Gardner Tanenbaum Group (GTG) CEO Richard Tanenbaum says he is enjoying the nice, steady growth of real estate work in Oklahoma. “There's a lot more work, a lot of activity,” he states. “Oklahoma issued more building permits in the last five years than what was issued in 30 years put together.”

This dramatic trend has encouraged GTG to work harder, Tanenbaum says. The company notes, however, that it is already well-positioned to adapt to industry changes. “GTG is a unique group formed specifically to grasp the many aspects of the commercial and residential real estate industry, with primary expertise in development, construction and property management,” it explains.

With more than 50 years of experience, its interrelated divisions - residential development, multifamily and commercial - have set GTG apart from competition, it says.

“We're fully integrated with our own construction group [Gardner Construction],” Tanenbaum stresses. “We control our own construction cost. Our construction group moves quickly and this allows us to make deals right away. That's our competitive edge.”

Tanenbaum, whose previous experiences include purchasing, developing and selling commercial and industrial real estate, brings 30 years of expertise to GTG. He has also worked in construction, build-to-suit, financing, conceptual development and marketing.

A Long-Awaited Project
GTG's residential division, GT Homes, is currently completing Liberty Trails, a neighborhood with 269 homes. Located in Oklahoma, it has five different floor plans ranging from 1,380 to 2,000 square feet that cost $118,000 to $162,000.

Its multifamily division recently completed The Montgomery, a retrofitted downtown apartment building. Also in Oklahoma, it features one- and two-bedrooms from 915,000 to 1,513 square feet, fitness and business centers, and an attached parking garage. The Montgomery has 56 units.

GTG is completing Phase I of the Lincoln at Central Park, a three-phase, $51 million apartment complex. Phase I has a budget of $17 million and includes 276 units. The Lincoln is 80 percent complete, Tanenbaum states.

“The Lincoln at Central Park is the long-awaited answer for people who have searched among other apartment complexes for something more distinctive, more exciting and close to the central part of [Oklahoma] city,” the Lincoln says.

Upon completion, the complex will have 50 buildings. There are 17 buildings planned for Phase I and GTG has two more to build by this winter.

Each phase includes construction of a 3,198-square-foot clubhouse and an oversized pool. Other amenities will include playgrounds, tennis courts and 24-hour fitness and business facilities. The entire project should be finished by the end of 2007.

Devoted Builder
“From dirt to done, our development team has the experience to successfully complete all phases of real estate development from initial concept, facility design and construction management, to project completion and ongoing property management,” GTG says.

Setting Itself Apart
GTG notes that it wants to be the leading real estate developer in Oklahoma. It offers:
• Commercial site locations
• Knowledge and understanding of business incentive opportunities
• Built-to-suit tailor-made plans and specifications
• Facilitation of interim construction and permanent long-term financing
• Full-service turnkey custom facility delivery on tight deadlines

“Whether building a new building, an addition to an existing building or renovating an existing building, [GTG] has the project team to meet [clients'] goals,” the company explains.

“We understand the significance of working closely with the clients for efficient solutions designed to meet a client's needs. Versatility, cooperation and a passion for what we do crown the rock-solid history of GTG's success.”

According to Tanenbaum, GTG improves its construction quality by “always looking for new innovative plans and procedures that help maintain and improve the quality of its work. As our brochure states on the front page, capability, quality and experience [are] what GTG stands for.”

Tanenbaum adds that the company's keys to sucscess are communication and hard work.

“We all work hard,” he continues, “and we make sure we keep in touch with everybody that's onboard.” He adds that GTG's relationship with subcontractors has helped it deal with industry challenges. A local challenge is a lack of subcontractors.

“Subcontractors have more work than they can handle,” he notes. But GTG is able to adapt. “I'd like to think we're the [subcontractors'] preference,” Tanenbaum says. “We meet with the subs and go over schedules. We schedule the sequence of construction so they can maximize the use of their personnel. That's very important.”