Solly Assa, Neighbor

Solly Assa is a seasoned investor and developer with over two decades of experience in high-end real estate. As founder and CEO of Assa Properties, Solly spearheaded its rapid, successful expansion across North America, acquiring some 3 million square feet of real estate across the United States and Mexico.

In 2002, Solly Assa oversaw Assa Properties’ entry into the highly competitive Manhattan luxury market, bringing new mindsets and ways of doing business. Solly and his team focus on long-term goals: they buy excellent locations, build out profitable properties with strong brands, and surpass their rivals with special amenities and options. Unlike his competition, Solly Assa refrains from flipping properties in the short-term. Instead, Solly prefers to accrue value over the years and time his transactions for maximum profit—rather than looking for a quick payout.

Solly is most proud of his work on the Cassa Hotels and Residences, which consist of two magnificent buildings in Manhattan. Each offers an unprecedented degree of customization, allowing buyers to alter floor plans and combine units as they wish. Both buildings offer fantastic nightlife and dining options, such as the colorful 1970s-themed Bar Gonzo or the elegant, upmarket Butter, led by former Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli.

From firsthand experience, Solly Assa is bullish about the future of the real estate market. In 2018, Assa Properties sold 19 West 55th Street, a mixed-use property, for $50 million. Solly and his team completed a series of comprehensive renovations, adding multi-level retail spaces and new fixtures. Thanks to his hard work, Solly was able to reduce the vacancy rate from 75 percent to near-zero.

Today, Solly Assa and his team are hard at work developing a new property, Cassa Puerto Vallarta, in Mexico—with many more to come.