Signature Urban Properties
Signature Urban Properties is a New York-based real estate investment firm founded in 2007 that delivers transformative mixed-use developments and affordable housing in the NYC metropolitan area through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Signature Urban Properties does
Signature Urban Properties, LLC is a New York-based real estate investment company founded in 2007 by Robert D. Frost and Gifford Miller that specializes in transformative urban development in the New York metropolitan area. The firm pursues three strategic approaches — Re-Entitlement, Mixed Use Development, and Critical Infrastructure Development — to convert abandoned industrial sites and transitional neighborhoods into mixed-use communities anchored by affordable housing. Its flagship project, the East 149th Street site in the Bronx's Mott Haven neighborhood, delivered nearly 300 units of 100% affordable housing and 60,000 sq ft of commercial space, including the first spec commercial construction of its size in 75 years in the Bronx. Over the past decade, Signature has completed approximately 2,000 affordable apartments for low and moderate income New Yorkers.
The company operates a project-based business model funded through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals, channeling that capital into entitlement, construction, leasing, and community development. GTM is enterprise, relationship-driven sales: the firm maintains a corporate website with an investor login portal and direct inquiry forms for property submissions, investor inquiries, PR, and employment. The firm is headquartered at 200 Madison Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, NY, and has no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, no public listing, and no proprietary technology platform. No AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Leadership consists of two Co-Managing Principals — Frost (formerly Bear Stearns real estate investment banker; also runs Signature Partners, a Manhattan commercial real estate brokerage) and Miller (former Speaker of the NYC Council, 2002-2006).
Signature Urban Properties firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Signature Urban Properties
- Legal name
- Signature Urban Properties, LLC
- Website
- https://signatureurban.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Signature Urban Properties is a New York-based real estate investment firm founded in 2007 that delivers transformative mixed-use developments and affordable housing in the NYC metropolitan area through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Signature Urban Properties industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real Estate Development
- NAICS
- Residential Building Construction (23611), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220)
- SIC
- Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Transitional/Development Land Brokerage (Entitled, In-Path-of-Growth) (BPAJADAJ), Core Real Estate (Stabilized/Core-Plus) (FSAAAKAA)
Keywords
Where Signature Urban Properties is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Signature Urban Properties business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Real Estate Development: The company generates revenue through transformative real estate development projects, including construction and leasing of residential apartments and commercial spaces in the New York metropolitan area.
- Joint Venture Partnership Investments: Revenue is generated through joint venture partnerships where institutional investors and high net worth individuals provide capital for real estate development projects.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Signature Urban Properties product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Signature Urban Properties is a real estate investment company that develops affordable and mixed-use residential and commercial properties in transitional urban areas of the New York metropolitan area. It sources, entitles, constructs, leases, and markets these projects through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals, with recent notable work including the East 149th Street project in the Bronx.
Product overview
Signature Urban Properties operates as a real estate investment company offering transformative urban development services in the New York metropolitan area. The company employs three strategic approaches: Transformation through Re-Entitlement, Transformation through Mixed Use Development, and Transformation through Critical Infrastructure Development. Their product portfolio includes flagship development projects such as the East 149th Street Project in the Bronx, which encompasses residential buildings at 530 Exterior Street and 491 Gerard Avenue, along with a six-story commercial building. Signature has completed over 2,000 affordable apartments for low and moderate income New Yorkers through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Transformative Real Estate Development Services Real estate investment and development services focused on transforming transitional urban areas in the New York metropolitan area, delivered through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals. The offering spans sourcing, acquisition, financing, construction, leasing, marketing, and community development for affordable housing and mixed-use projects.
- Joint Venture Real Estate Partnerships Capital partnership offering that allows institutional investors and high net worth individuals to co-invest with Signature in transformative real estate development projects in the NYC metro area, providing exposure to affordable housing and mixed-use developments.
