Ones To Watch: Innovators In Commercial Real Estate: Peter Bafitis, RKTB Architects

Innovation Highlight:
We strive for design innovation that creates ripples of positive impact throughout each community. Our design for a just-opened 130-bed shelter for unhoused men – a first for the Riverdale section of the Bronx – exemplifies this approach: The novel interior layout decentralizes the population, promoting harmony and enhancing resident experience, while on the outside one is likely to mistake the shelter for a new apartment building. RKTB’s innovative design helped our clients win the approval of a typically NIMBY-ish community.

Industry Outlook:
We find the big opportunities for innovation happen on small sites. For example, RKTB’s Infill Prototype has successfully developed vacant lots of all sizes in medium-density neighborhoods, producing high-quality, affordable and sustainably designed housing. And as we recently told the New York Times, small lots make development more democratized by providing small contractors more opportunities to build midsize. We’re also innovating with additions to existing public schools that expand capacity, modernize classrooms, and guarantee accessibility.