At Dreamscape, we are stewards of both creativity and capital. Our goal is to (re)develop residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming properties into unique and dynamic environments that command attention and maximize value for our investors.
Dreamscape's mission is to generate long-term financial prosperity through a diversified portfolio of differentiated, forward-thinking real estate projects.
Our focus is on creating multi-faceted and dynamic residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming experiences.
Led by Founder and CEO Eric Birnbaum, Dreamscape’s team has forged deep connections within the commercial real estate industry nationwide. With trust established and a proven vision, Dreamscape has access to proprietary, off-market deals and is able to transact with speed, skill and integrity. We strive to efficiently acquire properties and then (re)develop them into fully realized and uniquely vibrant destinations. In doing so, we aim to promote and celebrate contemporary cultural values while fostering lasting financial success.
Dreamscape’s team also has a strong and unique network of creative collaborators within the music, fashion, food and beverage and design worlds, having worked with top talents across varied industries – including music and fashion powerhouse Pharrell Williams, renowned interior designer Ken Fulk, award-winning architect Morris Adjmi, nightlife and F&B impresario David Grutman at Groot Hospitality, Jeff Zalaznick at Major Food Group, and many others. We aim to cultivate new and unexpected relationships on an ongoing basis so that each of our properties deliver a unique, innovative and memorable imprint.
For Dreamscape, real estate is a source of both value and diverse cultural engagement. By galvanizing bespoke and specialized experiences, we strive to nurture distinctive, lively and worldly communities.
Dreamscape is headquartered in New York City. Additionally, we have on-ground staffing in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami.
Led by Founder and CEO Eric Birnbaum, Dreamscape’s talented team of real estate professionals has collectively deployed in excess of $35 billion in capital across residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming experiences with decades of experience in these verticals. Eric and his team have worked on a diverse portfolio of significant properties, including critically acclaimed endeavors such as Henry Hall in New York's Hudson Yards, The Pod Hotel in New York’s Times Square, The Goodtime Hotel in South Beach, Miami, The Rio All-Suites Hotel in Las Vegas, and 5420 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.
“Dreamscape focuses on well-located real estate and seeks to create lasting and one-of-a-kind experiences that are targeted to generate outsized returns.”
Eric is a New York City-based real estate developer who began his career in 2003 at Vornado Realty Trust where he worked in both Acquisitions and Capital Markets, and Development. While at Vornado, Eric participated in over $1 billion of transactions. Between 2008 and 2014, Eric led his own development firm, ELB Holdings, which deployed approximately $750 million in capital over more than a dozen projects, primarily in the hospitality and residential sectors. In 2014, Eric and Michael Fascitelli, the former President and CEO of Vornado, co-founded Imperial Companies.
Over the course of his real estate career, Eric has worked on a diverse portfolio of significant properties, including critically acclaimed endeavors such as Henry Hall which was awarded “best new multi-family development” by Multifamily Executive. Eric has also helped to steward other major well-known projects, including The Pod Hotel in New York’s Times Square, a popular and unique 710-room hotel and mixed-use ground-up development and The Goodtime Hotel, a new mixed-use hospitality concept in Miami’s South Beach.
A native of New York City, Eric is an avid runner and a New York Mets fan. His favorite hometown restaurants include Legacy Records, Carbone and Tal Bagels. He lives on Manhattan’s Upper East Side with his wife, their three children and Cooper, their Goldendoodle.
Eric holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Pennsylvania.
Tom Ellis has worked with Eric Birnbaum since 2003. Immediately prior to joining Dreamscape, Tom was Vice-President at Imperial Companies from 2014 to 2019, and before that worked at ELB Holdings and Vornado Realty Trust. Prior to joining Vornado in 2003, Tom worked for Bank of America Securities (now Bank of America/Merrill Lynch). Over his career, Tom has played an integral role in buying, selling and structuring both residential, retail, hospitality and gaming assets. Tom has been involved in over $6 billion of capital deployment since 2003. While at Vornado, Tom closed over $3 billion of acquisitions and re-financings of office, retail, apartment and industrial properties in New York City, Washington DC, San Francisco, Texas and Mexico.
