Cambridge Development Group
Cambridge Development Group is a Houston-based, privately held multifamily real estate developer founded in 1973, specializing in high-rise, mid-rise, and mixed-use residential projects across Texas, North Carolina, and Florida, with supplemental third-party construction advisory services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cambridge Development Group does
Cambridge Development Group is a Houston, Texas-based private real estate development firm founded in 1973 by principals Doug Dalton and Ronald Lightfoot. The company specializes in the development of high-quality multifamily residential properties — including high-rise, mid-rise, mixed-use, urban, and suburban product — across multiple U.S. Sun Belt markets, with active operations in Texas (Houston, San Antonio, Austin, The Woodlands, Katy, El Paso), North Carolina (Charlotte), and Florida (Orlando). Its portfolio includes more than a dozen named assets such as Citadel at Tech Ridge (Austin, 308 units), Citadel Urban (San Antonio, 181 units), Celeste at La Cantera, The Residences at La Cantera, Newport on the Lake (Katy), Metropole (Houston), Boardwalk at Town Center (The Woodlands, 450 units), 1100 South Boulevard (Charlotte), and The Lakefront at Metrowest (Orlando), complemented by commercial holdings including 55 Waugh Drive and Lee Vista.
The firm operates three service lines: Developer/Owner (ground-up multifamily development with internal ownership and co-developer arrangements, executed via standardized 'Citadel'-branded and La Cantera-branded product platforms), Third-party Service Advisory (construction oversight and consulting for outside owners, developers, and investors from conceptual development through final construction), and Investment & Investment Management (capital partner relationships for debt and equity financing on a project-by-project basis). Revenue is generated primarily through development fees, ownership-stake returns on completed assets, and professional-services fees for advisory engagements; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project.
Cambridge Development Group differentiates on the strength of its 50-year operating history, its principal-led team with continuous real estate experience since 1973, and a stable ecosystem of repeat builders (NRP Group, CF Jordan Construction, Greystar, Capstone), co-developers (Inland Group), and architectural firms (Humphreys & Partners, Looney Ricks Kiss, Davies Collaborative, Sage Group). The portfolio has accumulated industry recognition including Gold Nugget Grand Awards, NAHB Pillars of the Industry, Aurora Grand Awards, and Multifamily Executive Project of the Year. The firm remains privately held with no institutional funding rounds, no parent company, and no public listing, operating through a lean team of 11-50 employees from its Houston headquarters.
Cambridge Development Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cambridge Development Group
- Legal name
- Cambridge Development Group
- Website
- https://cambridgehouston.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cambridge Development Group is a Houston-based, privately held multifamily real estate developer founded in 1973, specializing in high-rise, mid-rise, and mixed-use residential projects across Texas, North Carolina, and Florida, with supplemental third-party construction advisory services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cambridge Development Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Multifamily Real Estate Development
- NAICS
- Land Subdivision (23721), Construction of Buildings (236), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622)
- SIC
- Operative Builders (1531), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)
Keywords
Where Cambridge Development Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cambridge Development Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Development Owner/Developer Fees: Cambridge Development Group develops multi-family residential properties (high-rise, mid-rise, mixed-use, urban, and suburban) as developer and owner, generating revenue through development fees, property sales, and investment returns.
- Third-Party Advisory Services: Provides construction oversight and consulting services to other owners during the construction process, from conceptual development through final construction.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels1 record
Cambridge Development Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cambridge Development Group is a private real estate development company that develops, owns, and operates multifamily residential and commercial properties across Texas, North Carolina, and Florida. The company also provides third-party construction advisory, development planning, and investment management services to project owners and capital investors.
Product overview
Cambridge Development Group is a Texas-based real estate development company with 50 years of experience, specializing in multi-family residential properties nationwide. The company operates a portfolio of residential apartment communities (Lookout Pointe, Citadel Urban, Citadel at Lookout, Citadel at Tech Ridge, Citadel at Westpointe, Celeste at La Cantera, The Residences at La Cantera, 1100 South Blvd, The Preserve on Fredericksburg, Metropole, Boardwalk at Town Center, Newport on the Lake, Siena, The Lakefront at Metrowest, St. Andrews, Steeplechase) and commercial properties (Lee Vista, 55 Waugh Drive), complemented by professional services including Development Planning/Management, Construction Oversight/Management Consulting, Investment and Investment Management, and Third-party Service Advisory.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lookout Pointe
- Citadel Urban
- Citadel at Lookout
- Citadel at Tech Ridge
- Citadel at Westpointe
- Celeste at La Cantera
- The Residences at La Cantera
- 1100 South Blvd
- The Preserve on Fredericksburg
- Metropole
- Boardwalk at Town Center
- Newport on the Lake
- Siena
- The Lakefront at Metrowest
- Lee Vista
- 55 Waugh Drive
- St. Andrews
- Steeplechase
- Development Planning/Management
- Construction Oversight/Management Consulting
- Investment and Investment Management
- Third-Party Service Advisory
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully developed and delivered properties across multiple markets including Texas, North Carolina, and Florida
Companies that use Cambridge Development Group
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cambridge Development Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cambridge Development Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Inland GroupcoreCo-developer for Citadel at Tech Ridge project. The project is a three story wood frame multifamily project with 308 units. Inland Group serves as development partner with Cambridge Development Group.
- Inland National Development CompanycoreDeveloper for Lookout Pointe project located in Selma, Texas. 280 apartment homes under development next to Citadel at Lookout Road.
- NRP GroupcoreBuilder for Citadel at Tech Ridge - a three story wood frame multifamily project with 308 units offering one, two, and three bedrooms in Austin, Texas.
