Freelance Writer Copy Editor

DAVID M. LEVITT

*** ****** ****** ******** ****, NJ 08904 732-***-**** ***********@*****.***

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmlevitt/

JOURNALIST

A seasoned business writer with a specialty in commercial real estate, mostly in New York City. Former president New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists. Believes in hard work, never taking anything for granted, and always making the extra call. Looking for a full-time senior writing or combination writing and editing position with a progressive news organization.

Experience:

Commercial Observer, New York, NY.: Nov. 2020 –

Freelance writer

Doing features and Q and A interviews for a newsletter entitied “Tenant Talks” which focuses on users of commercial office space.

Debtwire, New York, New York. June 2019-August 2020

Reporter, commercial real estate

Responsible for covering commercial property investment opportunities including debt placements.

Bloomberg News, New York, New York. October 2000-August 2018

Reporter, U.S. real estate team, covering commercial real estate in New York City. Have also covered insurance and post 9/11 recovery and rebuilding in Lower Manhattan.

Five-time winner of National Association of Real Estate Editors online writing awards.

Broke story that Larry Silverstein won exclusive right to negotiate net lease of NYC’s World Trade Center.

Broke story about FAO Schwarz leaving historic home at General Motors Buidling.

Broke story about Time Inc. leaving Time-Life Building.

Broke story that UBS was planning to leave most of its space at the UBS Building, 299 Park Ave.

Wrote groundbreaking stories about real estate revival in Newark, rising office space demand and supply in Brooklyn, rising rents in Midtown South as tech increasingly dominated market.

Real Estate Alert, Hoboken, New Jersey. September 1998-October 2000

Reporter covering commercial real estate investment sales opportunities nationwide.

* Managed annuals on largest sales in U.S., investment firms seeking highest

yields.

* Broke story about sale of tallest building in Philadelphia.

Home News Tribune, East Brunswick, New Jersey. October 1995-August 1998

Business writer. Substitute business editor. Also worked in NJ Statehouse Bureau, and covered city of Perth Amboy.

Covered bitterly contested Perth Amboy mayoral election.

Won New Jersey Press Association award for story on sleep-deprived gasoline truck drivers.

Wrote groundbreaking stories on brokers gambling on stocks, Trenton-Mercer Airport

The News Tribune, Woodbridge, New Jersey. October 1981-September 1995

Criminal justice reporter. Also covered Middlesex and Union counties, towns of Woodbridge, Edison, Sayreville, South Amboy, Matawan and Aberdeen, as well as a period as a general assignment reporter.

Won New Jersey Press Association award for investigation of Perth Amboy Municipal Court gouging motorists on already-paid parking tickets. State later imposed a statute of limitations on parking tickets.

Won NJ Press Association Award for series of stories on mother whose baby died at the hand of a mentally handicapped sister after the mother was arrested for shoplifting baby formula. Stories led to new law requiring judges to inquire regarding the status of an arrestee’s children before locking them up.

The Record, Hackensack, New Jersey. 1992-1993

On special assignment to team of reporters working on “Delinquent Justice” an extended investigation of New Jersey’s juvenile justice system.

My part of the investigation was the New Jersey Training School for Boys, at Jamesburg, NJ. My stories led the state to end the use of isolation cells for punishment.

Paterson News, Paterson, New Jersey. 1978-1979

Covered West Milford, Wanaque, Ringwood, Totowa, Woodland Park, Little Falls, copy editor.

Other Leadership Positions:

Executive board member, NJ Society of Professional Journalists

President NJSPJ 2006-2008

Chairman, SPJ 2006 Region 1 Conference, Newark, NJ

Chairman NJSPJ contest committee 2013-2017

Awards and Accomplishments:

National Association of Real Estate Editors awards for commercial real estate writing

First Place 2017:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-27/in-shadow-of-manhattan-a-long-neglected-city-is-having-a-moment

First place 2014:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-11-21/t-shirt-toting-brooklynite-is-nyc-s-top-property-buyer

First place 2012:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-22/empire-state-building-ipo-challenged-by-legacy-investors.html

First place 2011:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-16/wall-street-s-biggest-bargain-may-be-wall-street-office-space.html

Second place 2010:

Downtown NYC Towers Empty as Best Market Falters

Education:

MSJ Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism

BS Journalism, University of Maryland College Park

Brooklyn Technical High School

Personal Information:

Born December 17, 1955

Married 1985 to the former Mary Ann Harvey

Daughter Kathryn Fay Levitt born April 23, 1990

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