Tom is a native Virginian that now calls Manhattan’s Yorkville neighborhood home. In New York City, Tom’s favorite restaurants are The Writing Room, City Winery and Legacy Records (along with anywhere that’s broadcasting Arsenal F.C. English Premier League matches). When not in Yorkville, Tom likes to visit the Jersey Shore, Long Island’s North Fork and his brother in Los Angeles.
Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
Scott Broder oversees Dreamscape’s hospitality group. Prior to joining Dreamscape, Scott was the Head of Hotel Investments at The Witkoff Group, where he oversaw all aspects of hotel acquisitions, dispositions and asset management. The hotel portfolio at The Witkoff Group included several prominent locations including the EDITION West Hollywood and the Park Lane Hotel and PUBLIC Hotel in New York City. Before Witkoff, Scott was the Director of Acquisitions at Sunstone Hotel Investors (NYSE:SHO). Over Scott’s career, he has completed over $2 billion in hotel transactions, including the acquisitions of Boston Park Plaza, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Maui.
A native of New York City, Scott likes to eat regularly at Bar Pitti, J.G. Melon and Peter Luger Steakhouse. Scott has lived in London, Chicago, and Southern California, though he now calls New York City home once again. Scott loves to travel and live an active lifestyle, regularly playing in a Sunday morning basketball game. When he is not in the Big Apple, Scott enjoys spending time in Sag Harbor playing golf or visiting the beach with family and friends. He’s also a classic car enthusiast.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.
Trevor Scherrer has more than 35 years of experience in the Gaming and Hospitality industry, particularly in the Las Vegas market. He has held senior and executive leadership positions at several Las Vegas Resorts including MGM Grand, The Mirage, and New York New York Hotel and Casino. His most recent position was on the opening team as a Resort Development Advisor for the $4.3B Resorts World project in Las Vegas.
As a native Nevadan, Trevor enjoys an active lifestyle hunting, fishing, and off-road racing. He and his family are avid fans of the Vegas Golden Knights and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Trevor studied Business Management at the University of Nevada-Reno.
Curtis Palmer has been with Dreamscape since its founding in 2019. He brings nearly three decades of real estate experience to the firm. Prior to joining Dreamscape, Curtis held senior positions with Newmark Knight Frank, CBRE and was a founding partner of Brooktree Realty Investors in tandem with Multi-Housing Capital Advisors (MHCA). In those positions Curtis actively sold, financed and managed $25 billion in apartment and office products. During his tenure as a managing partner at Brooktree, the firm acquired over $150 million of apartment-related assets in Southern California during the Great Recession. These were ultimately sold for a profit between 2011 and 2014.
Curtis was born and raised in Miami, though much of his family has long been located in New York City. After living in New York City and Miami Beach as a young adult, he relocated to Los Angeles in 1998, where he currently resides with his wife, two children and an Old English Sheep Dog. A lifelong Miami Dolphins fan, Curtis still owns 10 season tickets that he inherited from his father. Curtis is an avid tennis player who also enjoys hiking in the Hollywood Hills with his family and friends.
Curtis holds a Master of Business Administration from the Herbert School of Business at University of Miami.
Marc Finkel is a retail leasing specialist with a focus in hospitality and emerging brands. Previously at RKF and Newmark Knight Frank, Marc brings over twenty years of expertise in finding and executing brand strategy from infancy to fruition across all real estate platforms.
Marc has represented tenants including Hatch Collection, Eggslut, Bluestone Lane, The Chobani Company, American Apparel, The Tao Group, The H’Wood Group, 1933 Hospitality, and The Madera Group to match their needs with specific properties. Marc brings an understanding of what works for different usage types while always employing an outside-the-box mentality. He handles the leasing strategy for major projects in Santa Monica, New York City and Miami.
