About Us
Who We Are
“The first decisions set the direction for the entire project.“ Jeffrey Liker.
At CREARE Collaborative, we are a real estate advisory firm specializing in guiding our clients through the critical initial decisions in real estate. With over 20 years of experience in Development, Design, and Master Planning, our team has successfully managed complex mega projects across diverse markets.
We focus on adding value from the earliest stages of pre-development, blending precise technical knowledge and data-driven insights with vision and creativity to solve problems and advocate for our clients. For us, project success means realizing the project’s vision while staying within budget and on schedule, all while enhancing the community by creating beautiful spaces for people.
What We Believe In
Meaningful Design and Master Planning can improve every aspect of life within the built environment. It can enhance brand identity, recruitment, employee retention, wellness, productivity, innovation, and profitability for cities and industry-leading companies. Meaningful Design and Master Planning do not necessarily incur a higher upfront cost. However, it will differentiate the project and add direct and indirect value throughout its life cycle. Our commitment is to support clients by fostering innovation and growth while maximizing the positive impact of their “first (design) decisions.”
Our mission is to help companies and cities innovate and grow by creating better places for people within the built environment.
We’re problem-solvers with focus. Team players with one goal in mind: To deliver your project on time, on budget, and on vision.
We focus on adding value from the earliest stages of pre-development, blending precise technical knowledge and data-driven insights with vision and creativity to solve problems and advocate for our clients.
Sustainability
We are committed to every community we touch
CREARE’s team is committed to the environment, and the wellness of all project occupants. While technology plays a critical role in active sustainable strategies, it all starts with the passive sustainability strategies. Passive strategies require careful planning and insight as they are implemented from the very start of the project, but when properly integrated, they offer the most cost-effective and long-term value for the project.
By focusing on design choices that minimize energy consumption and reduce reliance on external systems, passive strategies can significantly lower operational costs over a building’s lifespan. Investing in passive sustainability upfront can lead to substantial savings and a more environmentally responsible project.
Marin Gertler
Marin Gertler is the Founder and Principal of CREARE Collaborative, Inc. With over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, Marin has led significant projects across California. As the former Senior Vice President of Development for IQHQ, he oversaw the development of a 7+ million square foot life science portfolio, in San Diego, South San Francisco, and Redwood City, CA, from acquisition through occupancy.
Previously, Marin served as an Architect, Design Director, and Regional Design Leader at Gensler, where he led award-winning technology and life-science campuses, urban mixed-use projects, and hospitality resorts.
Active in the community, Marin is an Executive Board Member of the Downtown Partnership, advocating for the growth of urban centers and sustainable mobility. His involvement with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) includes board membership on the Young Leaders Committee and presentations to the National Hospitality, Urban Development, and Mixed-Use Councils.
Marin earned a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He has shared his expertise as an adjunct professor at the New School of Architecture and as a lecturer for USD and UCSD graduate developer programs. His accolades include the Global ULI 40 Under 40 award (2016), Young Architect of the Year by AIA San Diego (2017), and Mentor of the Year honoree by SDBJ (2024).
