Welcome to the CRE Clarity Podcast with Jeremy Goodrich. Today, our guest is Waikiki Paulino, the Chief Executive Officer of CRE Construction Partners. In this episode, we explore every phase of a development project—from due diligence and development to construction management and final asset disposition. We dive into building strong teams, ensuring project success, and why the pre-construction phase is often more critical than construction itself.
Learn more about Waikiki and his story at creclarity.com!
“It’s not so much about stacking one brick over another or pouring concrete. It’s really about understanding the mindset of the person who’s doing the work and the business owner.”
01:00
Waikiki developed an interest in ground-up development at a young age. At just 9 years old, he began working on project sites alongside his father. Later, he pursued a career as a carpenter and expanded his knowledge by studying commercial real estate, structural engineering architecture, and construction management, building a diverse skill set. Today, he has 26 years of experience in the real estate development industry.
“Invest in buying inspections through all of the design architects and engineers. They must be there. It gets expensive, but that is not a place to cut corners.”
05:00
Waikiki shares his ground-up development process, which he breaks down into four key phases: due diligence, development, construction management, and asset disposition. He emphasizes that after completing due diligence, the entitlement phase plays a critical role in a project’s success. During this stage, it’s crucial to assemble a strong team and establish early communication with the community.
The third phase, construction, begins with pre-construction activities. Waikiki’s team qualifies contractors to find the right team for the project, which significantly increases the potential for success in the construction phase.
Finally, Waikiki explains his approach to exiting a project. He highlights the importance of securing a new owner or tenant several months before the building is completed. He also recommends involving the property management team or new owner with the construction team early in the process to ensure a smooth transition.
40:00
At the end of the episode, Waikiki shares his insights on the future of commercial real estate. He notes that the industrial market remains strong, while office and mixed-use buildings face significant challenges in the current market. Despite these hurdles, he predicts substantial growth in the commercial real estate industry in the near future.
About our Guest, Waikiki Paulino
Waikiki Paulino has led the development and construction of large-scale commercial real estate projects for investors since 1998. He graduated from New York City Technical College with a degree in Structural Engineering and Architectural Studies. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from Pratt Institute. He has also completed real estate masters’ courses at New York University. Mr. Paulino worked for several New York City based union and non-union CM firms such as F.J. Sciame Construction Co., Sordoni Construction and Tishman Construction / AECOM where he managed select high-profile projects as a senior manager in various markets. His extensive experience in multi-family, office and hotel high-rise development as well as retail, education and museum new construction and restoration, facilitates deal negotiations for owners. He successfully helped owners reposition assets during the market crash in 2008 and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Mr. Paulino’s analytical background in engineering combined with his tolerance for high-stress high profile management at a fast pace has proven to be a solid foundation for opportunity evaluation, investment control and project team leadership. Mr. Paulino is committed to and motivated by helping solidify the investor’s purpose for wealth building, community enhancement, generational improvement, and legacy perpetuation.
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Special thanks to Waikiki Paulino for taking the time to share so many great insights with us
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