Skylight Studios plays party planner and real estate consultant

Events company is expanding role to build property brands

Stephanie Blake with 23 Wall Street and St. John's Studios
Stephanie Blake with 23 Wall Street and St. John's Studios

Events company Skylight Studios isn’t just here for the party. In the past year, the company has expanded its reach to be a strategic adviser to landlords and developers by connecting them partners who can help build a property’s brand.

“People buy into the idea of what was the history of This Place and how can you actually make that as part of our brand message,” Skylight chief executive Stephanie Blake told the Wall Street Journal.

“I think you are seeing that a lot with fashion in particular because they are challenged a lot in terms of retail,” she said. “So how can they get their consumers to buy into a story, to want to be loyal to their brand?”

Skylight has hosted Fashion Week events at places like the massive former St. John’s Terminal warehouse in Hudson Square, which Oxford Properties Group is in contract to buy for $700 million. And this past week it brought Nike to 23 Wall Street for a series of events aimed at boosting 10 well-known styles the company is remaking.

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“We’re bringing eyeballs to the property,” said Jack Terzi of JTRE Holdings, which went into contract more than a year ago to buy the building for an undisclosed amount.

Skylight’s use of entertainment to generate buzz for real estate isn’t new, but its elaborate events are particularly attractive in struggling retail and competitive office markets.

The company is still struggling with the loss of its founder, Jennifer Blumin, who went missing in May when the plane she was traveling in with her two sons disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle. [WSJ] – Rich Bockmann