The Village Newsletter
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Kambiz “Kam” Babaoff is co-chair of the development committee and currently serves as ETTA’s board president. For more than three decades, Kam and his team have reshaped the nation’s skyline with a range of healthcare, hospitality, mixed-use, and multifamily projects. He has earned a national reputation as a real estate pioneer, conceiving cutting-edge projects, and guiding them from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting.
Kam’s achievements in real estate development, operations, and management are matched only by his efforts to make the world a better place. His leadership with ETTA spans decades and gives him a unique perspective and understanding of the needs of adults with developmental differences and their families.
Jonathan M. Glaser will leverage his extensive experience in finance to support capital development for this project as the co-chair of the development committee.
A graduate of the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, he is the founder and chief investment officer of JMG Capital Partners, L.P., which has been investing in various capital markets and financing strategies since 1992. Prior to founding JMG, Mr. Glaser was a member floor trader on both the American Stock Exchange and Pacific Stock Exchange.
Always seeking avenues to give back to the community, Mr. Glaser serves as a trustee of the Max Factor Family Foundation, the L.A. ’84 Foundation, and the UC Berkeley Foundation.
Scott Krieger is the COO of The Arba Group, Inc., a Los Angeles-based real estate development company that specializes in commercial real estate development. He oversees land acquisition, project financing, leasing, accounting, and day-to-day operations. Mr. Krieger received his Certified Public Accountant certificate in 1987 and has worked in real estate development and management since 1988, starting at The Arba Group in 1992.
Mr. Krieger is also a dedicated communal leader who serves as the president of the West Coast Orthodox Union, board member of the Yeshiva University High School for Girls, member of the Beverlywood Homes Association Board of Directors, and member of the ETTA Board of Directors. He has previously served on the South Robertson Neighborhoods Council and on several schools and synagogue boards.
Dr. Michael Held is the driving force behind ETTA, which he helped to establish in 1993. Dr. Held has led ETTA’s board and staff in growing the organization from a start-up into the largest agency of its kind in Southern California. Today, ETTA offers a multitude of programs that serve upwards of 700 youth and adults with developmental differences each month.
A trained psychotherapist, Dr. Held recognized two decades ago that the special needs community increasingly desired independent living options. Under his leadership, ETTA created the Housing and Supportive Living Division, which offers a wide range of housing opportunities. ETTA has earned a national reputation for excellence in its housing programs, with a 97% group home retention rate.
A dream 27 years in the making, our new community reflects Dr. Held’s inspired leadership to create a world where individuals with developmental differences live fully enriched, inclusive, and independent lives.
Lee joined the Cornerstone team with the launch of its capital campaign and is now organizing fundraising efforts as the Director of Development. She has a diverse background in the nonprofit sector, having worked on development, special events, and mission-driven messaging throughout the United States. Lee is a graduate of Tufts University and The New School. Formerly an opera singer, she also holds degrees from The New England Conservatory of Music and Florida State University.
As a parent and Los Angeleno, Lee is extremely passionate about the hope The Village brings to families. She has seen firsthand the way perspective tenants light up when considering the possibility of their very own home.
Stephen Darrison founded SGD Enterprises in 1988, which has been engaged in the acquisition, ownership, management and disposition of multi-family properties for 30+ years within the Los Angeles area. And, he continues to keep the concept of home and family at the forefront of everything he does — spanning three generations and treating his employees as family. SGD Enterprises offers a unique mix of market expertise and extraordinary service that has led to industry recognition, investor success and deep customer loyalty.
Passionate and Dedicated, Stephen is a role model who exemplifies what it means to be a Jewish communal leader. With his decade-long involvement with Emek Hebrew Academy as its vice president and then president, Stephen has been instrumental in the impact Emek has had on thousands of Jewish children. Stephen has served the LA Jewish community tirelessly and has held many prominent positions including Valley Torah High School Board Member, and President of Etta Israel Center.
With a professional background in finance, Avi Ryzman is Managing Director of Croft Properties, a family-owned real estate business.
