Founded in 2007, Urban Development Partners is a fully integrated real estate development company focused on large scale, mixed-use, urban developments. Each project at Urban Development Partners benefits from more than twenty-five years of experience in planning, design and construction of residential, commercial, hospitality and retail projects. The breadth of experience within the firm allows Urban Development Partners to stay highly involved from deal sourcing to project conception through pre-development, financing, construction and occupancy. Urban Development Partners also offers a complete scope of development services for acquisitions, distressed asset evaluations and asset management.

Our Team

Kenneth Browne is a Partner at Urban Development Partners where he manages the sourcing, evaluation, and structuring of new acquisitions. Mr. Browne also oversees the various facets of individual development projects including budgeting, financing, marketing, construction and asset management.

From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Browne was a Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Development for The Athena Group where he was responsible for acquisitions, financing, and development activities for new development including approximately 1,100 luxury residential units and 300 hotel rooms in Jersey City in three mixed-use projects with total development costs of approximately $1 billion.

Prior to Athena, he was a Senior Vice President for the Starrett Development Corporation and its subsidiary, HRH Construction Corporation where he managed all pre-development due diligence and financial analysis for new development. Additionally, Mr. Browne oversaw the construction of over $500 million of commercial and luxury residential buildings in New York City.

Notable projects include:

  • The Chatham, 181 East 65th Street, NY - 32-story luxury condominium building
  • One Union Square South - 500,000 SF mixed-use luxury residential building
  • The Ventura, 240 East 86th Street, NY - 200,000 SF mixed-use luxury residential building
  • Tribeca Park - 400,000 SF mixed-use luxury residential building
  • 565 Fifth Avenue - 500,000 SF 30-story office building

Ken Browne received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Villanova University and his Master's in Business Administration from the NYU Stern School of Business.

Kenneth P Browne is a Partner at Urban Development Partners where he manages all construction from pre-development budgets through occupancy. Prior to joining Urban Development Partners, Mr. Browne was Senior Director at Tishman Speyer where he was Project Executive for the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, the redevelopment of the historic New York Times building and the redevelopment of the Met Life building at 200 Park. Most recently he was a Project Executive for the base building-tenant coordination for the Goldman Sachs World Head Quarters Building in lower Manhattan. From 1998 to 2004, Mr. Browne was the President and COO of Forest City Ratner Construction where he managed new construction for both the Commercial and Retail Sectors.

Notable projects included:

  • 9 Metrotech South - 700,000 sf Office Development
  • Atlantic Terminal Retail – 470,000 sf retail mall built over the active LIRR Terminal in Brooklyn
  • Atlantic Terminal Office – 355,000 sf office tower built on top of the Atlantic Terminal Retail Mall
  • Harlem Center Retail – 150,000 sf retail development
  • Harlem Center Office – 146,000 sf office building built on top of the existing fully occupied retail building
  • Worth Street – 370,000 sf, 329-unit rental apartment building with 2 levels of parking.

Mr. Browne was Executive Vice President from 1992 to 1997 and President and COO from 1997 to 1998 at A J Contracting Company, Inc., where he established the core and shell division of a $250 million construction management and general contracting company. He oversaw $300 million in new construction, building upgrades and interior renovation including:

  • Atlantic Center shopping Plaza – 800,000 sf Retail Center
  • New York Public Library Science
  • Columbia University Butler Library – Multi-phase building upgrade
  • Christie’s Inc – auction house and offices.

From 1978 to 1992 Mr. Browne went from Senior Vice President to Executive Vice President and ultimately President of HRH Construction Corporation, where he was responsible for all activities related to marketing, estimating, purchasing and project management for a $500 million construction management and general contracting company with 300 + employees. He oversaw the construction of the following projects:

  • World Wide Plaza, $500 million commercial/residential/retail complex
  • 565 Fifth Avenue – Office Building
  • Ramada Hotel at Times Square
  • 750 Lexington Avenue – office building
  • 125-135 East 57th Street – office building with high-end retail complex
  • Herald Center – retail complex, East/West Tower – mixed use high-rise building
  • 599 Lexington Avenue – office building
  • 40 Broad Street – office Building
  • 900 Third Avenue – office building
  • AT&T Headquarters
  • Trump Tower – mixed use complex
  • 101 Park Avenue – office building

From 1972 to 1978, he was Vice President and Partner at Ferguson Construction Company. Prior to this, Mr. Browne was Project Manager and Superintendent at Diesel Construction from 1965-1972.

Mr. Browne has worked closely with the following clients:
Donald Trump – The Trump Organization Jeffery Katz – Sherwood Equities William Zeckendorf – Zeckendorf Sherman Cohen – Cohen Brothers Realty Edward Linde – Boston Properties Bruce Ratner – Forest City Ratner Companies Irving Fischer – Aquarius Management Corp.

Mr. Browne received a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Pratt Institute, New York.

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