Our Story
Urban Vantage is a small consulting firm formed in 2016 that works with public and private sector clients to make cities and towns better places. That can take a variety of forms from attracting private investments, to government interventions in the housing market, to job and business creation, to re-using existing buildings. We have a unique approach to public engagement that we hope to unveil this year.
Meet the Team
Urban Vantage is a young, motivated, and highly principled group.
Richard Rogers
J.D./M.U.P.
Principal
Richard graduated from SUNY Buffalo’s law school and planning school in 2017. He has previously worked with the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Urban Development Corp., the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, the Center for Urban Studies and GAR Associates in addition to working on his own startup company, Cartefi.
In those positions he developed a well rounded understanding of municipal law and finance, procurement and bidding, land use law and policy, real estate valuation and development, contract negotiation, property law, tax policy and related issues.
Richard started Urban Vantage with Travis in 2017. Richard is also an attorney who concentrates his practice on real estate development, especially projects utilizing historic, brownfield, or new market tax credits, or opportunity zone incentives.
Richard can be reached at Rich@urbanvantage.com
Travis Gordon
A.I.C.P./M.U.P.
Principal
Travis graduated from SUNY Buffalo’s Master’s in Urban Planning program in 2015. Prior to starting Urban Vantage, Travis worked in the public and private sector as an urban planner, partnership specialist, community development advisor, and grant writer. His previous workplaces include the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the United States Department of State, The United States Department of Commerce, the City of Dunkirk, Monroe County, and Rome, New York, in addition to Schenne & Associates, a private engineering and design firm.
Travis utilizes the concept of tactical urbanism to help make projects happen that will ultimately benefit the community at large. He is well versed in grant writing and grant administration, site planning, bidding, comprehensive planning, strategic planning, geographic information systems, and more. Travis brings affordable urban planning options to municipalities of all sizes that otherwise may not have the budget for a full time planning department.
Evan Finegan
M.S.R.E.D.
Director of Real Estate Development
Evan is a real estate development consultant, advisor, and project manager based in Buffalo, New York. With a specialized interest in historic preservation and development finance, Evan primarily works with financial projections, underwriting and seeking incentives to implement into capital stacks.
Driven by a lifelong fascination with buildings and their impact on occupants, Evan’s focus within the development sector revolves around the financial aspects of projects. He excels in crafting intricate financial projections and models that meticulously assess the feasibility of each endeavor. From the initial stages of idea inception to the strategic liquidation of assets, Evan offers consultation services to his clients, providing guidance and strategic insights at every step of the development process.
Evan’s passion for development was solidified during his extensive travels throughout Europe and the United States. Witnessing firsthand the profound influence that well-designed and thoughtfully constructed buildings have on individuals’ quality of life, Evan became determined to create projects that prioritize walkability and foster community engagement. Through his implementation of a mixed-use redevelopment model, Evan seeks to revitalize spaces and create vibrant communities that thrive.
Moreover, Evan is deeply committed to preserving historical buildings. He recognizes the importance of safeguarding these structures and cherishes the unique characteristics and intricate details they possess.
Outside of his professional career, Evan finds solace in exploring nature and indulging in various hobbies. Whether it’s fly fishing, skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, or attending athletic sporting events, Evan embraces these activities as a means to rejuvenate and find inspiration.
Our firm’s philosophy of crafting living documents and implementation plans is rooted in the notion that a dream can become a reality with the right guidance and planning principals being applied to it.
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