John M. Dionisio, one of New York’s most influential and successful building executives, has been elected Chairman of the New York Building Congress, succeeding Tishman Construction Corporation President Peter A. Marchetto.
Dionisio was installed as Chairman during the Building Congress Annual Membership Meeting, held in late January.

Dionisio is currently chairman and chief executive officer of AECOM, an $8.1-billion global provider of professional technical and management support services

By Al Barbarino
The crazy ride of the booming real estate market has come to a screeching halt and “responsible adults” have regained their hold on purse strings, according to property owner and developer William Macklowe.
The founder and CEO of the William Macklowe Company, offered up the analogy as he addressed a room full of lenders and investors as part of a 2012 breakfast series hosted by the Real Estate Lenders Association at the Yale Club in Midtown yesterday (Tuesday).
“It almost feels as if we’ve never seen more capital available for investment,” Macklowe said. “Given the lessons learned from the dark days of 2007 and into 2008, capital has become smarter… and capital today is in the hands of, dare I say, responsible adults.”

Prudential Douglas Elliman president and CEO Dottie Herman and Chairman Howard Lorber hosted the firm’s NYC agents and employees at its annual awards celebration at Cipriani.

Earning the award for #1 Team by GCI was The De Niro Group, led by Raphael De Niro, based out of 690 Washington St.

Taking home this year’s #1 Individual prize based on Gross Commission Income (GCI) was Joan Swift based out of the 575 Madison Ave office.

Former Corcoran top producer Joseph DeCristofaro has launched a new brokerage serving New York City and The Hamptons.
The Global Group – A Real Estate Network LLC “is different from all other agencies,” says the company in a press release. “Through its extensive referral base, exclusive e-mail lists and co-brokerage arrangements, each listing is immediately exposed to a target audience numbering in the thousands,” the release states.
“In addition, Global Group’s listings have the highest exposure in the market through its web partners, internet advertising and website optimization. Global Group’s aggressive …

Carolyn Argento remembers one of the first homes she sold as a rookie broker in the Five Towns region of Long Island.

The owner was recently widowed and, in the hot real estate market of the late 90s, Argento sold the house the day it went on the market.

In the years since, Argento has helped that client and his daughter through five more transactions, as they’ve relocated, left the area and then returned.

“In different phases of life, people come back to you. The best thing I’ve ever had is repeat business from people who trust me,” said Argento, who recently joined Prudential Douglas Elliman in Long Island along with her business partner, Joan Small.

By Al Barbarino

No order is too tall for the owners of the Empire State Building.

Peter and Anthony Malkin have filed plans to form a Real Estate Investment Trust and sell shares of the iconic building in a bid to raise $1 billion.