MaryAnne Gilmartin on Building Icons, Beating Doubt, and Leaving a Legacy

MaryAnne Gilmartin on Building Icons, Beating Doubt, and Leaving a Legacy

How do you go from being the girl who was almost denied financial aid because of her stepfather’s IRS evasion.. to the woman who built the Barclays Center?

In this unforgettable episode of Confronting the Impossible, Leo Jacobs sits down with MaryAnne Gilmartin - former CEO of Forest City Ratner and founder of MAG Partners - to unpack the grit, risk, and legacy behind some of New York City’s most iconic developments.

This isn't just a professional journey - it’s a human one. And it starts with chaos at home.

The Breakout Bet: From Underdog to Developer of the Year

Before Barclays, there was The New York Times Building.

At just 30-something, MaryAnne led a Brooklyn-based team to win one of Manhattan’s most high-profile development opportunities — beating out titans of real estate and proving her skeptics (including her own CEO) dead wrong.

✅ 1.6M sq ft in Times Square
✅ Designed by Renzo Piano
✅ Built post-9/11, when skyscrapers were feared
✅ $1B in value creation - just from Forest City’s floors alone

“I told my boss, even if we lose, let me try. We won. And everything changed.”

This was the project that catapulted her from “Brooklyn developer” to a central force in NYC’s modern skyline.

Building When the World Says No

MaryAnne’s story isn’t just about what she built - it’s about how she built it.

• Doubt from leadership
• Rejection from brokers
• Fierce internal pressure
• Trembling inside, confidence outside

And yet she delivered - with creativity, humor, and a team-first ethos that earned The New York Times’ vote of confidence.

“Everyone had a role. We brought the whole team to the pitch - even the intern dressed as a newsboy.”

This wasn’t just a building. It was a bet - on process, on people, and on pushing forward even when the path isn’t clear.

Work That’s Worth the Cost

MaryAnne doesn’t pretend the path was smooth. She missed moments with her kids. She ran hot. She questioned it all.

But she never walked away.

“I used to say - if I’m leaving my kids every day, it better be for something that truly matters.”

Her kids grew up visiting job sites, standing on hoists, watching beams rise. And now? They understand why she did it.

Because the work wasn’t just about concrete. It was about legacy.

Final Thought

MaryAnne’s episode isn’t just about resilience - it’s about how you turn that resilience into something real.

She didn’t come from money or connections. She came from instability, chaos, and the kind of background that breaks most people.

But instead of breaking, she built.

🎧 Watch the Full Episode Now
And see what it means to confront the impossible - with steel, soul, and a skyline to prove it.

PODCAST - Confronting the Impossible with Leo Jacobs.

Leo Jacobs, Founder and CEO of Jacobs PC

Known for finding creative, expedient solutions to complex and high-profile cases, Leo excels in matters including distressed investment and asset management, real estate law, corporate law, dispute resolution, business divorces, negotiation, and more. Leo’s extensive expertise in debt and equity structures enables him to employ a full spectrum of legal tools to achieve swift, optimal results for clients. His practice, Jacobs P.C., bridges commercial litigation, corporate transactions, and financial rehabilitation, handling cases across federal, state, and bankruptcy courts, as well as administrative tribunals.

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