Our Story

Michael Namer & Gary Spindler

Managing Partners 

Our Story Alison Price-Becker Michael Namer & Gary Spindler

Michael Namer

Michael Namer has been a dynamic force in the development of downtown New York City real estate for over thirty years, a strong supporter of the arts, and has a great passion for New York’s history, culture, and architecture.  It is with that combined passion and ingenuity that the real estate developer and Founder and Principal of Alfa Development, has joined Alison Price Becker as Partner of Alison Eighteen; pursuing his love and fascination with the culinary arts.

At the age of three, Namer and his family moved from his birthplace of Istanbul, Turkey to Cuba, the country of his mother’s birth.  In 1961 after the Cuban revolution his family fled the country’s communist regime to America.  As immigrant refugees his parents’ struggled to reinvent themselves, having lost their fortune, business and home; a strong work ethic was instilled in Namer; success was his only option. That work ethic led to a phenomenally successful career in real estate, but his biggest the successes had yet to come.

Namer would soon take on the Manhattan real estate industry, renovating loft buildings in the East Village and pioneering the Luxury Loft Condominium conversion market of the early eighties.  He founded Alfa Development, which built several new condominiums rental buildings in SoHo, while acquiring rental properties in lower Manhattan. Today with over $400 million in real estate development projects across a spectrum of residential, hospitality and commercial real estate, Alfa Development is one of the leading developers in downtown Manhattan.

In 2007, Alfa Development partnered with Gary Spindler of Park-It Management to create Village Green, developing the first LEED-Gold certified residential condominium in downtown New York City.  The team’s commitment to sustainability is now the driving force for their new projects which include the 51-unit Chelsea Green Condominiums, the 75-room Mott Hotel and one of the most exciting of the projects to date, the restaurant Alison Eighteen. The pair continues to reinforce this commitment by raising the bar of sustainable living within the residential, hospitality and food service industries.

Although real estate was his career calling, his love of cooking continues to inspire Namer.  As a young man, Namer took classes at the New School’s Culinary Arts program and later continued to stay in the scene by helping friends, such as Herb Lipke (Au Natural), with their latest ventures.  After hectic days navigating the New York real estate market, Namer would seek refuge in the kitchen, learning the art of culinary technique alongside Chef Lipke and Chef Bruno Olivier. The advantage of having numerous friends in the industry, including Alison Price Becker, garnered Namer a rare 360-degree insight into the culinary world.  Over time, this exposure enabled him to clearly articulate the “ingredients” necessary to create a great restaurant: dedication, uncompromising quality, expertise and hard work.  This philosophy is shared by Ms. Becker and Gary Spindler, making theirs a perfect partnership in Alison Eighteen.

Gary Spindler

Gary Spindler, a partner at Alison Eighteen, is also the owner and managing member of Park-It Management and a joint venture member of Alfa Development Management LLC. Since beginning his real estate career over 20 years ago, he has been a major influence and power broker in New York City real estate, currently managing a million square feet of property and over 150 employees. Continuing to evolve personally and professionally, he has also taken on new challenges such as defining 21st century living through LEED-certification projects and serving as a key player in opening Alison Eighteen restaurant.

Born in New York City, Spindler ventured to Washington D.C. for college at George Washington University where he received a Bachelors in Finance degree in 1988. He stayed in Washington D.C. to take on his first real estate and management position at Development Properties International Inc., ultimately becoming the company’s vice president. In 1991, Spindler returned to New York City to join Park-It Management, a company that manages parking garages and lots throughout the New York metropolitan area. He has remained at Park-It ever since, expanding the parking operations around New York City and streamlining its management systems.

The same creativity and keen sense that helped reshape and grow his that business has elevated his numerous real estate projects. Spindler has greatly contributed to the success of a variety of real estate-based assets, in addition to helping build over 200,000 square feet of new construction in some of New York City’s most sought after locations. He recently completed the 311 e 11: Village Green project, a joint venture with Michel Namer and Alfa Development, which serves as vanguard for a new wave of eco-indulgent properties.

An active member in his community, Spindler has served as a board member at the Children’s Aid Society G, as well as a subcommittee member of Manhattan’s Community Board Number 2. When he is not competing in half marathons, New York City Marathons and sprint triathlons, you can find him spending time with his wife and two sons in Greenwich Village.