Remembering RXR’s Lauren Maturo, Who Passed Away at Age 32 

Lauren Maturo, vice president of marketing at RXR and daughter of RXR President Mike Maturo, has passed away at the age of 32. 

Maturo was killed in a car accident on New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway on Oct. 24. 

In a LinkedIn post Tuesday, Scott Rechler, CEO and chairman of RXR, said Maturo “was a bright light who made every room she entered feel a little warmer. She was a treasured member of the RXR team and a dear friend to so many of us.” 

Syosset, N.Y., was home to Maturo, who prioritized family above all else. She is survived by her parents Mike Maturo and Paula Maturo, and sisters Elise Maturo and Jillian Maturo. 

RXR, where Maturo spent almost eight years building a flourishing marketing career, was described by colleagues as Maturo’s second family. Maturo was fiercely proud of the people she worked with and the company she worked for, multiple sources said. 

 In a world that too often rewards hard edges and conformity, Rechler described Maturo as being “unapologetically herself. She met the world with wonder, individuality and an authenticity all her own. … We won’t look for Lauren only in memory. We’ll find her in the world’s brightness and beauty, and in the kindness she left behind.” 

Whitney Arcaro, chief operating officer of RXR Residential, worked closely with Maturo and also mentored her. “Lauren has — and will always have — an indelible place in so many of our hearts,” Arcaro said. “She was not only a gifted colleague but a truly precious person. Her generous spirit, perceptive, sensitive soul and creative zeal brought such warmth and light to everyone in and out of RXR.” 

A champion of women, and a dedicated mentor to younger associates at RXR, Maturo led by example — and with style. In the buttoned-up world of commercial real estate, she was regularly the most colorful and stylish person at events and — at 5-foot-10 — a standout person in any crowd that one Commercial Observer colleague described as “effortlessly cool.” 

“Lauren genuinely committed to advancing women in real estate,” Arcaro said. “In particular, she created mentorship and networking opportunities for young female professionals, connecting them with established and prominent female executives to support the ongoing development of the next generation of leaders. Her legacy lives on in the doors she has opened for so many, and the lives she has brilliantly touched.”

Sarah Berman, president of the Berman Group, described Maturo as “a visionary marketer with an extraordinary creative instinct — she pushed boundaries, challenged conventions, and took pride in finding bold, new ways to differentiate RXR and elevate everyone around her.” Berman said that despite all of Maturo’s accomplishments on paper, “Lauren’s greatest asset was her heart. She championed women in real estate, helping launch the women’s initiative at RXR and the Commercial Observer Women’s Event.” 

At RXR, Maturo collaborated with SDX Studio, a creative studio that specializes in high-end architectural visualization, on several properties in RXR’s portfolio, including Pier 57 and the Starrett Lehigh Building. 

“Nearly eight years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Lauren, never imagining the profound impact she would have on my life,” Nuno Mesquita, CEO of SDX Studio, said. “Her focus, drive, passion and kindness were contagious. But what made Lauren truly extraordinary was that it was never just about the work. She had a remarkable gift for bringing out the best in everyone around her, inspiring us not only to do better, but to be better.” 

Mesquita went on to say that losing Maturo “feels like losing a little piece of the best in ourselves. She left us far too soon, but the light she brought into our lives, and the impact she had on those fortunate enough to know her, will never fade. She will be deeply missed and will always be remembered.”

In addition to her role at RXR, Maturo was in her second year of the real estate master’s program at New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. 

“Lauren embodied the values we want to instill in every Schack student: engaged, committed, professional, and straddling both industry and academia. We at NYU are devastated by this loss, but also blessed to have had her energy and drive,” said Marc Norman, Larry and Klara Silverstein chair and associate dean at the Schack Institute. 

A proud New Yorker, Maturo was heavily involved in the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s annual charity run. Jan Llanes, vice president of corporate giving at the museum, described Maturo as a “deeply valued friend and partner.”  

“For years, she brought an energy and commitment to our annual charity run that helped bring together thousands of 9/11 community members and New Yorkers in remembrance of those we lost 25 years ago,” Llanes said. “Lauren was also an important part of our Visionary Network, ensuring a new generation carries on the promise to never forget. We will miss her brightness and send our heartfelt condolences to the Maturo family and everyone at RXR.” 

Outside of RXR, Maturo was an artist and business owner, founding Green by Jean — a dedicated handle to all of her creative outlets, from watercolors to greeting cards to collages to clothing, accessories and painting. 

That innate creativity, and a strong preference for color over the mundane, carried over to Maturo’s approach to life, said David Gise, senior vice president and head of hospitality, amenities and AI at RXR. “Lauren saw the world as a blank canvas, filled with endless possibilities for color, creativity, kindness, and joy. She had a magical way of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, leaving everything she touched a little brighter, more beautiful and more alive. Her greatest work of art was the way she colored the lives of those around her. And, though her time with us was far too short, the colors she painted into our hearts will never fade.” 

“Lauren’s creativity, her propensity for collaboration and inclusivity, and love of art and color, were the same attributes that made her so successful as a real estate marketer,” Kate Harrington, Commercial Observer’s executive director of marketing and programming, said. “She knew how to connect the dots and see the bigger picture of how real estate can engage its surrounding communities through art and programming —many of the values that also make RXR so distinct.”

In her earlier years, Maturo played high school basketball for Syosset High School and was named to the All-County team and Academic All-State in 2012.  She went on to play women’s basketball and track and field at Carnegie Mellon University.

Services details can be found here. The family asks that donations be made to The INN, and that bright attire is worn to the services on Friday to mirror the color Maturo brought into the world. 

Cathy Cunningham can be reached at ccunningham@commercialobserver.com.