KSR's David Green and Cory Mais on New York retail leasing, why Brooklyn is where the smart money is going, building a team, and why you should never send the ChatGPT email.

David Green has leased more than a million square feet of retail space across the New York Metro Area since 2015. Cory Mais joined his team less than a year ago and is already on pace to close 25 deals in his first year.

In this episode, they join host Shanti Ryle on what is driving New York retail, why Brooklyn is the market to watch, how David thinks about building a team, and why the best brokers know exactly when not to use AI.

• Welcome to The Crexi Podcast
• Introducing David Green and Cory Mais of KSR
• David's origin story: a summer internship that never ended
• How KSR grew from 10 brokers to 150 since 2015
• From chasing deals to building relationships
• COVID as the turning point: getting the deal done wasn't enough
• Cory's background and the cold call that got him hired
• The week of harassment that became a litmus test for hustle
• Why New York City is the world's greatest and biggest mall
• Neighborhoods that got stronger post-COVID: East Village, Upper West Side
• Why David is most bullish on Brooklyn right now
• Building a team: culture over resume
• "If you need to pay rent next month, this is not the right job for you"
• Ego, accountability, and what David looks for in a new hire
• Hardest part of year one: time kills deals
• Easiest surprise: how fast a hot tenant can sign and close
• West Village on a Wednesday looks like a weekend
• Green Point: the market David is most focused on right now
• Landlord-tenant equilibrium, transparency, and smart tenants in 2026
• The best deals are when nobody is fully happy
• What national tenants get wrong about New York City
• Food and beverage: alcohol down, health and wellness up
• Pilates is on fire:  five leases out with five new concepts
• Frozen yogurt is back and nobody saw it coming
• TI, free rent, and when landlords open checkbooks
• The 7th Street Burger story: a pandemic listing that became 30 locations
• AI in retail leasing: marketing and data yes, sourcing no
• How to spot a ChatGPT email,  and why sending it will cost you
• Technology that works: lead generation and online presence
• Cory's LinkedIn strategy and why David lets him handle it
• Authenticity is the competitive advantage when everyone else goes AI
• Rapid fire: $50M goes to Brooklyn retail
• Worst advice: avoid bad news 
• Pick a lane and go all in; brokers aren't going anywhere

Watch “David Green & Cory Mais on NYC Retail: Brooklyn, Pilates, and Froyo” on YouTube

David Green is the Executive Managing Director of Retail Leasing at KSR, where he has been a driving force since joining the firm in 2015. Over the course of his career, David has leased more than 1,000,000 square feet of retail space across the New York Metropolitan Area. He brings deep expertise in representing both landlords and tenants, working with national brands including Cotton On, Calzedonia, Intimissimi, Luckin Coffee, and 7th Street Burger, as well as prominent property owners including Ashkenazy Acquisitions, Icon Realty Management, The Moinian Group, Crown Acquisitions, and others. David holds a B.A. in Urban Studies from Hunter College and has been recognized industry-wide, earning accolades including Commercial Observer's 30 Under 30 in 2022, and CREXI Platinum Award in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Cory Mais started his career in business brokering, closing several notable deals including a 150-key hotel in Albany and a 20-unit apartment building in Pennsylvania. He transitioned into retail leasing last June and has hit the ground running, already on pace to close 25 deals in his first year. He closed his first deal within his first month, a vintage store relocating to New York, and has not slowed down since. Now working under David Green, Cory is focused on continuing to learn, build relationships, and grow his presence in the retail leasing world.

About Crexi’s Commercial Real Estate Podcast:

Crexi’s podcast features conversations across all aspects of commercial real estate with industry leading investors, developers, brokers, and professionals. Among the top 5% of commercial real estate podcasts, The Crexi Podcast sits down with industry experts to investigate trends, educate listeners, and uncover the latest happenings and news in the world of commercial real estate. To listen to all episodes for free, check out The Crexi Podcast's full library here.

Crexi is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.