FCR's Gilmartin makes the Crain's list of NYC's Most Powerful Women, along with Tighe, Wylde, Burden

Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards point person, as well as some key supporters, make Crain's New York Business's list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in New York 2011.

35. MaryAnne Gilmartin

Executive vice president
Forest City Ratner Cos.
A fellowship at a city economic development agency provided the springboard for Ms. Gilmartin’s career, which has changed the texture and skyline of New York City.

The 47-year-old Queens native has worked at Forest City for nearly 17 years and developed properties totaling more than 5 million square feet, including The New York Times’ headquarters and the new Frank Gehry-designed residential tower downtown.

Her toughest assignment has been overseeing the controversial $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards project. In a testament to her savvy negotiating skills, Forest City officially broke ground on the project last year, and its focal point, the Barclays Center, will open in fall 2012.

NEW TO THE LIST THIS YEAR

No Land Grab's Eric McClure commented:

NoLandGrab: OK, now we're curious. What did Gilmartin's "savvy negotiating skills" have to do with the groundbreaking? All this time, we thought it was a testament to Mikhail Prokhorov's savvy oligarching skills.

Indeed, Gilmartin played no major public role in the groundbreaking last year, and the benefits promised--the delivery of which presumably she has significant responsibility--are way delayed. Give her more credit for the Beekman Tower.

Others on the list

1. Mary Ann Tighe

Chief executive, New York tristate region
CB Richard Ellis Inc.
Condé Nast’s move to 1 World Trade Center is classic Mary Ann Tighe. The upscale publisher’s longtime broker, and counselor to numerous other high-profile firms, Ms. Tighe has a history of moving clients into nontraditional neighborhoods, transforming the face of Manhattan. This 1-million-square-foot deal is widely considered a game-changer for downtown.

The entire industry has benefited from the 62-year-old’s wisdom since she became the first female head of the powerful Real Estate Board of New York 18 months ago. The lobbying group played a key role in banishing the terrorist trials from downtown and helped elect 86% of the statewide candidates it backed last year.

2009 RANK: 3

Tighe has long represented Forest City Ratner.

9. Kathryn Wylde

President and chief executive
Partnership for New York City
Whether she’s defending Wall Street, fighting paid-sick-days legislation or debating the future of the Kingsbridge Armory, the ubiquitous Ms. Wylde is in the middle of the issues most important to the city’s business community.

In the past year, she was named deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and appointed to a special committee on state judicial compensation. The 65-year-old also played a leadership role as a member of the Committee to Save New York, the business-backed group that helped Gov. Andrew Cuomo pass one of the toughest budgets in years.

2009 RANK: 11

Wylde has frequently testified in favor of Atlantic Yards.

34. Amanda Burden

Chair
New York City Planning Commission
In less than a decade, Ms. Burden has spurred the rezoning of nearly 25% of the city. By her estimate, those efforts have paved the way for 57,000 housing units and 41 million square feet of commercial space.

Now that the City Council has approved her 530-block rezoning of South Jamaica, Queens, Ms. Burden, 67, is turning her attention to the lower Manhattan waterfront and the East River Esplanade.

2009 RANK: 33

Though Atlantic Yards was not a rezoning, Burden, as a good soldier, has regularly defended it. And she still gets great press.