Marc holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
Patrick Irvine has more than 40 years of experience in the real estate development industry, participating in a range of complex projects from California to Tennessee to Florida. Patrick has substantial experience in design build, sustainable design, and budget and schedule management. His on-site management expertise provides his clients and fellow employees with an indispensable knowledge base. Patrick has held several executive-level management positions with firms such as the J.H. Snyder Company, Maguire-Thomas Partners, Cadillac-Fairview and Kilroy Real Estate Development. Patrick has also served as Mayor of the City of Bay Lake, one of two actual cities within Walt Disney World in Orlando.
When he isn’t working, Patrick plays grandfather to three grandchildren, takes long walks in Marina Del Rey and frequents Matsuhisa, one of his favorite restaurants in Beverly Hills.
Patrick attended St. Monica’s High School and worked his way up in the trades over the course of four decades, from the field to heading major projects, during which time he gained a well-rounded education from the University of Real Life.
Don Purdue brings more than 35 years of experience in Construction and Land Development. He has extensive experience in the development of Master Planned Communities, Golf Courses, and has worked for several notable Fortune 500 companies in senior leadership roles. For the past six years he served as the Vice President of Development, spearheading the remodel of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
As a native of Las Vegas and third-generation Nevadan, Don is a dedicated member of the community. In 2011, he co-founded Project 150, a local non-profit serving displaced and disadvantaged high school students. He and his wife, Laurie, have raised four grown children in the valley. He is an avid mountain biker, hiker and Golden Knights fan.
Don graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.
Carolyn Ament brings almost three decades of multidisciplinary experience designing boutique and luxury hotels and residential projects to her role overseeing the design aesthetic at Dreamscape.
Prior to joining Dreamscape in 2021, Carolyn was the global Head of Design for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and led the vision and design process for the brand’s worldwide portfolio. Her prior positions include Design Director at Tihany Design and Gensler New York, Architect Project Leader at Ian Schrager Company, and Principal at Ament Design & Architecture.
A native of Virginia, Carolyn’s passion for design, art, food, and travel inspires her to explore destinations near and far. She also enjoys cooking, cycling, hiking, swimming, and walking.
Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia.
Connor Grealy joined Dreamscape at its inception. Previously, from 2015 to 2019, Connor was an Analyst and then Associate at Imperial Companies. Since 2015, Connor has been involved in transactions reaching over $600 million in total capitalization across major U.S. gateway markets. Prior to Imperial, Connor was with Acadia Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust in White Plains, NY. There, he was an analyst on the asset management team, overseeing more than 40 mixed-use properties for the company’s private equity platform.
Growing up in Connecticut, Connor always looked forward to the day he could call himself a New Yorker. His favorite plans include attending frigid playoff baseball games at Yankee Stadium, sharing a steaming hot pie from Pasquale Jones with friends and going to just about any concert possible. He currently resides in Williamsburg and refuses to ever move back across the East River to Manhattan.
Connor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Brown University.
Jack Behrens brings over 25 years of experience in the hospitality and gaming industry to Dreamscape. Jack possesses a successful track record of opening, managing and repositioning casino hotels. He began his career in hotel operations, serving in several management positions in four-star and five-star properties. He was part of the reopening team of the Four Seasons, Sydney, Australia, in time for the millennium and the Sydney Olympics. Upon his return to the U.S., Jack ventured to Nevada, where he worked on the pre-opening team of the Wynn Las Vegas. Since then, he has successfully managed and overseen the evolution of properties in Vancouver, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and elsewhere.
A transplanted New Yorker, Jack loves the sunny weather and red rock canyons surrounding Las Vegas where he lives with his wife, two children, and two dogs.
Jack holds a Master of Business Administration from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration.
