The performing arts world and real estate converged this week as New York’s iconic Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts honored Naftali Group’s CEO Miki Naftali and his daughter Danielle.
Miki Naftali, a 35-year industry veteran, founded his namesake firm in 2011 after serving as co-founder and CEO of El-Ad Properties and El-Ad Group. During his tenure at El-Ad, he oversaw the transformation of the Plaza Hotel at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street into a mixed-use property with a five-star hotel and luxury condominiums.
The nonprofit group behind the 16-acre Lincoln Center campus, home to the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Ballet, recognized the father-daughter duo before hundreds of attendees at the 52nd Annual Real Estate and Construction Council Gala at David Geffen Hall, the Philharmonic’s home.
“Lincoln Center is such an important institution,” Miki Naftali said in an interview. “It's so important for New York. …It's such a beautiful building. That's what we do. … We try to design and build buildings that are relevant, and hopefully will be relevant for many years to come.”
Since founding Naftali Group, the firm has sold out several luxury condominium projects, including three record-setting developments since 2020, and with new projects underway in Manhattan, Brooklyn and South Florida, a market it entered in 2022.
Danielle Naftali, executive vice president of marketing, sales and design, oversees product development across the firm’s luxury condo and rental portfolio in New York and South Florida. She has also played a significant role in the company’s brand partnerships, including Fendi Casa-designed “Sky Villas” and collaborations with Viceroy Hotels & Resorts in Florida.
The recognition carried personal significance for Miki Naftali: David Geffen Hall first opened in 1962, the same year he was born.
Miki Naftali told CoStar News the firm focuses on creating projects that endure beyond shifting trends.
“The quality of our buildings stands out many years after they are built,” he said, adding that buyers who end up having to sell their residences for various reasons “are making a big profit because our buildings stand out.”
Danielle Naftali echoed that sentiment during her remarks at the ceremony.
“I still remember the first time I came to Lincoln Center … I was completely struck by the architecture, the energy, [and] the incredible sense of culture that radiates from every single corner,” she said. “At Naftali, we strive to create timeless places that are rooted in their neighborhoods, built with quality and designed to stand the test of time. In many ways, that commitment reflects what Lincoln Center is.”
The honor also marked the first time the pair had been recognized together. Danielle Naftali noted she wore an orange suit in a nod to the New York Knicks, who are playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and beat the San Antonio Spurs the night of the event.
The Real Estate and Construction Council has partnered with Lincoln Center for more than five decades, according to a spokesperson for the performing arts nonprofit group.