McCormack Baron Salazar Names Antonio Garate Vice President and Director of Development for Puerto Rico
McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) is pleased to announce that Antonio Garate has been named Vice President and Director of Development for Puerto Rico. With 25 years of experience in commercial, residential, institutional, and industrial design and construction management, Garate will lead development efforts for MBS in Puerto Rico.
“We look forward to Antonio growing and furthering our efforts to build more mixed income housing in Puerto Rico following best practices for resiliency and green design,” said Vincent R. Bennett, President of MBS. “His approach and experience with public-private partnerships, high-quality design and sustainable development reflect MBS’ values and vision. We look forward to being a part of the future of Puerto Rico.”
Most recently, Garate was a partner and senior project architect for Alvarez-Diaz & Villalon, an architecture and design firm based in San Juan and southeast Florida. He has worked closely with MBS in the design and contract administration of the Renaissance Square in Hato Rey and Bayshore Villas in Puerta de Tierra, both completed with 314 multifamily units and the revitalization of the Barrio Turabo community in Caguas.
In Caguas, the construction work on the $133 million investment has resumed after the pandemic lockdown, following all safety measures. Located on vacant land that was previously a public housing site, the new community includes housing options that are affordable to families and seniors with a broad array of incomes. When completed, the 20-acre site in south Caguas will have 238 apartments for families in townhomes and walk-up apartments and a 200-unit apartment building for seniors.
Garate holds a Master of Science in Building Performance and Diagnostics and a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a Registered Architect licensed in Puerto Rico and Florida. Garate is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and he holds LEED AP certification with a specialty in Building Design and Construction from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). He also is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Collegio de Arquitectos y Arquitectos Paisajistas (CAAPPR), and the USGBC.