NYREJ's Spotlight, Yun Luo & Carrie Villani, LERA Consulting Structural Engineers
Yun Luo and Carrie Villani has been featured side by side in New York Real Estate Journal's 2020 Year in Review!
Yun Luo is an Associate at LERA with a Masters in Structural Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She started at LERA in 2017 and her recent work includes office and mixed-use, academic, healthcare, renovations, historic preservation, and manufacturing and industrial facilities.
Carrie Villani is the Director of Marketing for LERA. She has shown her leadership skills and passion for the AEC industry throughout her 18 year career. Carrie developed her career based on her passion for the built environment and collaboration with the creative talent who make projects possible.
Congratulations to Yun Luo and Carrie Villani on all of your accomplishments!
What was the most challenging part of working during the pandemic?
"Not seeing my coworkers, clients and colleagues in person was hard. The energy we share and spontaneous interactions are so valuable and the thing I look forward to the most in the future."
What was your most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2020?
"Winning the next phase at Schuylkill Yards which was just announced as the new pandemic proof office model. Seeing developers and designers pivot to create solutions for these unusual times is really amazing. LERA also designed new COVID testing labs in New York City, the design and construction were fast tracked projects and were open to the public in just weeks. Seeing design teams come together and thrive and help their communities has been the best part of this year."
What are your predictions for commercial real estate in 2021?
"Life science and biotech projects will continue to thrive. The real estate industry is ready to help prepare existing spaces for these lab and research clients and find places for new facilities to be built. Enabling these clients to perform their life saving research is truly a career high point."
What was your most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2020?
A campus transformation project for a major hospital in Long Island. This will fulfill a primary need for the community, and is being designed with the utmost consideration of the existing community landscape, hospital operations, and future flexibility.
What are your predictions for commercial real estate in 2021?
2021 will be a pivotal year for commercial real estate. We will see a slow recovery; but more importantly, I believe we will see a renewed focus on wellness, cultural capital, and social justice. The public is looking for us as an industry to come up with innovative strategies to address them.
What was the most challenging part of working during the pandemic?
Working from home with a very young child in the house. My son was only 10 months old when all daycares were shut down.
LERA's advertisement featured on page 10 of the NYREJ.
Yun Luo & Carrie Villani featured side by side on page 27 of the NYREJ.
