![\"Elevate](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/234A3466-1.jpg\")
<\/a>As the CEO of Terra Group, a Miami-based development company, Martin possesses a portfolio of more than five million square feet of residential and commercial real estate valued at more than $8 billion. The firm is active across all major real estate asset classes, including multifamily apartments, luxury condominium and single-family residences, retail and office space, hotels, and industrial properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Martin shared his insights into Terra Group’s mindset that has redefined South Florida\u2019s skyline with Paul Makovsky, the editor-in-chief of ARCHITECT<\/a> magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing right by South Florida communities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe develop a thesis around every project we do,\u201d Martin said. \u201cIt takes place in every neighborhood that we\u2019re focused on, and we need to adapt to changes in the community or changes with legislation. We try to think about how our projects can be a catalyst for improving the neighborhood and how we can do right by the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen we look at South Florida, our company is heavily focused in Dade and Broward<\/a> counties, as well as Palm Beach<\/a>. That gives a bit of a different perspective. It allows us to take data and intelligence we\u2019ve garnered in the industrial space and apply it to our retail projects or vice versa. We can also apply it to our offices and residential buildings. We are competitive, thoughtful, and care a lot about our work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sustainability as a competitive edge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Makovsky then asked Martin if using sustainability as a competitive edge in his business was possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think so,\u201d Martin said. \u201cBut it goes a bit deeper. We have many challenges in our communities, from affordable housing, economic resiliency, water management, pollution control, and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re looking to design things that have less impact. For instance, we\u2019re looking at geothermal solutions. It\u2019s something that\u2019s been used in other regions, and we want to work on it. We\u2019re always looking to think sustainably, but we must make certain sacrifices or compromises, and we try to factor that into all our decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Makovsky then asked if geothermal inclusion came down to a question of cost. \u201cThere\u2019s a question of engineering knowledge,\u201d Martin said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s a question of testing. It\u2019s risky and difficult to corner, whether it\u2019s the regulatory or the energy side, and you can\u2019t compromise on the engineering front. At the end of the day, we\u2019re looking at a cost-benefit analysis when it comes to sustainability. And my goal is to find a way of hacking capitalism to solve these things.\u201d<\/p>\n David Martin received the inaugural Elevate Icon award in Miami on December 4 for cultivating unique spaces that seamlessly integrate art, community, and sustainability. Martin was a speaker at Elevate \u2014 an exclusive event from December 4-6 for the biggest names in the luxury high-rise market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":228199,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-12-21T19:41:17Z","apple_news_api_id":"b8f7379a-1873-4a95-a2d5-c8a48516dca3","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-12-21T19:41:17Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AuPc3mhhzSpWi1cikhRbcow","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11108],"tags":[11378,11402,11002],"coauthors":[10278],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n