David Bellman is Executive Vice President of Design and Construction at Vornado Realty Trust. Since joining Vornado in 2014, he has managed the development of new office buildings and strategic repositioning programs, including a number of Vornado’s marquee projects. Most recently, he spearheaded the massive redevelopment of the Penn District, a multi-billion-dollar transformation centered around one of the world’s busiest transportation hubs.
The Penn District project, which took place largely between 2019 and 2025, involved the complex renovation of One and Two Penn, the development of the Moynihan Train Hall, and significant public realm improvements—all while maintaining active operations for over 600,000 daily commuters and hundreds of annual events at Madison Square Garden. BTEA President Elizabeth Crowley sat down with Bellman at the 2026 Safebuild Conference to discuss the logistics of building in an active district, the shift toward hospitality-driven office spaces, and Vornado’s evolving safety culture as they look toward future projects like the mega-tower of 350 Park Avenue.
BTEA: You have participated in the massive redevelopment of the Penn District over the last several years. Looking back at the scale of this undertaking, what were some of the most significant challenges in transforming such a high-traffic public realm?
The logistics were a tremendous challenge. We were working in the middle of Manhattan in an active train station and an active post office with very limited space—basically just a lane closure on either side for material deliveries. Coordinating with Amtrak and the Long Island Railroad for track outages was a constant hurdle. Beyond the physical build, there was the human element: how do you manage 600,000 people a day moving through the station or keep thousands of Knicks and Rangers fans moving safely to their games without causing a riot outside? It required hundreds of thousands of man-hours and an incredible level of coordination between owners, GCs like Turner and Skanska, and numerous subcontractors to pull it off while the buildings remained occupied.
BTEA: The transition in the district is described as “night and day.” How is Vornado changing the philosophy of office space to entice tenants back to this area?
We are really changing how office space is dealt with by leaning into hospitality. Ten years ago, the amenities tenants wanted were missing from this district. Now, we’ve created a 300-person amenity space called the Town Hall, added health clubs, and even installed pickleball courts. We have meeting facilities, a reception area, and public gathering spots with large screens for sporting events. The goal was to create an atmosphere where occupants can have food, beverages, and entertainment all in one place. If you build that kind of safe, comfortable environment, people will come back.
BTEA: You managed to deliver the Moynihan Train Hall and continue work on the Penn buildings throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. What was that experience like on the ground?
We were about a year into Moynihan when COVID hit in March 2020. The project only shut down for about a week. When we first reopened, we went from over 1,000 workers down to just 40 on the first day. It was a surreal time—there was nowhere to buy lunch, no delis open in the area. But we kept pushing, worked through the entire period, and ultimately opened on time and on budget through a successful public-private partnership. Seeing the workforce build back up during a time when there were almost no other jobs was incredible.
BTEA: How is Vornado evolving its approach to safety, particularly as you prepare for the 350 Park Avenue project?
Construction is a very dangerous business, and we want every worker to go home safe. To get buy-in from the tradespeople, we’ve started building significant financial incentives directly into our projects. At 350 Park, we have millions of dollars in incentives tied specifically to safety performance. We provide bonuses, gift cards, and nights out to encourage participation and positivity rather than just using safety as a “club”. It has to be a collaborative effort between the owner, GCs, and subcontractors.
BTEA: How do you see technology, including artificial intelligence, playing a role in advancing safety culture in New York City construction?
It’s a great question, and honestly, I think AI is going to make us better managers because at the end of the day, construction management is about managing data. I’ve already run a project schedule through AI and got some interesting results. That said, construction typically lags in technology adoption, so I would call us followers rather than leaders here. In five years, I think we’ll be in a much better place. What I don’t believe is that technology replaces the men and women actually doing the work—you still need a hammer to put up a stud. Maybe there are fewer of us managing, but the trades don’t go away.