Jeffrey Levine is chairman and principal of residential real estate firm Levine Builders, and its subsidiaries Douglaston Development and Clinton Management. His firm developed the Edge, a 7.5-acre mixed-use complex, in the rezoned 175-block area along the Williamsburg/Greenpoint waterfront.

Levine, born in 1953, spent his early childhood in East Flatbush, Brownsville, and East New York. While he was growing up, his family moved to the Bayside area of Queens and Levine started his company out of the two-bedroom apartment in Queens he shared with his younger brother.

While working for a contractor during the day, Levine completed a degree at The City College of New York School of Architecture, by attending night classes. He has married for over 25 years.

-GB