Don Peebles

You’ve owned in Florida for a long time. Are there too many developers headed to Miami? 

Yes. During the COVID pandemic there was an influx of New Yorkers, and developers followed to provide the housing. Now many projects are over budget and out of schedule. We are approaching the day of reckoning.

You’ve developed in very big markets like NYC, and in medium-size markets like Charlotte and Atlanta.  Which is better for a developer? 

New York City by far. Atlanta has the greatest positive outlook for all medium U.S. markets.

Do you think the window for opportunistic investment is still open?

Yes but it requires vision, creativity and capital. 

There have been very few hotels coming onto the market in NYC over the last few years. When is Peebles going to open one in NYC? 

When the regulatory environment changes.

We’ve now had Mayor Mamdani for the better part of a year. How would you grade him? 

Nowhere near as bad as people thought. I would give him a solid B on the level of basic services. C-minus on addressing affordable housing.

After years of the cold shoulder, there seems to be a big reversal of investors in Los Angeles. Are you one of them? Do you think there’s opportunity there? 

There are some opportunities in L.A. but we have not seen the bottom yet. 

Lightning Round:

Your AI platform of choice? Claude.

Who would play you in a movie? Aristotle Onassis.

One prompt you’d never give AI. How do you feel? 

Jalen Brunson or Aaron Judge? Jalen Brunson.

“Oppenheimer” or “Odyssey”? “Odyssey.”

Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire? Tom Holland. 

Have you ever eaten pizza with a knife and fork? Yes.

The most money you’ve ever spent on a hamburger? $45.

Bank or non-bank? Bank.

Last book you read? Every Day a Friday by Joel Osteen. 

Borrowing costs — up or down in 2027? Up.

What was your nickname when you grew up/started out? Mr. GQ.

How long do we have before AI kills us all? Never.

Where’s your secret escape compound? (Think Peter Thiel’s New Zealand Plan B.) Whitefish, Mont.