Harvey Hernandez, CEO, Newgard Development Group

Invest: spoke with Harvey Hernandez, CEO of Newgard Development Group, about how the firm approaches growth in a market defined by fast cycles, global capital, and constant competition. “We’ve tried to stay nimble enough to pivot as demand moves with demographics, lifestyle trends, technology, and the way people work and travel. What we were developing 10 years ago is not what we’re developing today, and it won’t be the same 10 years from now,” Hernandez said.

How has your vision for Newgard evolved since you founded it, and what do you see as the firm’s identity in the region today?

Our identity comes down to innovation and adaptability. Innovation is No. 1 for us. Real estate evolves quickly, and developers have to evolve with it. 

We’ve tried to stay nimble enough to pivot as demand moves with demographics, lifestyle trends, technology, and the way people work and travel. What we were developing 10 years ago is not what we’re developing today, and it won’t be the same 10 years from now. So we watch for shifts early and build a product that feels intentional rather than reactive.

It means listening carefully to market signals and anticipating where demand is heading.Sometimes the signal is obvious, sometimes it’s subtle, but the job is the same: identify what’s next, then execute at a level that makes the idea real.

What strategic factors guide your decisions about where and what to build, especially in neighborhoods like Brickell, Downtown, and Little River?

We start with location. We want to be in places that are second to none because it gives you the strongest foundation for long-term performance. But we also need an opportunity to create a product that doesn’t already exist in the marketplace or to deliver something that meaningfully raises the bar for what’s on that site today.

Sometimes that means bringing a new prototype into an established area. Other times, it means recognizing an area that is about to transform and delivering the right product to match what’s coming. We look for signals of momentum, connectivity, and lifestyle demand, and we aim to create a product that fits the future, not the past.

We look for opportunities to thoughtfully redevelop sites in a way that enhances their long -term potential and community value. The best projects benefit the end user and improve the neighborhood experience while still being a strong business decision.

Your portfolio includes concepts like Nativo and Lofty. Could you explain Newgard’s flexible ownership model?

We introduced that category in Miami with Nativo about seven years ago, and since then, the market has expanded. But for it to work long-term, the building has to be purposely designed, built, and licensed for flexibility.

When designed properly from the outset, flexible ownership enhances the experience for residents, guests, and the broader community.

We’re focused on the next iteration, including a more elevated product we call Nativo Reserve. The appeal is optionality. Owners want to use the residence when they want, and they also want the ability to share it and monetize it when it makes sense.

For us, the opportunity is in doing it the right way. If the operational model is clear, the guest experience is consistent, and the product quality is high.

Flexible ownership can create long-term value while maintaining the integrity and cohesion of the building. Our goal is to make real estate smarter by building products that match how people actually live and travel today without sacrificing cohesion.

One Brickell Riverfront is one of the most ambitious projects in Miami’s core. How did the partnership with Two Roads Development come about?

We’re proud of that project, and large master-planned developments take time. The location had strong potential but needed the right mix to help it become more active and complete.

Our focus has been curation. Each component is designed to be complementary, not competitive, and to serve a distinct audience within Brickell’s evolving demographic. You’ll see The Standard Residences, Brickell  a lifestyle-driven product anchored in hospitality, culture,  and design for a clear demographic, LOFTY Brickell offers a flexible-ownership luxury product, and a third tower  intended to further round out the long-term vision for the site and deliver a distinctive residential experience.

Two Roads brings meaningful expertise and additional financial strength, which matters at this scale. We bring our experience in the space and the strategic vision for how the site can evolve. The goal is a coherent destination that adds energy and value to Brickell.

How important are amenities, branding, and technology in differentiating Newgard’s developments in today’s South Florida market?

Everything is important. In today’s market, differentiation comes from executing every detail at a high level.Amenities have to be designed for the actual user and feel unique, technology has to be seamless, and design and finishes have to match the promise of the location.

Differentiation is rarely one feature. It’s consistent across the full experience, from how a building functions day-to-day to how it feels when someone walks in the door. In a competitive market, people compare everything, and they notice when one element feels like an afterthought.

We try to treat the building as a complete ecosystem. If the amenities support how people actually live, and the technology removes friction, the product feels smarter and more elevated. That’s how you create loyalty and word of mouth, not just a sale.

Revault Miami is a novel concept for urban Miami. What inspired it, and how do you see lifestyle-driven real estate products shaping the future of neighborhoods?

Most of our concepts start with a real need. I’m a car collector, and I didn’t see a place in Miami that was purposely designed for collectors, which surprised me. So we created it. Revault was designed around how collectors actually live. One of our beliefs was that people want to be within 15 to 20 minutes of where their collection is located, and that influenced our location choice.

We chose Little River because it made sense within that radius and placed the concept close to the broader lifestyle ecosystem, including restaurants, the Design District, and Miami Beach. Lifestyle-driven products can help shape neighborhoods when they’re authentic, solve a real need, and fit how people actually use the city.

As Miami grows as an international hub, how does Newgard balance global investor interest with local community needs as you plan new developments?

Investors respond to projects where strategy, design, and financial structure are aligned.Investors back us because we develop in strong locations and create projects that fill gaps in the market, rather than replicating standardized models across markets. They’re looking for differentiation and for confidence that a project isn’t simply competing against a long list of similar buildings.

That same discipline helps on the community side. Projects that perform best over time usually elevate a site and contribute something durable to the neighborhood. We think about how people will use the project, how it connects to what’s around it, and whether it adds something genuinely new. If we design thoughtfully and deliver a product that fits the area, global demand and local benefit reinforce each other.

What is the importance of branding for Newgard and for project development overall?

Branding matters a lot. It validates and anchors a project, and it helps steer interest and positioning before a buyer ever steps inside the building. It also often aligns design, operations, and marketing around one clear story.

We continue to explore strategic partnerships with leading global brands and we expect branding to remain an important factor as competition rises and buyers become even more experience-driven.