LOS ANGELES – October 13, 2017– LaTerra Development, a Los Angeles-based investor and developer of urban mixed-use infill properties, has announced the hiring of Omar Morales, Angela Hernandez, Abbas Fata and Brandon Becker.
“We are fortunate to have these extraordinary individuals join LaTerra as we expand our capabilities to construct, acquire and entitle properties. We currently have 11 properties in our pipeline and want to add 3 or 4 more properties per year,” said LaTerra Chief Operating Officer Howard Heitner.
Omar Morales, Vice President – Construction, comes from Wood Partners where he managed construction of both self-perform and third party apartment projects throughout California for four years. Prior to that, he worked for contractors including Clark and Whiting Turner on medical, government and multifamily projects. He is formally trained as a civil engineer and recently completed his MBA.
Angela Hernandez also worked at Wood Partners on multifamily developments. Prior to that, she was an assistant project manager and structural engineer for companies such as JT Wimsat and Thomas Thomasetti using her structural engineering training on a number of projects, including MGM Grand and Citywalk Las Vegas and Tom Bradley Terminal in Los Angeles.
“I have worked closely with both Omar and Angela and they will add to the cohesive team overseeing the construction and finishing of LaTerra’s 1700+ unit multifamily apartment development portfolio,” noted William Leahy, Division President, Construction.
Brandon Becker joined LaTerra as an Acquisition Analyst \to support the Acquisitions and Development team. Brandon is a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University and just passed his level II CFA exam. “Brandon will help analyze the hundreds of properties we review before making an offer,” reports Chris Tourtellotte, Managing Director, Acquisitions & Capital Markets.
Abbas Fata, Development Manager, has acquired and entitled development sites having a cumulative project value in excess of $500 million in major urban infill markets in Southern California, including hotels with Marriott and Hilton product types. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Irvine. “Abbas understands the intricacies associated with initial site investigation, market and feasibility analyses, financial modeling, and entitlement procurement,” observed Howard Heitner.
About LaTerra Development
LaTerra is a privately owned real estate investment and development company focused on urban mixed-use infill projects in California that provide positive fiscal impacts to communities and incorporate smart growth planning and green building practices. LaTerra currently has more than 10 multifamily and mixed-use properties underway in the following submarkets: Santa Monica, Silverlake, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Burbank, Los Feliz, Santa Ana, Chula Vista and Las Vegas.