Construction Veterans Nick Charles and Luis Gartner Lead Team
Orange, NJ [November 19, 2025] – PEEK Properties, a developer of luxury-caliber, transit-oriented multifamily assets, has announced its highly successful in-house entity PEEK Builders is formally expanding its ground-up multifamily development services. The company now offers single-source construction management, general contractor, project management and accounting services to investment entities, property owners and land development entities delivering New Jersey’s newest apartment buildings to market.
PEEK Builders’ fully integrated third-party services are being spearheaded by the operational leadership of Nick Charles, partner and director of construction, and Luis Gartner, director of project management. These two industry veterans bring a wealth of large-scale, complex construction experience – from high-profile Manhattan skyscrapers to sophisticated transit infrastructure – to New Jersey’s multifamily development market.
“When clients hire PEEK Builders, they are not just getting a general contractor; they are getting a partner with an owner’s perspective,” said Charles. “We manage the entire project lifecycle. This holistic approach ensures every decision, from material choice to phasing, directly contributes to the long-term value and operational efficiency of the asset, and we build accordingly. Our philosophy is rooted in complete transparency, consulting, problem-solving and of course results.”
Charles’ background is notable, having served as a general superintendent for Gilbane Building Company in New York City, where his work included the $70+ million penthouse units at The Residence for the Aman Group. Prior to that, as a senior superintendent at Lend Lease, Charles delivered some of the most complex, prominent projects in New York City, including 432 Park Avenue (the third tallest residential building internationally), World Trade Center PATH Station and the MTA’s Fulton Transit Center. He also holds a New York City Dept. of Buildings Construction Superintendent License, demonstrating technical proficiency rarely found in the local market.
Joining Charles is Gartner, who emphasizes the team’s rigorous commitment to execution on time and within budget. “Our process is disciplined and ‘battle-tested,’” he said. “By integrating every facet of the design-build process, we have perfected a methodology that keeps multi-million dollar projects on track by constantly forecasting challenges and providing solutions before they impact the critical path. This efficiency is what allows us to deliver PEEK-caliber quality, every time.”
Gartner’s expertise was honed internationally and locally, serving as a project manager for top-tier firms like Blackstone 360 in East Orange, N.J., after earning his master’s degree in Construction Management from Manhattan College.
Phillip J. Evanski, co-founding partner of PEEK Properties with Manny Klein, underscored the significance of the expansion and its leadership. “The quality and efficiency that PEEK Builders achieved internally set a new benchmark for us, from the CM and GC side as well as full control and direct communication with subcontractors,” he explained. “Extending these proprietary services – backed by Nick and Luis’s expertise – means we’re offering our industry peers a competitive advantage that protects their investment from start to finish.”
Built by Owners, Built to Last
PEEK Builders was established in 2021 to ensure end-to-end oversight and uncompromising quality for PEEK Properties’ luxury-apartment portfolio across Orange, East Orange and Essex County, N.J. The company was among the earliest adopters of the Qualified Opportunity Fund structure for properties located in Opportunity Zones.
“Expanding PEEK Builders to third-party clients is a natural evolution for our team,” said Klein. “We cultivated PEEK’s internal construction entity because we demanded excellence and efficiency, standards we felt that the market couldn’t consistently provide. Based on feedback and discussions with our developer peer set, we’re pleased to offer our attention to the smallest details, proactive risk management and integrated development approach to our fellow developers.”
The expanded construction entity is the realization of a vision set in motion in 2018 by Evanski and Klein. Since being established, PEEK Properties has emerged as a leading multifamily developer, owner and operator known for its long-term vision for ownership and property management. The company has delivered a total of 590 units totaling 701,092 square feet and a hard cost of $107+ million.
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