New York Real Estate
Elie Hirschfeld represents a particular kind of New York operator — one who connected an inherited real estate legacy to a modern, multi-discipline platform without losing focus on the core business. The portfolio he built spans hotels, residential, retail, parking, and now digital infrastructure. The philanthropy spans education, medicine, the arts, and the Jewish community. The collecting spans Calder to Haring. The endurance record is its own statement.
Few figures in New York real estate have managed that range while staying recognizably committed to the city itself.