<![CDATA[Space Makers]]>Space Makers is a podcast celebrating the visionaries reshaping how we live, work, and monetize space. Hosted by Katharine Lau, Co-Founder and CEO of Stuf Storage, each episode spotlights the people reimagining what’s possible with space, from real estate investors and developers to architects, designers, and innovators challenging the status quo.

We seek to uncover how they think — their risks, wins, and lessons learned along the way. It’s thoughtful, human, and a little unexpected — the conversations you wish you heard more often in commercial real estate.

]]>https://space.stufstorage.com/space-makers-podcastRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 12 Oct 2026 21:22:58 GMTMon, 05 Jan 2026 18:56:25 GMT60Katharine Lau<p><b>Space Makers</b> is a podcast celebrating the visionaries reshaping how we live, work, and monetize space. Hosted by Katharine Lau, Co-Founder and CEO of <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.stufstorage.com/" target="_blank">Stuf Storage</a>, each episode spotlights the people reimagining what’s possible with space, from real estate investors and developers to architects, designers, and innovators challenging the status quo.</p><p></p><p>We seek to uncover <i>how</i> they think — their risks, wins, and lessons learned along the way. It’s thoughtful, human, and a little unexpected — the conversations you wish you heard more often in commercial real estate.</p>episodicKatharine Laukat@stufstorage.comno<![CDATA[Bridgeton: Atit Jariwala on Why "Risky" Hotels Are the Safe Bet]]>In this episode, Atit Jariwala shares his journey from growing up in a motel to becoming a real estate innovator. We explore his approach to design, investment, and balancing creativity with financial acumen in real estate development.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Atit Jaruwala and his background

01:34 Lessons from growing up in a motel

08:27 Design philosophy: bold yet lasting

11:04 Balancing creativity and economics in hotel design

13:55 Strategic location choices and F&B planning

18:25 Preserving history in adaptive reuse projects

20:24 The importance of authentic architecture

26:51 Deciding when to sell a property

28:26 Starting and growing Arithmetic

29:40 Spitfire questions

]]>965683dc-6dd1-43eb-9feb-ed03c0cf085cTue, 06 Oct 2026 21:51:38 GMT<p>In this episode, Atit Jariwala shares his journey from growing up in a motel to becoming a real estate innovator. We explore his approach to design, investment, and balancing creativity with financial acumen in real estate development.</p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Introduction to Atit Jaruwala and his background</p><p>01:34 Lessons from growing up in a motel</p><p>08:27 Design philosophy: bold yet lasting</p><p>11:04 Balancing creativity and economics in hotel design</p><p>13:55 Strategic location choices and F&amp;B planning</p><p>18:25 Preserving history in adaptive reuse projects</p><p>20:24 The importance of authentic architecture</p><p>26:51 Deciding when to sell a property</p><p>28:26 Starting and growing Arithmetic</p><p>29:40 Spitfire questions</p>no00:35:0315Bridgeton: Atit Jariwala on Why "Risky" Hotels Are the Safe Betfull<![CDATA[Placemakr: Jason Fudin on the Shape-Shifting Building and Hilton's Big Bet]]>In this episode of Space Makers, Jason Fudin, CEO and co-founder of Placemakr, shares how he turned a simple observation about empty buildings into a new category of real estate. He traces his path from mechanical engineer to real estate developer at Vornado, the launch of what became Placemakr, and the company's model of buildings that can run as a hotel one night and a home for a year. The conversation covers the unit economics behind flex living, what WeWork and Sonder got wrong, how COVID reshaped the business, and Placemakr's new partnership with Hilton to launch Apartment Collection by Hilton.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:00 From Mechanical Engineer to Real Estate
03:30 From Secretary to Running a Billion in Development
06:46 Betting on WhyHotel and Spinning It Out
09:52 The Insight: Empty Buildings Leak Cash
13:01 The Hardest Sell Was Free Money
15:10 How COVID Saved the Company
18:46 One Building, Every Length of Stay
24:17 What WeWork and Sonder Got Wrong
25:39 Pricing a Building That's Both Hotel and Home
29:40 Running the Whole Building, From Weddings to Coworking
33:51 Why Hilton Bet on Placemakr
37:39 Rapid Fire + Closing

