Profile
BRIARWOOD HISTORY
For nearly a century and through four generations, Briarwood has been a trusted developer and builder of new homes, cooperatives, condominiums, apartments and commercial properties across the City of New York. Since inception, the company has adhered to a simple mandate: approach and engage in those projects which both maximize property potential and strengthen the economic fabric of the local community. The growth and longevity that has followed are deeply rooted in these parallel principles and remain a cornerstone of the organization today. Building on this philosophy, Briarwood has successfully evolved from a local Queens builder into a full-service real estate company that takes on ventures of varying scope and scale. To date, the company has completed thousands of residential units and over 100,000 square feet of commercial space - consistently winning civic, design and construction awards. These projects have ushered waves of prosperity throughout the city and currently represent a market value of over a billion dollars.
Founded in 1912, Briarwood began as a modest builder of one- and two-family homes but was forced to adapt again and again in order to survive economic downturns of the 20th century. The Great Depression brought the housing market to a halt, but Briarwood managed to endure. When business suffered at the onset of World War II, Briarwood's founders applied their construction skills towards assembling aircraft for the war effort. During the post-war economic boom, Briarwood capitalized on open farmland in Queens and quickly emerged as a prolific developer of one, two and three-family homes in the New York City area. In the early 70s, Briarwood " under the leadership of current management " became one of the first city builders to incorporate concrete plank into new projects. The durable new medium allowed for faster construction - slashing costs and increasing financial feasibility during depressed markets. This leverage allowed Briarwood to continue developing while the industry languished and emboldened the company to unearth other profitable opportunities. In the real estate slumps of the 1980s, Briarwood completed the first market-rate development in the West Side Urban Renewal area. During the same downturn, the company was one of the first to predict demand for multi-family housing in Flushing, Queens. Briarwood was at the forefront of the area's building boom, successfully developing five mid-rise apartment complexes. Although these negative market cycles often brought enormous strain, they also instilled within the organization the capacity to thrive just as it would during periods of expansion and housing growth.
Over the past 25 years, Briarwood has focused its expertise and resources on making home ownership possible for New Yorkers unable to keep pace with city's skyrocketing housing prices. Committed to providing truly affordable housing, Briarwood began building low- and middle-income dwellings in economically depressed
areas. At the time, many dismissed this type of development as a risky investment. But Briarwood continued to pursue this model, becoming one of the first to embrace city initiatives and collaborate with public agencies to turn around blighted neighborhoods. Through these joint efforts and a tireless devotion, Briarwood enabled ownership opportunities in the Upper West Side, Harlem, the Rockaways and sections of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx long before they became examples of urban revitalization. Along the way, Briarwood matured into a leading developer of quality homes at a reasonable cost, developing over 2,500 housing units under the aegis of the Housing Partnership Development Corporation, New York City's Housing Development Corporation, and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Over time, the company has refined a fiscally proficient strategy that marries progressive building techniques with government subsidies and a host of public and non-profits entity partnerships.
Today, Briarwood continues to follow its original mission statement-championing socially responsible development-while aggressively pursuing new growth opportunities. The company has branched out from development and construction to offer a full complement of real estate services. In this respect, Briarwood's team of real estate professionals can now be called upon to provide construction, development, marketing/sales, and property management solutions. As the company grows, Briarwood reaffirms its commitment to green building in each project by incorporating new technologies and materials. With a constantly expanding staff, the company strives to take on new challenges in residential and commercial development of varying complexities. Whatever the project, Briarwood will continue to build on its tradition of community-minded development and reaffirm its reputation for innovation and excellence.