Salvador J Garcia

Salvador José Garcia is founder and Principal of MAS, a vertically integrated real estate company focused on urban redevelopment. Sal’s strong commitment to the community, firm ethical stance, and resolve for success has contributed to the continued growth of MAS from its origins as a construction company, to its position today as a full-service real estate organization with in-house development, construction, property management, and financing capabilities for large-scale, mixed-use development projects. ​ A son of Cuban refugees who settled in Elizabeth, N.J., Sal is passionate about revitalizing the region’s urban centers with forward-thinking development. Today, MAS specializes in identifying underutilized lower-income and disadvantaged cities that are ripe for investment. ​ Sal began his career in real estate at the age of 17, when he launched a small construction company that focused on residential and commercial interiors, painting and property management. He soon recognized that there was little investment happening in his own home city of Elizabeth, and set out to purchase multi-family residential buildings in the city’s rougher neighborhoods with the goal of reinvesting in his community. He quickly earned a reputation for his willingness to take on projects that others deemed too challenging, purchasing dilapidated real estate and successfully re-positioning them to become cash-positive properties that enhanced the neighborhood. ​ The company has since expanded into the commercial and mixed-use sectors, developing build-to- suit, triple-net- lease properties for the nation’s leading retailers, and more recently, ground-up luxury apartment communities that incorporate full-service lifestyle amenities and integrated retail offerings. ​ Throughout the company’s evolution, MAS has adhered to the philosophy instilled in Sal by his father, that “there are no problems, only situations”. This ideology is memorialized on a bronze plaque that hangs proudly at the entrance to MAS’ corporate offices, and is the hallmark of the company’s continued success.