RXR Realty Chairman and CEO Scott Rechler says it is the duty of New York City business leaders to step up for the community and help drive the economy forward.

“It’s a civic responsibility. When we were in the worst of the pandemic, the essential workers were out there holding our city together. And now, we’re at a point where we’re passed that, and I believe the baton is being handed to the business leaders and civic leaders to now step up and help reopen our city by reactivating it, by reenergizing it, and bringing people back,” Rechler told NY1.

“With every one office job, there’s five service jobs created — so that local restaurant, the shoe shine place, the pharmacies —these businesses are not going to ultimately survive if we don’t bring these companies back to the city,” he continued.

Recher was a guest on “One New York” Tuesday morning.

He said the key to bringing people back into the office is ensuring they feel safe and comfortable, and doesn’t believe it is realistic to wait on a vaccine for the majority of businesses to reopen their doors.

“The concept of thinking that we’re going to wait for a vaccine really in my mind isn’t a plan, because it’s going to be a while even after a vaccine is ultimately found and then distributed, and then determining the efficacy of that vaccine, and then in terms of how many people are going to feel comfortable to take that vaccine,” said Rechler.

“We’re of the view that this is going to be a period of time where we need to learn to coexist with the coronavirus, and that there are ways to do it, there are innovative ways,” he said.

Rechler said his office buildings have been making significant investments with thermal scanners, social distancing tools, face mask compliance tools, and track and trace abilities.

He said all of these measures ensure safety, but also help “people feel comfortable being back in the office. They’re safe, they feel safe, they have transparency about the health and wellness of our buildings, and they have the tools to make a decision about what degrees of comfort they have engaging while the virus is out there.”

Rechler hopes the business community can serve as a model to others, like restaurants, preparing to open their doors. He said the business community needs to lead by example.

“I feel like in some ways businesses have surrendered to the fear of the virus, and we can’t do that,” Rechler said.

City business leaders recently sent a letter to the mayor calling for better quality of life conditions in the city — from increased trash and graffiti to crime and vagrancy — to help calm poor perceptions of NYC and bring people back.

Rechler said the mayor has been receptive so far.