But after that, he moved into his long stretch as a housing developer.
Most housing developers believe about 30,000 of these are surplus to requirements.
Like many community-based housing developers, it is in a difficult financial position.
In total, city officials expect that $200 million will be available for loans to developers of affordable housing.
As more developers of affordable housing consider building green, they are debating who should pay.
The ground will be vacated in June 2013, as it has been sold to a housing developer.
It never reopened, and in May the 18.4-acre property was bought by a housing developer.
If a business is willing to provide a contribution to a low-income housing developer they can get a tax credit.
Asked by one senator what experience he could have offered to the housing developer, the nominee acknowledged that "I did not bring very much."
Before getting involved in stem cell advocacy, he was a housing developer and lawyer.