Richard Izzo, CA RICH Consultants, Inc.

What was the best thing that happened to you or your firm in 2014? CA RICH was proud to continue our work in the NY metropolitan area assisting developers in transforming underutilized, blighted properties into vital sustainable real estate that includes affordable housing, as well as commercial and open space. What was your most notable project, deal, transaction or personal achievement in 2014? One project with which we are particularly proud to be associated is the Lebanon West Farms (LWF) development in the Bronx. LWF is a former vacant property historically utilized as part of a railway and for automobile repair and manufacturing. CA RICH assisted Phipps Houses in redeveloping this underutilized site into three residential and commercial buildings comprising 160,000 s/f of affordable residential space. 2014 marked our completion of on-site remedial action at LWF under the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program (NYSBCP) and issuance of the Certificate of Completion. What are you looking forward to accomplishing in 2015? We are looking forward to continuing the organic growth of our Firm by selectively and successfully diversifying our affordable housing brownfield cleanup clientele throughout the NY metropolitan area What are some of your real estate predictions for 2015? Given the proven benefits of both the NY State Brownfield and New York City Voluntary Cleanup Programs and the mayor's projected dramatic increase in the need for affordable housing, we judge these two programs will continue to spark interest by developers to take on publicly beneficial projects.