The Firm

Bio

Gardner’s expertise sits at the intersection of real estate finance, construction, and capital allocation. He brings a comprehensive understanding of how private investors and developers evaluate risk across capital stacks, development phases, and market cycles. His current work spans deal underwriting, complex problem solving, capital structuring, and investor positioning—bridging sponsor objectives with investor mandates.

As Founder of Paper City Real Estate Group (now Paper City Investments), a Jersey City–based real estate advisory and development consulting firm, Gardner has supported multimillion-dollar investment sales while advising sponsors on pipeline strategy and execution across land acquisition, entitlements, financing, design, and construction. His background enables him to translate real-world deal complexity into clear investment frameworks grounded in fiduciary discipline and portfolio theory.

Gardner spent time as an Adjunct Professor of Real Estate Finance at Baruch College, where he taught applied finance concepts to graduate and professional students, with a focus on underwriting, capital stacks, and investment decision-making. Mr. Rivera’s latest teaching role was as an adjunct teaching Risk and Portfolio Management under NYU’s famous Real Estate Program. His teaching approach emphasizes ethical practices, immediately applicable lessons, and entrepreneurial thinking informed by current market conditions.

In addition to his academic and professional roles, Gardner has served on the BRISC Loan Committee (in partnership with the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone), supporting credit decisions for small businesses, and on the National Board and Executive Committee of REAP, a nonprofit advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry. He is a frequent speaker on real estate finance, urban development, and community investment.

A Washington Heights native, Gardner brings a grounded, ethical, and entrepreneurial perspective to investing and education. His interests include running, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, mentoring emerging professionals, and collecting Haitian and contemporary urban art.

Gardner Rivera, MSRED

Gardner Rivera is a senior commercial real estate professional with over 20 years of experience structuring and advising on complex real estate development and investment transactions. He holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University and specializes in development advisory and capital advisory for Emerging Managers in the Private Credit and Commercial Real Estate space. He currently leads Paper City Investments, personally overseeing client institutional readiness and strategic capital advisory.

Attributable experience

  • Private credit platform — Capital advisory to a platform that has deployed $250M over the past decade. [Product Creation - Transaction Documentation - Market Positioning - Full Capital Raise Plan includ. milestones + LP universe]

  • Commercial real estate — Capital Introduction on a 1,000-unit development. [ Direct GP Investment - Total capitalization $400M]

  • Multifamily portfolio exit, Paterson, NJ — engaged by an international operator to aid acquisition of an urban multifamily portfolio. 

Chief Executive Officer