Jason Sheng has over 13 years of construction and development experience in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, having started his career at the Mollenhauer Group, a surveying and civil consulting firm. He then managed project design and permitting, through which he developed relationships with public utility companies and the City of Los Angeles Building and Safety staff. Prior to joining Dreamscape in 2021, Jason spent 7 years at J.H Snyder, where his last position was Vice President of Construction and Development. He was part of the management team responsible for entitling, designing, permitting and building major projects such as The Vermont Apartments, Hollywood 959, 1601 Vine and the Wilshire Curson Apartments.
Jason was born and raised in Southern California. He is a long time Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Often, he can be found at his go-to restaurant Gulfstream in Newport Beach or spending time at home with his Beagle, Bentley.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from California State University Fullerton.
Marty Millman has been with Dreamscape since its founding. He previously served as Vice-President of Construction and Development at Imperial Companies from 2014 to 2019. Before joining Imperial, Marty worked with Eric Birnbaum at ELB Holdings and earlier as Global Account Director at Sefaira, a startup software company with the mission to promote more sustainable buildings by providing the design and development community with innovative web-based energy efficiency analysis software. In that role, he worked closely with some of the biggest architecture firms in the world. Marty also served previously as Senior Project Manager at Colgate Development, where he represented owners and equity partners on The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte (LEED Gold), W Hollywood Hotel and Condominiums (LEED Silver), and various Extell Development projects in New York City.
Marty’s love of food, music, and travel takes him often to New Orleans, his favorite U.S. city. He loves to re-read John D. MacDonald novels, never fails to complete The New York Times Crossword Puzzle, and tries out for Jeopardy every year but has yet to make the cut. Marty lives with his wife and their two boys in Summit, New Jersey.
Marty holds a Bachelor of Arts in Design of the Environment and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Structural Building Systems from University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Architecture from University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.
Nick Wilhite has nearly 40 years of expertise in the construction industry. Prior to joining Dreamscape in 2021, Nick's experience in electrical management and MEP coordination includes design build developments, hospitals and universities, historical renovations, Disney, and both commercial and residential buildings in the greater Los Angeles area. He also provided design and consulting services to Universal Studios in Beijing, China. Nick has a gift for troubleshooting and coordinating projects of various scale to a profitable finish, earning him a great reputation within the industry.
Much of Nick's free time is spent with family and being Papa to his grandchildren. He enjoys gardening, offering construction services to his church, and going on wilderness adventures in the Western states.
Nick graduated from St. Pius X High School and completed electrical trade school in Houston, Texas. He received his C-10 license in California and has worked in senior project management, partnerships, and entrepreneurship. His leadership and experience in trade coordination has brought him to where he is today.
Ryan joined Dreamscape in 2021 and is responsible for sourcing and managing hospitality and gaming opportunities. Ryan previously worked for The Blackstone Group within the Tactical Opportunities asset management and Private Equity groups, where he was responsible for managing portfolio companies on key strategic and operating initiatives. During his tenure, Ryan worked extensively with The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on key casino development projects. Prior to joining Blackstone, Ryan worked in the Transaction Services consulting group at PwC, where he advised clients on complex transaction and deal-related solutions.
Ryan is a native New Yorker and has also lived in Las Vegas and Washington DC. He currently resides in Manhattan’s West Village, and enjoys exploring the city in search for the best coffee shop, attending New York Giants games, sparring at boxing classes and playing pickup basketball games. Ryan also is a mentor for the SEO Scholars program, which helps high school students navigate both college aspirations and their future careers.
Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Providence College and holds a CPA license in the State of New York.
Amy Riley is responsible for programming and Convention and Group Sales at the reimagined Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, from December 2021 onward. She will oversee such responsibilities as rate forecasting and departmental policies and procedures. Amy will also serve as Dreamscape’s liaison with the sales organizations at Aimbridge, Hyatt and Caesars. Amy joins Dreamscape with vast hospitality sales experience, serving most recently as the Senior Director of Business Development for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). She was with the organization for nearly 15 years. She serves on the Society for Incentive Travel Executives (SITE) Foundation as a Board Trustee, and is an Advisory Board Member for the University of Kentucky’s Department of Retailing & Tourism Management.
