"Industrial design with a purpose is just good business."
Paul Hyde began his journey as an entrepreneur in his parents’ basement with dial-up internet and an old-school computer that weighed more than twice as much as he did.
Now, Hyde Development is a major developer with a focus on urban infill and brownfield properties–one that’s pushing the packet on sustainability and modern design.
Paul sat down with Chris Arnold of Authentic Form & Function, a CRE-focused digital marketing agency, to talk about the origins of Hyde Development, the inspiration he’s found, the challenges he’s overcome, and how he became a champion of urban infill and brownfield development.
Catch the highlights here, or listen to the full conversation on the Transforming Cities podcast.
Just a few short decades ago, no one in commercial real estate was interested in the redevelopment of brownfield land or polluted sites.
“The dawn of the environmental movement was really started by Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring,” Paul explains. “It wasn't until 10 or 20 years later that the federal Superfund law was passed, and that had a cataclysmic effect on real estate development.”
Starting in 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act—or as it’s more commonly known, the Superfund law—imposed financial liability on any party deemed wholly or partially responsible for the contaminated land.
After that, most developers avoided any property with so much as a whiff of environmental history. The result was abandoned buildings, urban sprawl, and a steep decline in tax revenue for cities and municipalities.
At Hyde Development, we take a unique approach to real estate development. Not only do we promote environmental sustainability by focusing on urban infill and brownfields redevelopment, but we also foster better human health by incorporating easy-to-access greenspace and maintaining community connections to historic sites.
We do more than just build industrial parks—we build communities.
“In a time when real estate is becoming global and its owners are national or international… if you can still act local, you’ll have success,” Paul says.
Our rigorous approach to site selection, our established financial relationships, our commitment to tenant success, and our long-term investment in every property means that we strive to be less like a commercial real estate developer and more like a good neighbor.
We bring a personal touch and boundless optimism to every engagement without sacrificing the sustainable approach that’s been a cornerstone of our business since its inception. If you ask us, industrial design with a purpose is just good business.
“You really have to be open to and enjoy change to be successful,” Paul Hyde says. Whether or not that’s true for everyone, it’s certainly proven true for Hyde Development.
Take a look at a few of our latest projects. You’ll discover a portfolio that’s both innovative in its approach to sustainability and unwavering in its commitment to creating valuable community spaces outside the home.
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