2025 Women in CRE: Taylor Gonzalez, Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why?

The most rewarding project I’ve worked on was a use variance for a nonprofit. They bought a home that they planned to rent to disabled individuals and their families. It was a former four-family home, which they assumed they could convert back to, as the four-family home was the only way they could afford to operate. Unfortunately, when they filed for a building permit, they were cited for a use variance. After months of reviewing their financials and the long list of needed repairs, we were able to make the legal arguments required under the heightened use variance standard to secure an approval.

What skill or quality do you believe is essential for success in your field today?

I believe staying organized is essential for success in this field. There are typically a lot of active projects with a lot of little details going on all at the same time. In addition, each board, municipality, and county has their own rules and requirements that you need to know. Without a good system keeping you organized, it would become hard to keep projects and filings straight, ultimately causing unnecessary headache and delays.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in commercial real estate?

One piece of advice I would give to women considering a career in commercial real estate is don’t be scared to ask questions. Commercial real estate can feel overwhelming and scary with these large-scale expensive projects, but the best way to learn is by asking questions. Knowing the why behind the things you do will make you more proficient and your services more valuable as your career progresses.

Taylor Gonzalez is an associate at Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP. She is a member of the firm’s Land Use and Zoning practice group.

Prior to joining our firm, Gonzalez was an associate at a Long Island-based land use and zoning law firm representing corporate clients in land use and subdivision applications to the various municipal boards and commissions of the towns, villages, and cities throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties and Upstate New York.

Gonzalez earned her J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where she was a co-founder of the Trust and Estates Law Society. Gonzalez received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resource Management from Pennsylvania State University