What Highland Development Company does

Highland Development Company (HDC) is a privately held, Denver-based real estate development firm that builds "uncommon communities" focused on transit-oriented development (TOD) and attainable housing throughout the Denver Metro Area of Colorado. The company's portfolio spans for-sale residential product (rowhomes, condominiums, townhomes, single-family homes), for-rent multifamily apartment communities, mixed-use developments, and third-party fee development services, with more than 20 named projects including West Line Village (184 rowhomes + 281 apartments in Lakewood), Berkley Shores (89 homes in NW Denver), The Nightingale (39 modular condos in Uptown), Iota Fox Station (148-unit TOD apartments in Globeville), Traverse (281-unit apartments in Lakewood), Hover Junction (250 townhomes in Longmont), and Sojourn at Idlewild (a 216-unit master plan in Winter Park). HDC's core technical differentiation is a modular construction methodology in which units are built offsite in a controlled factory environment and assembled over an above-grade parking podium, producing a documented 40-50% reduction in construction schedule versus traditional stick-built methods, paired with disciplined site selection within walking distance of RTD light rail stations.

The company generates revenue through four mechanics: one-time sale of for-sale residential units (condos from the mid-$200s, homes from the $300s to $435k+); recurring rental income across an owned for-rent apartment portfolio; fee-based third-party development services (entitlement and development management for projects including Conejos, Grove, Irving, Lowell, Perry 1284, Quitman 1274, and Twenty on 23rd); and entitled-land disposition. Go-to-market combines project-specific microsites (e.g., westlinevillage.com, berkleyshores.com, sojournwinterpark.com), direct sales contacts, and an exclusive brokerage partnership with The Highland Team at Compass Real Estate led by Jill Samuels. HDC operates within a closely aligned family of companies that includes Martines Palmeiro Construction (MPC) as general contractor and DIRC Homes as construction/development partner, sharing a 16,000-square-foot headquarters in Denver's historic American Woodmen's Life Building and roughly 50 employees.

Customer segments span first-time homebuyers and attainable-housing seekers, urban renters and young professionals (targeting transit-oriented for-rent product), workforce/essential-worker buyers (e.g., Nightingale named for Florence Nightingale and sited in a hospital district), active-lifestyle buyers seeking waterfront and trail-adjacent communities, and mountain/resort lifestyle buyers in Winter Park. Leadership comprises Michael Martines (CEO, founder of MPC and former Greystar executive), Paul Malone (President), Tony Lajimodiere (CFO), and Clay Iman (Development Partner, joined January 2021 from Wood Partners). Capital relationships include a $42.5 million construction loan arranged by JLL Capital Markets in February 2020 for West Line Village Apartments and a strategic alliance with private-equity firm Trailbreak Partners established in June 2019.

Name

Highland Development Company

Legal name

Highland Development Company

Website

https://highlanddevelopmentco.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highland Development Company is a privately held, Denver-based real estate developer building transit-oriented, attainable for-sale and for-rent residential communities across the Colorado Front Range using modular construction methodology. It serves first-time buyers, urban renters, workforce housing seekers, and active- and mountain-lifestyle buyers through direct sales and an exclusive Compass brokerage partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Development

NAICS

New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Land Subdivision (2372), Land Subdivision (23721)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Transit-oriented development
• Modular home construction
• Residential real estate development
• Attainable housing communities
• Multifamily apartment development

