Salvador Garcia is the founder and principal of MAS Development, a multifamily and mixed-use developer based in Elizabeth.
We asked him how multifamily developers can use real estate development projects to help energize urban neighborhoods.
“Developers build multifamily projects primarily to provide residents with living accommodations — but rarely focus on generating the feeling of satisfaction that comes through interacting with one’s community. People inherently want to make connections and give back within their neighborhood, but are often unsure of where to start. At Vinty, our new, amenitized mixed-use property in Elizabeth, we plan to work with educational institutions to create opportunities for residents to engage with local youth. By having culinary students use our greenhouse and host events in our onsite demonstration kitchen, and connecting business students with our office tenants for internships, we’ll help our neighbors forge relationships with our residents and tap into their professional networks. In this way, our management company and residents alike will truly empower an uplifting of the broader community.”
