Current responsibilities
Rob Kossar, Vice Chairman and Head of JLL’s Northeast Industrial Region, is the market leader for all JLL industrial business in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. Rob also serves on JLL's Brokerage & Industrial Executive Committees focused on brokerage vision while defining objectives and outcomes for future growth and innovation in the Americas.
In addition to his local leadership responsibilities, Robert remains an active broker, representing the firm’s most important clients. Most recently, he is leading the firms NYC Last Mile initiatives including the leasing, management, and financing of the first multi-story fulfillment / distribution centers in the city.
Specialties
Leadership, Brokerage, Property Management, Project Development Services, Consulting and supporting the growth of Corporate Solutions. Robert's property level expertise lies primarily in industrial real estate including agency and tenant representation, investment sales, site selection, leasing, acquisition, disposition and build-to-suit properties and portfolios. As an urban core expert, Robert focuses closely on last-mile trends and how this space will lead the way for the next wave of modern last-mile distribution space in New York. Robert currently leads a team that handles the leasing for 5 million square feet of class A multi-story industrial developments in NYC.
Years of Experience
30+ years
Background/Experience
Prior to joining JLL, Robert was a Principal and Executive Vice President at Lee & Klatskin Associates, sold to JLL in 2007. He has extensive experience on both the ownership and brokerage side of the business representing many major public, private and institutional owners as well as public and private occupiers locally and throughout the United States.
Industry recognition includes being named "Power Broker in New Jersey" (2004–2020) by CoStar and NJ Biz Real Estate Power 50 (2011-2019). Mr. Kossar has been awarded Deal of the Year by NAIOP in 2013 and 2015 after several years of being a finalist. In 2017, Rob accepted the industry impact award on behalf of JLL from NAIOP.
Education and affiliations
Mr. Kossar holds a master of science in real estate investment and development from New York University and a bachelor of science in business and economics from Lehigh University. He is a board member of the NJ chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) and is a member of the Investment Management National Forum at NAIOP. Mr. Chairman of the board of the Ryan Wolfe Kossar Foundation. He is on the advisory board for the Rutgers Business School Center for Real Estate.
KEY TRANSACTIONS
- LBA in leasing and subsequent recapitalization of the largest and most advanced last mile facility in the U.S., a 1.2M-s.f. multi-story (5 story), state-of-the-art industrial build-to-suit in Queens, NY
- Goldman Sachs in the lease and subsequent sale of 150,000 s/f in the Bronx.
- Bridge Industrial/DHPH in the leasing of 2 million SF of new development in Brooklyn.
- Goldman Sachs and DHPH in the leasing of 400,000 SF in Brooklyn, NY
- City Harvest for the lease of 150,000 SF and subsequent Sale to Prologis in Brooklyn, NY
- Bridge Industrial in the lease of 615,000 SF in Somerset, NJ
- Christmas Tree Shops in the build-to-suit sale of 722,000 s.f. in Florence, NJ
- Fortune 500 retailer in the lease over 5 million square feet of e-fulfillment space on the eastern seaboard.
- B&H Photo for the lease of 590,000 square feet in Burlington, NJ.
- JP Morgan in the lease of 577,000 square feet in Edison, NJ.
- Duke Realty in the lease of 500,000 SF in Newark, NJ.
- Bridge Development in the lease of 262,000 square feet in Union, NJ.
- Ascena/Dressbarn in the sale of 893,000 square foot warehouse in Suffern, NY