Stuf Website: https://www.stufstorage.com/

Space Makers Page & Blog: https://space.stufstorage.com/

Real Estate Partners page: https://lp.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners

Case Studies: https://resources.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners/case-study

]]>20d0c66f-2fd0-4ae4-8ca6-ed5fb6d3c7ebMon, 15 Jun 2026 14:24:03 GMT<p>In this episode of Space Makers, Jason Fudin, CEO and co-founder of Placemakr, shares how he turned a simple observation about empty buildings into a new category of real estate. He traces his path from mechanical engineer to real estate developer at Vornado, the launch of what became Placemakr, and the company's model of buildings that can run as a hotel one night and a home for a year. The conversation covers the unit economics behind flex living, what WeWork and Sonder got wrong, how COVID reshaped the business, and Placemakr's new partnership with Hilton to launch Apartment Collection by Hilton.</p><p>Chapters<br />00:00 Intro<br />02:00 From Mechanical Engineer to Real Estate<br />03:30 From Secretary to Running a Billion in Development<br />06:46 Betting on WhyHotel and Spinning It Out<br />09:52 The Insight: Empty Buildings Leak Cash<br />13:01 The Hardest Sell Was Free Money<br />15:10 How COVID Saved the Company<br />18:46 One Building, Every Length of Stay<br />24:17 What WeWork and Sonder Got Wrong<br />25:39 Pricing a Building That's Both Hotel and Home<br />29:40 Running the Whole Building, From Weddings to Coworking<br />33:51 Why Hilton Bet on Placemakr<br />37:39 Rapid Fire + Closing</p><p></p><p>Stuf Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.stufstorage.com/" target="_blank">https://www.stufstorage.com/</a></p><p>Space Makers Page &amp; Blog: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://space.stufstorage.com/" target="_blank">https://space.stufstorage.com/</a></p><p>Real Estate Partners page: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lp.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners" target="_blank">https://lp.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners</a></p><p>Case Studies: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://resources.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners/case-study" target="_blank">https://resources.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners/case-study</a></p>no00:40:3114Placemakr: Jason Fudin on the Shape-Shifting Building and Hilton's Big Betfull<![CDATA[North Bridge: Laura Rapaport on Unlocking a New Category of Capital]]>In this episode of Space Makers, Katharine Lau interviews Laura Rapaport, founder and CEO of North Bridge, a lending platform revolutionizing real estate financing. Laura shares her journey from aspiring doctor to real estate leader, discussing her career progression, the launch of Northbridge, and the innovative C-PACE financing model. The conversation highlights the importance of relationships in real estate, the impact of sustainability on development, and the future of financing in the industry.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:25 Choosing Real Estate Over Medicine

04:56 Climbing The Real Estate Stack

07:49 Driving Innovation in Real Estate

10:44 Innovative Development: 425 Park Avenue

12:49 Closing High-Stakes Deals

15:52 Everything You Need to Know About C-PACE

27:14 The Vision for Northbridge's Future

32:29 Cultivating The Gift of Human Connection

35:11 Rapid Fire + Closing

]]>621783a9-7471-47d4-a0f8-e644f5b82efaMon, 13 Apr 2026 15:09:48 GMT<p>In this episode of Space Makers, Katharine Lau interviews Laura Rapaport, founder and CEO of North Bridge, a lending platform revolutionizing real estate financing. Laura shares her journey from aspiring doctor to real estate leader, discussing her career progression, the launch of Northbridge, and the innovative C-PACE financing model. The conversation highlights the importance of relationships in real estate, the impact of sustainability on development, and the future of financing in the industry.</p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Intro</p><p>01:25 Choosing Real Estate Over Medicine</p><p>04:56 Climbing The Real Estate Stack</p><p>07:49 Driving Innovation in Real Estate</p><p>10:44 Innovative Development: 425 Park Avenue</p><p>12:49 Closing High-Stakes Deals</p><p>15:52 Everything You Need to Know About C-PACE</p><p>27:14 The Vision for Northbridge's Future</p><p>32:29 Cultivating The Gift of Human Connection</p><p>35:11 Rapid Fire + Closing</p>no00:36:4513North Bridge: Laura Rapaport on Unlocking a New Category of Capitalfull<![CDATA[Vornado: Glen Weiss on Building New York's Most Iconic Portfolio]]>In this episode of Space Makers, Glen Weiss, co-head of real estate at Vornado Realty Trust, shares insights from his extensive career in commercial real estate. He discusses the evolution of New York's iconic districts, including the Penn District and Fifth Avenue, and the challenges and opportunities presented by economic cycles. Glen emphasizes the importance of relationships, leadership, and reputation in the industry, while also addressing the impact of AI on office space demand. The conversation concludes with Glen's personal reflections and rapid-fire questions about his life outside of work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Glen Weiss and Vernado Realty Trust

