Meet John Perez | Real Estate Developer & Architect

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Perez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, why did you pursue a creative career?

I’ve always been fascinated with original ideas… ever since I was a boy, I would observe the world around me and think deeply.

Both of my parents are very creative people, so pursuing an artistic career came very naturally. My father is an Architect and my mother is a painter. I watched them develop their concepts into real spaces, structures and paintings, and all of our trips involved visiting renowned buildings and art museums.

I equate Architecture to solving a puzzle, every time it is different. Different site location, different clients, different considerations, and different style. It’s fascinating to work on a design for hours, days and sometimes weeks, trying out new options, until suddenly, it all “clicks” together. Every project we start provides an opportunity for a different layout and aesthetic approach. This is what makes it fun. There are certain proven aspects of our design that we keep in our projects, but other than that, each one can be different, and every time we explore a new option, unexpected great ideas come up that we can now add to our “toolbox” or “set of colors” that we can consider for future projects…

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

My business is called PRZ Development. We are a Design + Build + Development firm that specialized in residential projects. We work on the lot acquisition, design, permitting, construction and sales of the project. The fact that we act as the Architect, the General Contractor and the broker is what sets us apart from other developers.

The decision-making process is very efficient, and we are able to achieve some great projects that other developers would not be able to accomplish.

As with all new businesses, it was not quite as easy as one hopes. We started off as an Architecture firm, then started building our clients’ projects, and then decided to do it for ourselves. This took a lot of hard work, but now that we are here, it is a lot of fun.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I’ve given similar guides to this before, so I will be a bit creative with this one. Aside from the classic South Beach locations that the world knows about, there are some interesting neighborhoods worth visiting.

I love Coconut Grove, especially their newly built restaurant and shops. I would recommend staying at Mr. C hotel which has impeccable services, and there is a range of dining options, from vegan restaurant Planta-Queen, to Sushi Garage and Mister 01 Pizza. The area has some beautiful parks to enjoy time if you come with kids.

Wynwood is another one of my favorite neighborhoods. It is constantly changing, but I recommend visiting the breweries such as Concrete Beach and Wynwood breweries, as well as the great restaurants and bars in the area.

For shopping, there’s nothing quite like the Design District. I enjoy the focus on the Architecture, and the pedestrian centered-spaces they have created. Michaels’ Genuine is a classic place to have a meal and an evening cocktail.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate this Shoutout to my parents, Cachi Perez and Genevieve Orr, for always encouraging me on all of my creative endeavors. They have always been very supportive, and growing up they were the type of parents that did not push for a specific path other than reaching a professional level in whatever i chose, yet encouraged whatever my passion was. This allowed me to explore different ideas at a young age, which ranged from being a geologist due to my passion for different types of stones, to dreaming of being a Marine Biologist, and eventually landing at Architecture & Construction.

My brother and business partner Benji and I would visit the jobsites when we were kids with our Dad, and our mother always insisted we all visited Art Museums when we went to major cities like Chicago. This developed an appreciation for the abstract and the concrete, so to speak…

Website: www.przdevelopment.com

Instagram: @przdevelopment

Youtube: @przdevelopment