Amy is a fan of hiking in the Las Vegas area, from Red Rock Canyon to the Valley of Fire. She also practices hot yoga, and was once on an episode of Caesars 24/7, a reality show that aired on A&E in 2005. In Las Vegas, Amy counts eateries such as DW Bistro, Honey Salt and Wolfgang Puck Players Locker as hidden gems.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from University of Kentucky.
Larry Robinson joins Dreamscape as an Associate focused on hotel acquisitions and asset management. Prior to joining in 2021, Larry was at Pebblebrook Hotel Trust supporting the intensive asset management of more than 15 lifestyle hotels and resorts, including a number of major rebranding and repositioning projects. He also helped lead the integration of portfolio best practices as part of the $5-billion public REIT merger between Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and LaSalle Hotel Properties.
As a native of Philadelphia, Larry is an avid Philadelphia Eagles and Sixers fan. On weekends, you can find him playing tennis, traveling to a new destination or coordinating music jam sessions with friends at local studios.
Larry holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Laura Chekowitz brings three decades of experience in Interior Design and Project Management. Her capabilities cover all aspects of large-scale interior design projects in the Hospitality, Gaming, Commercial, Retail, Corporate, Institutional and Residential sectors. Prior to Dreamscape, Laura has managed the interior design process for several venues at Resorts World Las Vegas, Sands Corporation/Venetian. For 11 years she served as Senior Designer at MGM Resorts International Design Group and Interior Design Manager with City Center.
Laura calls Las Vegas, Nevada home and has even watched it develop from dirt roads into the mega destination it is today. A lifelong hockey fan, she was elated when the Vegas Golden Knights were born. She enjoys all outdoor activities in the beautiful Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas.
Laura is a Registered Interior Designer with the Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design, & Residential Design. She's also a nationally certified Interior Designer by the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications. Laura holds an Associate Degree in Art and an Associate Degree in Business from the College of Southern Nevada.
Mitch Kaplain joined Dreamscape upon its founding in 2019 from Stellar Management, a vertically integrated real estate investor, owner and operator headquartered in New York City. At Stellar, Mitch was responsible for underwriting multifamily, office, and retail transactions. He was involved in over $2 billion of capital markets transactions. Prior to joining Stellar, Mitch was an investment banking analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel Company, where he advised clients on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising in the firm’s Financial Institutions Group.
Originally from Long Island, Mitch currently lives in Manhattan’s Midtown East. He enjoys traveling and exploring new places, and has visited over 25 countries. Mitch is passionate about health and fitness but also enjoys frequenting his favorite restaurants Bond Street, Wolfgang’s and Emilio’s Ballato.
Mitch holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Kat is the Executive Assistant to Eric Birnbaum, CEO and Founder of Dreamscape and serves as Manager of Operations. Kat was an Executive Assistant at Imperial Companies from 2018-2109 and prior to that she oversaw The Abraaj Group’s New York City-based flagship office while simultaneously serving as an Executive Assistant.
Before settling into the corporate world, Kat’s official first job in New York fulfilled her passion for health and wellness. She was a part of the founding team at The Fhitting Room, a high intensity workout studio. Her fitness routine has now changed from kettlebells and rowing machines to chasing around her new baby boy.
Kat holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Monmouth University.
Jacky Zhu has worked with Dreamscape since its establishment in 2019, and previously served as External Controller for Imperial Companies since 2014. Jacky has extensive professional experience in accounting and audit practices, providing an array of services for clients throughout the real estate industry. Through Yehezkel CPA, he works closely with real estate owners, managers, developers and investors that are involved in residential, commercial and retail properties.
Passionate about wellness, Jacky enjoys the peace and quiet of a long hike, the practice of daily meditation, and the atmosphere of a New York Yankees game.
Jacky holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Accounting from Baruch College.
Dreamscape is headquartered in New York City.
Additionally, we have offices in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami.