Muss Family Company Thrives
Into Fourth Generation
Compiled by Linda Collins
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Muss Development, most well known as the builder of the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Downtown Brooklyn, celebrated 100 years with fanfare on Tuesday in the hotel’s ballroom. More than 450 of the firm’s past and current business partners, local elected officials, community leaders and other friends attended the event, which included a live band.
“We feel honored to be able to celebrate this significant milestone with so many of our close friends and associates,” said Joshua Muss, president. “I think it’s a testament to the hands-on style of our family-owned company.”
Family members say its storied history predates the 5-cent subway fare, Ebbetts Field, the Empire State Building and the Coney Island Boardwalk and spans four generations — although a fifth generation is on the way, according to Muss.
Indeed, a ballroom-length colorful timeline tracing Muss Development’s history in context with other notable local and national historic milestones that occurred in the past century adorned the walls at the event.
Founded in 1906 by Isaac Muss, who migrated to America from Russia, via Cape Town, South Africa, the firm has grown to become one of the largest development companies in the city.
Muss is reportedly the largest development company in the five boroughs with more than 15 million square feet of commercial, residential, industrial and retail property developed and more than 5 million square feet of development planned and/or underway.
Issac Muss originally settled in Brooklyn with his wife and 11 children, and soon became a national pioneer in the development of tract housing. His son, Hyman, went on to build dozens of hallmark projects throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
Today, the company is headed by Joshua L. Muss (Hyman’s son), who joined the firm in 1965 and serves as president, with fourth-generation Jason A. Muss and Joseph I. Muss acting as principals.
“In any business, 100 years is a challenge,” said Joshua Muss. “In the real estate business, noted for its cycles and its tremendously competitive environment, it is particularly gratifying that we have reached this point.”
Muss highlighted some of the family’s projects since 1906:
• Bath Beach Houses (1911), Issac Muss’s first completed development consisting of 350 houses in Gravesend and Bensonhurst, an area that once was a weekend outpost for high society New Yorkers and included yacht clubs, villas and resorts.
• Independence Homes (1924), a 3,000-home community in Bayside, Queens, built by Issac Muss with his sons Charles, Alex and David;
• Northridge Coops (1949), an 11-building, 1,200-unit housing complex in Jackson Heights, built by Issac Muss and son David in collaboration with sons Charles, Alex, Hyman and Louis;
• The New York Telephone Building headquarters (1970), built in Jamaica, by Hyman and his sons, Stanley and Joshua Muss;
• Forest Hills Tower (1982), a 375,000-square-foot office building for Con Ed's Queens headquarters in Forest Hills, NY, built by Hyman and Joshua Muss;
• Woodbrooke (1982-1991), a 1,200-unit planned residential community in the Rossville section of Staten Island, developed and built by Hyman and Joshua Muss;
• Brooklyn Renaissance Plaza, including the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge (1997), Brooklyn’s first full-service hotel in 75 years, built by Joshua Muss. “The hotel has been so overwhelmingly popular that it is currently being expanded,” said Muss. The 24-story addition, is scheduled to open this summer;
• Oceana Condominiums & Beach Club (1998-2007), an 850-unit luxury waterfront condominium complex in Brighton Beach, built by Joshua and Jason Muss.
“I think what distinguishes Muss Development from its competition is the fact that we build all of our projects ourselves,” said Joshua Muss. “This enables us to pay attention to every detail of every project. It also means we are able to manage costs and develop value in projects in markets that other developers might shy away from.
“We’re looking forward to the next generation of work and to our next 100 years in this great city,” he added.
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2006
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