After living in New York for many years, during which time he served as the founding president of the Young Leadership Board of a large nonprofit social service agency, OHEL Children & Family Services, Avi and his wife relocated to LA and settled in Beverlywood.
Avi is active in Jewish community affairs and has a very wide network of connections. When approached about joining the Cornerstone Board he said, “I believe in this project. I want to do all I can to help it succeed. We need it in our neighborhood, our community, and in the world.” As a resident of Beverlywood with four school-age daughters, Avi sees himself as a stakeholder in the success of Cornerstone’s work and feels establishing The Village will be transformative for the neighborhood.
Steve and his wife Jenny live in Beverlywood and are ardent supporters of The Village. They have been a part of the Cornerstone community from the beginning, inspiring their broad local network to support this project.
Steve has been a business manager in the entertainment industry for over twenty-five years, having taken the helm from his father, George. His firm, Savitsky, Satin, Bacon & Bucci is highly regarded for its strategic thinking, pragmatism and discretion, all a reflection of Steve’s character.
Steve and Jenny have two adult children and are excited about the inclusive model for the future The Village will bring to their neighborhood.
Richard Solares has over 20 years of experience in design, construction and development of myriad projects encompassing: commercial, mixed-use, single and multi-family residential, hospitality, and institutional. Having expertise on both the ownership and consultant sides, Solares takes the lead in managing the process from entitlements through completion on: redevelopment, urban infill, and adaptive reuse projects, working closely with developers, community groups, the City of Los Angeles, the Mayor’s office, the Central Redevelopment Agency, and multiple council offices.
Dana is the founder and owner of three6ixty. She envisioned the company as a full-service land use and entitlement firm that combined her experience with fast-paced project and construction management with her education and knowledge of urban planning and regulatory processes. After working as a Director of Development at Urban Pacific Builders and Vice President of Development at John Laing Homes, Dana started working independently in 2007 and founded three6ixty in 2012. Dana’s 25 years of project management experience, extensive knowledge of zoning code and land use policy, and an intuitive strategic approach ensures that three6ixty clients have the best guidance with their development projects internally, with cities and with local communities.
Dana has a broad network of relationships with city staff and elected officials, and she frequently participates with policy working groups and advisory committees. Dana holds an undergraduate degree in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, a Master of Urban Planning from USC, and is a licensed member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. She serves on the Culver City Planning Commission as well as on the boards of the Jewish Federation and the Hollywood Central Park.
Robin Zimbler is the founder of Freebird Development Company, LLC. As a development director at L+M Development Partners, Inc. and a senior vice president for Related California, an affiliate of The Related Companies, LP., she oversaw the development of over 2,000 housing units totaling $1 billion. For more than 15 years, she has helped develop quality affordable, mixed-income, and market rate housing in cities across the country.
Ms. Zimbler began her career working in the public sector, working for New York City government as director of multifamily initiatives and for Baltimore Housing as director of strategic planning, policy, and programs.
David Frymer is the founder of Frymer Construction and will oversee the construction of The Village. He is a second-generation builder who is well-known and respected in the greater Los Angeles area for the construction of high-quality mixed-use and multi-family projects, with over 1,500 apartment units built to date.
Mr. Frymer has extensive experience in development, including pre-construction services and analysis, value engineering, and project management services. His firm has been the overseer, operator, design builder, and general contractor for apartment projects throughout Southern California, specializing in type I, III, and V construction.
Saul Breskal is a Real Estate partner at the law firm of Blank Rome LLP. Saul has over two decades’ experience counseling clients on complex real estate transactions and developments in multiple states across the United States, including high-profile entertainment, gaming, hospitality, energy and mixed-use projects. Saul handles all aspects of real estate transactions, including negotiating purchase agreements, finance documents, joint ventures, construction contracts, ground leases, and public-private partnerships.
Blank Rome LLP is an Am Law 100 firm with 14 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Blank Rome’s lawyers have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a wide spectrum of industries, and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities.