164: Jonathan Garland, President & Founder of JGE

Jonathan Garland is the President and Founder of JGE, a Boston-based 100% minority-owned architecture and design firm with a comprehensive portfolio comprised of multi-family housing, mixed-use development, academic, life sciences, commercial, and university projects.

JGE Development focuses on transforming underperforming assets and underutilized parcels into stabilized income-restricted and market-rate multi-family housing. JGE Development partners with communities to activate and improve historically disinvested neighborhoods throughout Boston’s inner city and urban core.

Jonathan has over 25 years of professional experience planning and designing residential, mixed-use, academic, and institutional projects. He has cultivated a widely respected, seasoned approach to designing buildings and transforming neighborhoods and urban communities through high-quality collaborative design and development strategies. A Boston native, Jonathan launched his career with strong educational foundations from the Boston Architectural College and has since been committed to alleviating the housing crisis through innovative and socially responsible real estate solutions.

The discussion emphasizes the importance of aligning with clients who support the brand’s mission and understanding when to say no for the growth of the business. Jonathan also discusses the strategic decision behind running both an architectural and development firm, underscoring the significance of community engagement in creating impactful projects.

His firm focuses on solving the housing crisis through creative approaches and staying connected with the community.

Key Takeaways:

• Jonathan Garland emphasizes that launching a business requires careful client selection to align with the company’s mission and prevent growth stifling.
• The housing crisis in Massachusetts is accentuated by high construction and living costs, making it crucial to provide affordable housing.
• A successful transition of office spaces to residential is complex, requiring detailed consideration of architectural features and cost analyses.
• Building with community involves genuine conversations to ensure developments meet the real needs of local populations.
• A deep understanding of development economics and proactive community engagement are essential for architects and developers.

Notable Quotes:

1. “When you deal with people in the community, and you engage them, they very rarely remember the designs. They very rarely remember how they got to the final result, but they absolutely remember how they were treated in those meetings.”
2. “When we get on our horse every morning, it’s not just putting wall sections together and making floor plans; we’re really trying to marry cost-conscious budgets with housing.”
3. “It really is character, you know, before qualifications. There are certain things you can train with individuals and certain things you can’t train.”

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