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. For-Sale Residential Development: HDC develops and sells residential properties including single-family homes, townhomes, rowhomes, duplexes, and condominiums. Revenue is generated through direct sales to buyers at various price points. The company has sold out projects including The Nightingale (39 condos), The Commons at King (12 townhomes), and continues selling at West Line Village (184 rowhomes), Berkley Shores (89 homes), and others.
2. Fee Development Services: HDC provides fee development services to third parties, managing the entitlement and development process for a fee. Projects include Conejos, Grove, Irving, Lowell, Perry 1284, Quitman 1274, and Twenty on 23rd.
3. For-Rent Apartment Communities: HDC develops and holds for-rent multifamily residential communities. Current rental properties include Signalmen Apartments (54 micro-units), The Iota (69,213 sq ft), The Holden on Pearl (30,494 sq ft), Traverse (250,000 sq ft), 1404 Benton St. (11,961 sq ft, 13 units), 1408 Benton St. (10,020 sq ft), 1456 Benton St. (8,695 sq ft, 9 units), and 4th and Kalamath Apartments (43,750 sq ft, 103 units).
4. Land Development and Entitled Land Sales: HDC entitles land and sells entitled lots to builders or other developers. The company has completed large-scale TOD developments such as West Line Village (184 rowhomes, 281-unit apartment component) that generate revenue through both unit sales and development fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Highland Development Company is a Denver-based real estate development firm that plans, entitles, builds, and sells for-sale residential communities (rowhomes, condos, townhomes, single-family homes) and operates for-rent apartment communities across the Denver Metro Area. The company also provides fee development services to third-party landowners, managing entitlement and development for a fee. Their developments emphasize transit-oriented locations near RTD light rail stations and modular construction techniques to deliver attainable housing at lower price points than comparable new builds.