- NRP ConstructioncoreBuilder for Citadel at Lookout - a three story wood frame multifamily project with 303 units offering studio, one, and two bedrooms in Selma (San Antonio), Texas.
- CF Jordan ConstructioncoreBuilder for Newport on the Lake - Houston's premier lake-front community located in the dynamic Energy Corridor in Katy, TX.
- Jordan Foster ConstructioncoreBuilder for Citadel at Westpointe - 282 Big House and eUrban multifamily development located in El Paso, Texas.
- Greystar Development & ConstructioncoreBuilder Phase I for Boardwalk at Town Center - 450 luxury apartments designed in a Southern Coastal style with stucco, metal, soaring glass and cedar accents in The Woodlands, Texas.
- Caldwell Building CompanyminorBuilder Phase II for Boardwalk at Town Center project in The Woodlands, Texas.
- Capstone Building CorpcoreBuilder for 1100 South Blvd in Charlotte, NC - located in the popular South End area providing direct access to downtown and the greater Charlotte area.
- Humphreys & Partners ArchitectscoreArchitect and Land Planner for Newport on the Lake. Also serves as Architect for Citadel Urban project. Dallas-based architectural firm.
- Davies CollaborativecoreArchitect for Citadel at Tech Ridge project in Austin, Texas.
- The Sage GroupcoreArchitect for Citadel at Lookout project in Selma (San Antonio), Texas - a three story wood frame multifamily project with 303 units.
- Sage ArchitectscoreArchitect for Lookout Pointe project in Selma, Texas - 280 apartment homes.
- Looney Ricks KisscoreDesigner/Architect and Land Planner for The Residences at La Cantera in San Antonio, Texas. Memphis-based firm.
- Karen Kramer & AssociatescoreInterior Designer for Newport on the Lake in Katy, TX. Also serves as Interior Designer for Citadel Urban project.
- Karen Kramer & AssociatescoreInterior Designer for Citadel Urban project in San Antonio, Texas - 181 one, two, and three bedroom units with three story buildings featuring elevators.
- Laura Britt DesigncoreInterior Designer for Citadel at Tech Ridge project in Austin, Texas.
- Laura Britt Design GroupcoreInterior Designer for Lookout Pointe project in Selma, Texas - 280 apartment homes.
- RD Jones & AssociatescoreInterior Designer for Celeste at La Cantera - contemporary luxury living with studio, one, two, and three bedroom floor plans with exquisite finishes.
- J Robert Anderson Landscape ArchitecturecoreLandscape Designer for Celeste at La Cantera project in San Antonio, Texas.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cambridge Development Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Morgan Group: Houston-based multifamily developer specializing in luxury urban, mixed-use, and suburban apartment communities. Comparable in product positioning, Texas market focus, and developer-owner operating model.
- JLB Partners: Dallas-based multifamily developer focused on class A garden-style and mid-rise communities across Texas and the Sun Belt. Closely comparable to Cambridge in target product type, geography, and operating model.
- Inland Group: Multifamily developer and co-development partner with Cambridge on the Citadel at Tech Ridge project. Comparable product type (class A garden-style apartments) and overlapping Sun Belt geography.
- Hanover Company: Houston-headquartered multifamily developer with a national footprint developing high-rise, mid-rise, and garden-style apartments. Directly comparable product mix and developer-owner model to Cambridge.
- The NRP Group: National multifamily developer and builder of class A apartment communities, currently serving as builder for Cambridge's Citadel at Tech Ridge and Citadel at Lookout projects. Closely comparable in product, scale, and target markets.
Broad incumbents
- Wood Partners: One of the largest multifamily developers in the U.S., with extensive Texas presence developing class A apartment communities. Operates at greater scale and national footprint than Cambridge but competes for the same sites, capital, and residents.
- Lincoln Property Company: National multifamily developer, manager, and investor with a substantial Sun Belt development pipeline. Competes with Cambridge for residents and capital across Texas, NC, and FL.
- Greystar Real Estate Partners: World's largest multifamily developer, operator, and investment manager with extensive Sun Belt development pipeline and serving as builder partner on Cambridge's Boardwalk at Town Center. Comparable product and end-customer focus, though materially larger scale.
- Trammell Crow Residential: Multifamily development arm of Trammell Crow Company (now part of CBRE), with a significant Texas-based multifamily pipeline. Comparable product and regional focus but materially larger scale.
- Alliance Residential Company: Dallas-based, one of the largest U.S. multifamily developers with broad product type coverage and national reach. Comparable in product, geography, and class A positioning, though operating at meaningfully larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cambridge Development Group social profiles
Digital presenceCambridge Development Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cambridge Development Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Cambridge Development Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cambridge Development Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Development Group
What does Cambridge Development Group do?
Cambridge Development Group is a private real estate development company that develops, owns, and operates multifamily residential and commercial properties across Texas, North Carolina, and Florida. The company also provides third-party construction advisory, development planning, and investment management services to project owners and capital investors.
Is Cambridge Development Group a public or private company?
Cambridge Development Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cambridge Development Group founded?
Cambridge Development Group was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cambridge Development Group based?
Cambridge Development Group is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cambridge Development Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Development Owner/Developer Fees are the primary driver. The others are third-Party Advisory Services.
Who are Cambridge Development Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Morgan Group, JLB Partners, Inland Group, Hanover Company and The NRP Group. Broad incumbents are Wood Partners, Lincoln Property Company, Greystar Real Estate Partners, Trammell Crow Residential and Alliance Residential Company.
Does Cambridge Development Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cambridge Development Group.
What industry is Cambridge Development Group in?
Cambridge Development Group's product category is Multifamily Real Estate Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAL, Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities). Its NAICS code is 23721 and its SIC code is 1531.