Eric Rothman

Partner and Board of Directors Co-Chair

Eric is a nationally-renowned expert in public-private real estate advisory, transit-oriented development, transportation planning, and economic development.

 

Eric’s professional experience spans more than three decades at HR&A and previous service as a senior public transit agency manager. In his consulting practice, Eric provides his clients with expertise in public-private partnerships, financial and economic analysis for real estate and infrastructure projects, strategic planning, transportation planning and development, economic development, capital-program management, financial management, program implementation, and organizational strategy. He works nationally and internationally with transit agencies, municipalities, large-scale institutions, private companies, and non-profits.

Transit-Oriented Development

Eric has worked extensively in transportation planning and transit-oriented development. He leads the firm’s work creating transit-oriented development strategies anchored by station redevelopment across the United States, including Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station for Amtrak in partnership with Drexel University and Brandywine Properties; Union Station in Washington D.C. on behalf of the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation; Moynihan Station for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and  Union Depot in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, for the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority. Additional transportation-sector clients include NJ Transit, Transport for London, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Public-Private Real Estate Development

Eric led a development advisory team and worked with master planners for the redevelopment of 67.5 acres of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the District of Columbia. He also advised on re-use planning and public-private partnership strategies for the former Fort Monmouth (NJ), Fort Monroe (VA), and Willow Grove Naval Air Station (PA). He served as development advisor for The College of New Jersey to structure a public-private partnership for their award-winning Campus Town mixed-use project on the edge of their campus and for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark to advise them on the selection of a development partner for their 12-acre Arts and Culture District. His experience with complex public-private real estate development projects led him to be named a “40 under 40” in New Jersey real estate and later to his service as Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Public-Private Partnership product council.

Environmentally Sustainable Transportation Planning

Eric is passionate about environmentally sustainable transportation solutions that support economic growth and equitable development of cities. During his tenure at Transport for London (TfL) from 2001 to 2004, Eric led the creation of TfL’s first 5-year business plan, which resulted in transformation of London’s bus network, the implementation of Central London Congestion Charging, and expansion of walking and cycling initiatives across London. From 2006 to 2007, Eric served as a strategic consultant and project manager for the City of New York on the transportation elements of the groundbreaking PlaNYC sustainability plan for 2030. He has advised clients on innovative new mobility solutions including urban aerial rapid transit, autonomous vehicles, micromobility services such as electric scooters, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. He has also provided strategies to improve the operational efficiency and to build the case for public investment in the capital improvement programs of the regional transportation authorities of Boston, Los Angeles, and New York.

Economic Development

Eric’s practice includes broad economic development advisory work for clients and communities across the country. Eric led the strategic development and implementation of  NYC BigAppsNew York City’s civic technology competition on behalf of the New York City Economic Development Corporation in 2014 and 2015. Previously, he managed “Take the HELM”:Hire and Expand in Lower Manhattan, an economic development competition that received over 600 applications from diverse companies seeking to relocate to lower Manhattan. He also led an evaluation of a new Economic Development Department and related non-profit organization for the City of Los Angeles and the Chief Legislative Analyst, and has led or supported economic development strategies for Atlantic City, Newark, Pittsburgh, and Washington DC.

 

Eric served as CEO of HR&A from 2020 to 2024 and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining HR&A, Eric worked as Head of Business Planning for Transport for London where he created and directed the business planning process to invest $7.5 billion in annual funding in London’s transportation network and led the integration of 15 predecessor organizations into a unified transportation agency under the Mayor of London. He began his career as a capital planning analyst at the New York City Transit Authority.

 

Eric holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University.

Member and Past Chair, Urban Land Institute Public-Private Partnership Council

Member, ULI New York Advisory Board

Trustee, Citizens Budget Commission

Recognized as one of Real Estate New Jersey’s Forty Under 40 in 2008

Past Chair, Design Trust for Public Space

Board Member and Treasurer, KaBOOM!

Economic and Planning Fellow for Taxi 2007 project, Design Trust for Public Space