Product overview

Highland Development Company (HDC) is a Denver-based real estate development company specializing in uncommon communities that bring people together. Their portfolio consists of multiple distinct residential product lines rather than a unified platform architecture: for-sale housing products including rowhomes (West Line Village), condominiums (The Nightingale, Wrigley On Penn), single-family homes and townhomes (Berkley Shores, Hover Junction); for-rent apartment communities (Traverse, The Holden on Pearl, Signalmen Apartments, Iota Fox Station); mixed-use developments combining residential and retail; and future communities (Sojourn at Idlewild). The company focuses on attainable housing with innovative construction techniques including modular construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sojourn at Idlewild Master-planned mountain community in Winter Park, CO, offering mountain modern single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, and condos on 19 acres (216 total units) adjacent to the Arapahoe National Forest, designed to support remote work and learning.
• Iota Fox Station 148-unit, five-story wood-frame-over-two-levels-concrete-podium transit-oriented apartment community in Denver's Globeville neighborhood, one block from the 41st & Fox RTD station, featuring studio, one-, and two-bedroom units plus fitness center, coworking spaces, and sky lounge.
• West Line Village Transit-oriented rowhome community in Lakewood, CO with 184 rowhomes across 235,297 sq ft near the W Line Sheridan Station, including a 281-unit apartment component supported by a $42.5 million JLL construction loan.
• Berkley Shores 89-home waterfront community in Northwest Denver with single-family homes and townhomes on 8.9 acres surrounding Lake Pomponio, priced from $425k, featuring quartz countertops, black stainless appliances, and luxury flooring.
• The Nightingale 39 upscale urban luxury condos in Denver's Uptown Hospital District using modular construction, with studio, 1-, and 2-bedroom units from 359 to 1,000 sq ft, oversized windows, European casework, and glass walk-in showers.
• The Commons at King 12-unit row home development in Denver's Villa Park neighborhood adjacent to the Knox Street RTD station, featuring front porches, rooftop decks, and a shared outdoor courtyard, priced from the $300s.
• Traverse Five-story, 281-unit apartment building in Lakewood with swimming pool, hot tub, rooftop patio, fitness center, and pet spa, part of the West Line Village master plan near Sheridan Station.
• The Holden on Pearl Mixed-use apartment community in Denver's Globeville neighborhood with studio, one-, and two-bedroom units featuring mezzanine bedrooms and mountain or city views.
• Signalmen Apartments 54-unit micro-unit apartment community at 1253 Newton St. in Denver, operated as part of HDC's rental housing portfolio.
• Wrigley On Penn Mixed-use condominium community in Denver's West Wash Park with 29 contemporary condos (509 to 1,305 sq ft) above 10,000 sq ft of ground-floor retail, including rooftop decks on upper units.
• Hover Junction 250-unit townhome development in Longmont, CO spanning 311,875 sq ft, delivered as part of HDC's portfolio of attainable townhome communities along the Colorado Front Range.
• 64th Ave Homes (Berkley Shores) 20 single-family homes on 5 acres in Arvada, CO, marketed under the Berkley Shores brand as part of HDC's current attainable single-family housing pipeline.
• First & Washington Townhomes 8 luxury modern farmhouse townhomes (14,306 sq ft) at 148 Washington Ave in Golden, CO, less than 1 mile from Historic Downtown Golden, featuring mountain views, a community garden, and proximity to the RTD Golden Station.
• Fee Development Services Contracted entitlement and development management services for third-party landowners in the Denver Metro Area, managing projects including Conejos, Grove, Irving, Lowell, Perry 1284, Quitman 1274, and Twenty on 23rd for a development fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Modular construction reduces construction schedule by 40-50%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MPC (Martines Palmeiro Construction)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 April 2022General contractor for Iota Fox Station and other HDC projects. MPC is a full-service general construction and construction management firm established in 2011, leveraging its United Project strategic project delivery method. MPC has offices in Denver, CO and Austin, TX, specializing in multi-family, office, and healthcare market segments. MPC is part of the same family of companies as HDC, sharing offices at the American Woodmen's Life Building.
• DIRC HomescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2019General contractor and development partner for HDC projects. Founded in 2012, DIRC Homes focuses on urban infill and transit-oriented developments, revitalizing Colorado's urban neighborhoods. They were awarded Denver's Fast 50 by the Denver Business Journal in 2016 and 2017. DIRC Homes shares office space with HDC and MPC at the American Woodmen's Life Building, forming a family of companies.
• The Highland Team at Compass Real EstatecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 June 2019Exclusive real estate partner selling current and upcoming HDC projects. Jill Samuels leads sales for West Line Village and subsequent HDC developments. The partnership is designed to streamline the sales process and homeowner experience for all HDC and Trailbreak Partner developments.
• Trailbreak PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2019Trailbreak Partners is a private equity firm focused on real estate and middle market operating companies. They partnered with HDC and DIRC Homes to form a strategic alliance, co-developing projects including West Line Village, The Nightingale, Berkley Shores, and a new urbanist community in Longmont focused on delivering unmatched urban product in Boulder County.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Shea Homes: Major Colorado homebuilder with extensive Denver Metro presence, building townhomes, single-family, and master-planned communities comparable in scale and product mix to HDC's Hover Junction and Berkley Shores developments.
• Greystar: Largest multifamily developer and operator in the U.S., founded the same year HDC's CEO Michael Martines worked there. Operates across the full apartment value chain (development, leasing, management), representing an incumbent comparable for HDC's for-rent apartment business.
• Century Communities: Denver-headquartered national homebuilder (NYSE: CCS) focused on entry-level and first-move-up buyers, directly overlapping with HDC's attainable housing target segments across Colorado Front Range.
• Brookfield Properties: Large diversified real estate developer with multifamily, mixed-use, and master-planned community operations including Colorado presence; represents a broader incumbent comparable for HDC's mixed-use and larger TOD developments.
• TRI Pointe Homes: National homebuilder (NYSE: TPH) with active Denver operations focused on entry-level through move-up buyers, comparable product positioning and Denver Metro scale similar to HDC's for-sale portfolio.
• David Weekley Homes: Large national private homebuilder with established Denver presence, offering townhomes, single-family, and urban product comparable in design philosophy and price points to HDC's portfolio.

Direct peers

• Lokal Homes: Denver-based homebuilder focused on urban infill and attainable for-sale housing near transit. Competes head-to-head with HDC's West Line Village, The Commons at King, and Berkley Shores projects in similar Denver submarkets.
• Cardel Homes: Denver-based residential homebuilder with strong Front Range presence developing townhomes, paired homes, and single-family product at attainable price points, closely comparable to HDC's product mix and target buyer.
• Wood Partners: National multifamily developer with strong Denver presence; previously led by Clay Iman (HDC's Development Partner). Builds Class A apartment communities in transit-oriented and urban infill locations directly comparable to HDC's Traverse, Iota, and Holden on Pearl projects.
• Mill Creek Residential: National multifamily developer focused on Class A apartment communities in transit-oriented and urban locations, with Denver presence; directly comparable to HDC's Iota Fox Station, Traverse, and 4th and Kalamath rental projects.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/highlanddevelopmentco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-development-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/highlanddevelopmentco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highland Development Company