- East 149th Street Mixed-Use Development Signature's flagship mixed-use development in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx, consisting of nearly 300 units of 100% affordable housing (including units for formerly homeless individuals), two residential buildings along Gerard and Exterior Avenues, and a six-story commercial building (the first spec commercial construction of its size in 75 years in the Bronx) that has been leased to a local charter school network.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,000 new apartments completed for low and moderate income New Yorkers over the past decade
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Signature Urban Properties
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Signature Urban Properties technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Signature Urban Properties partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Signature Urban Properties competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Related Companies: The Related Companies is one of the largest privately-held real estate developers in the US with deep NYC presence across affordable housing (Related Affordable), mixed-use, and market-rate development. Directly comparable to Signature as a transformational NYC developer, but at vastly greater scale with Hudson Yards and other flagship projects.
Direct peers
- Taconic Investment Partners: Taconic Investment Partners is a NYC-focused real estate investment and development firm operating through institutional JV partnerships across residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects. Comparable in JV-funded NYC development model, though more diversified across asset classes.
- Monadnock Development: Monadnock Development is a NYC developer specializing in transformative mixed-use and affordable housing projects in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Closely comparable to Signature's East 149th Street-type playbook of converting underutilized industrial sites into mixed-income communities.
- BRP Companies: BRP Companies is a NYC-based real estate development firm focused on affordable and mixed-income housing, with a similar JV capital model and concentration on transitional Bronx and Upper Manhattan neighborhoods. Closely comparable in size, geography, and product mix.
- Phipps Houses: Phipps Houses is one of NYC's largest not-for-profit affordable housing developers, having developed thousands of affordable units across the five boroughs. Comparable to Signature in product type (affordable housing) and NYC geography, though operating on a non-profit rather than JV-funded basis.
- L+M Development Partners: L+M Development Partners is a leading NYC-focused affordable and mixed-income housing developer with a multi-thousand-unit portfolio. Most directly comparable to Signature as a similarly-sized affordable housing specialist serving institutional investors and HNW partners in NYC's transitional neighborhoods.
- Douglaston Development: Douglaston Development is a NYC-based real estate developer with a portfolio spanning affordable, market-rate, and mixed-use projects, often through joint ventures with institutional and public partners. Comparable in JV capital structure and NYC focus.
- Hudson Companies: Hudson Companies is a NYC-based real estate development and investment firm developing mixed-income, mixed-use, and affordable housing projects across the five boroughs. Comparable to Signature in scale, geography, and the institutional JV-driven model.
- CPC Resources (Community Preservation Corporation): CPC Resources is a NYC affordable housing developer affiliated with the Community Preservation Corporation, focused on creating and preserving affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families. Comparable in target demographic, product type, and NYC geography.
Regional players
- Alchemy Properties: Alchemy Properties is a NYC-based residential and mixed-use developer active in Manhattan and the outer boroughs. Comparable in NYC geography and mixed-use approach, but skews toward market-rate luxury rather than affordable housing, making it a partial overlap rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Signature Urban Properties social profiles
Digital presenceSignature Urban Properties financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Signature Urban Properties leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Signature Urban Properties funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Signature Urban Properties 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 Signature Urban Properties
What does Signature Urban Properties do?
Signature Urban Properties is a real estate investment company that develops affordable and mixed-use residential and commercial properties in transitional urban areas of the New York metropolitan area. It sources, entitles, constructs, leases, and markets these projects through joint venture partnerships with institutional investors and high net worth individuals, with recent notable work including the East 149th Street project in the Bronx.
Is Signature Urban Properties a public or private company?
Signature Urban Properties is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Signature Urban Properties founded?
Signature Urban Properties was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Signature Urban Properties based?
Signature Urban Properties is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Signature Urban Properties make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Real Estate Development is the primary driver. The others are joint Venture Partnership Investments.
Who are Signature Urban Properties's main competitors?
The Related Companies is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Taconic Investment Partners, Monadnock Development, BRP Companies, Phipps Houses, L+M Development Partners, Douglaston Development, Hudson Companies and CPC Resources (Community Preservation Corporation). Alchemy Properties is listed as a regional player.
Does Signature Urban Properties have an API?
No public API is recorded for Signature Urban Properties.
What industry is Signature Urban Properties in?
Signature Urban Properties's product category is Real Estate Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAD, Urban Planning & Master Planning, with a secondary code of BPAJADAJ, Transitional/Development Land Brokerage (Entitled, In-Path-of-Growth). Its NAICS code is 23611 and its SIC code is 6532.