Douglas C. Steiner

Early years Steiner grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. He worked at one point as a gardener during his college years.

Real estate At his father's firm, Steiner worked to develop numerous properties, such as office expansions and condominiums. He describes himself as a control freak; for example, he insists that office temperatures be kept at 63 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year.

Steiner Studios

Aerial view of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1965, with the aircraft carrier . The Navy abandoned the site in 1966. The father-son team created a film and TV production company called Steiner Studios. In 1999, they won the right to develop the Brooklyn Navy Yard into a film and TV production complex, which opened in 2004.

Numerous films and TV shows have been made at the production facility, including the 2006 movie Fur starring Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey Jr., as well as Spider-Man, Sex and the City, and Boardwalk Empire. The site has been expanded numerous times to include a parking lot with 1000 spots and five massive interconnected state-of-the-art soundstages. Development was beset by obstacles such as the September 11 attacks He helped bring in a Wegmans supermarket to the Brooklyn Navy Yard project. In addition, he led efforts to bring academic programs focused on media to the city; for example, he worked with Carnegie Mellon University to offer an "integrated media program" consisting of an academic program focused on the arts and technology, in conjunction with Steiner Studios; and he has worked with the City University of New York to have its Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema located at Steiner Studios.

The company benefits from New York's movie production incentive program. Steiner donated $40,000 to incumbent New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2022 campaign. The company spends $10,000 a month on lobbyists.

Personal life Steiner has three grown children. He collects art by Gary Panter, Suzan Pitt and Jane Dickson, and said he prefers "weird, disturbing or strange art."