01:36 Glen's Journey in Real Estate

05:09 Navigating New York's Real Estate Cycles

07:58 Leadership Lessons from Steve Roth

14:12 Creating a New Experience in New York

16:53 Retail Resurgence on Fifth Avenue

18:25 The Future of Times Square

20:56 Meta's Lease and the Office Market's Resilience

23:32 The Impact of AI on Real Estate

25:43 Innovations in Leasing and Tenant Experience

28:50 The Importance of Reputation in Real Estate

31:18 Balancing Work and Family Life

32:58 Advice for Aspiring Real Estate Professionals

Stuf Website: https://www.stufstorage.com/
Space Makers Page & Blog: https://space.stufstorage.com/
Real Estate Partners page: https://lp.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners
Case Studies: https://resources.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners/case-study

]]>42c6102f-38a6-41ce-afc9-6b065f250e99Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:13:20 GMT<p>In this episode of Space Makers, Glen Weiss, co-head of real estate at Vornado Realty Trust, shares insights from his extensive career in commercial real estate. He discusses the evolution of New York's iconic districts, including the Penn District and Fifth Avenue, and the challenges and opportunities presented by economic cycles. Glen emphasizes the importance of relationships, leadership, and reputation in the industry, while also addressing the impact of AI on office space demand. The conversation concludes with Glen's personal reflections and rapid-fire questions about his life outside of work.</p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Introduction to Glen Weiss and Vernado Realty Trust</p><p>01:36 Glen's Journey in Real Estate</p><p>05:09 Navigating New York's Real Estate Cycles</p><p>07:58 Leadership Lessons from Steve Roth</p><p>14:12 Creating a New Experience in New York</p><p>16:53 Retail Resurgence on Fifth Avenue</p><p>18:25 The Future of Times Square</p><p>20:56 Meta's Lease and the Office Market's Resilience</p><p>23:32 The Impact of AI on Real Estate</p><p>25:43 Innovations in Leasing and Tenant Experience</p><p>28:50 The Importance of Reputation in Real Estate</p><p>31:18 Balancing Work and Family Life</p><p>32:58 Advice for Aspiring Real Estate Professionals</p><p></p><p>Stuf Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.stufstorage.com/" target="_blank">https://www.stufstorage.com/</a><br />Space Makers Page &amp; Blog: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://space.stufstorage.com/" target="_blank">https://space.stufstorage.com/</a><br />Real Estate Partners page: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lp.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners" target="_blank">https://lp.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners</a><br />Case Studies: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://resources.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners/case-study" target="_blank">https://resources.stufstorage.com/realestatepartners/case-study</a></p>no00:36:4612Vornado: Glen Weiss on Building New York's Most Iconic Portfoliofull<![CDATA[Warby Parker: Neil Blumenthal on Building a Brand Through Real Estate]]>In this episode of Space Makers, Kat interviews Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker. They discuss the origins of Warby Parker, the innovative direct-to-consumer business model, and the challenges and successes of scaling retail operations. Neil shares insights on customer behavior, the importance of local community engagement, and the future of AI in retail. The conversation also touches on personal experiences and the unique culture at Warby Parker.

]]>4d1991a3-6d32-41e4-9a98-4da79518f5a2Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:22:04 GMT<p>In this episode of Space Makers, Kat interviews Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker. They discuss the origins of Warby Parker, the innovative direct-to-consumer business model, and the challenges and successes of scaling retail operations. Neil shares insights on customer behavior, the importance of local community engagement, and the future of AI in retail. The conversation also touches on personal experiences and the unique culture at Warby Parker.</p>no00:35:0711Warby Parker: Neil Blumenthal on Building a Brand Through Real Estatefull