CityPartners is a development group focused on creating partnerships for the acquisition, design, and development of commercial, residential, and mixed-use real estate. Headquartered in Washington, DC, CityPartners specializes in the redevelopment of urban areas and is dedicated to creating strong alliances that enhance the success of each unique project. At the core of CityPartners’ mission is our personal and professional dedication to strengthening communities throughout urban areas.


CityPartners engages in a full range of real estate development, from site selection and entitlement through construction management and ownership. CityPartners brings knowledge and vision to each endeavor that is based in a fundamental understanding of design elements, market realities and connection to the Washington DC urban environment. From the conceptualization of a project, through entitlement to development, construction and sale or ownership, CityPartners brings creative solutions that result in superior development projects.

Since 2005 CityPartners has engaged and partnered in the development and design of over 1.8 million square feet of mixed use projects. Currently, CityPartners is directly involved in a development pipeline of over 1 million square feet of dynamic urban mix-use projects that will deliver starting in 2015 through 2018. CityPartners brings an unequaled expertise in urban development that has created the vision for some of the largest and some of the most influential projects in the Washington DC.

Geoffrey H. Griffis | Founder & Managing Member


Mr. Griffis is the founder and Managing Member of CityPartners. As a twenty-four year resident of Washington, DC, Mr. Griffis has been extensively involved in design, planning, community and civic activities, including leading the community charrette that created the “Community Based Plan for the Columbia Heights Metro Station Area” in 1997.

Mr. Griffis is a founding member and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the SW Business Improvement District (SWBID). Mr. Griffis is also the current DC Commissioner on the National Capital Planning Commission, appointed by the Mayor in March, 2015.

From 2001 to 2007, Mr. Griffis was a Mayoral Appointee and Chairman of the District of Columbia Board of Zoning Adjustment. While Chairman Mr. Griffis reenergized and revitalized the Board, helping propel the zoning review and relief approval process to a new level of professionalism and efficiency.

As an Associate for Hickok Warner Fox Architects (now Hickok Cole), Mr. Griffis was in charge of large planning initiatives, building renovations, urban multi-family and commercial design projects from 1998 to 2006. As a project Manager with Kvell Corcoran from 1995 to 1998 Mr. Griffis lead residential and commercial design projects in the Washington metropolitan area.

Prior to his position as Associate with Hickok Warner Fox Architects, Mr. Griffis held the position of Affordable Housing Specialist with Reston Interfaith, Inc., a not for profit organization in Reston, Virginia. During this period Mr. Griffis coordinated the selection, purchase, and management of Section 8 townhouses; facilitated a $12.5 million purchase of a 221(d)(3) property containing 198 units and established a home ownership counseling program that gained HUD certification.

Mr. Griffis received his Master of Architecture from Catholic University of America (1996) and his Master of Science in Urban Affairs/Planning from City University of New York, Hunter College (1990). Mr. Griffis received his Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College with a major in political science (1986).

Gregory A. Faron | Partner

Greg Faron is a Partner at CityPartners, focused on development, acquisitions, asset management, and real estate capital markets.  He has over 14 years of experience in real estate development, asset management, strategic consulting and real estate capital markets.  Greg is part of the team responsible for all aspects of the development process for the project at 555 E St SW, a mixed-use 300,000 sf building in Southwest DC.  In addition, he is currently a partner on several other projects including the 500,000 sf redevelopment of the Congress Heights Metro Station into a 208 unit residential development and a 240,000 sf office building with 15,000 sf of neighborhood serving retail; the redevelopment of the Waterfront Station II parcel next to the Waterfront Station Metro to include over 430,000 sf, with 133 affordable and 280 market rate apartments, 20,000 sf of retail and a 200 seat performing arts venue.   He is also a partner in a smaller scale affordable residential development in Anacostia. 

Prior to joining CityPartners, Greg was responsible for asset management and portfolio optimization for over 75,000 real estate assets as part of the Strategic Real Estate group at Deloitte Consulting.  Greg began his career at Fifth Third Bank where he started the Commercial Real Estate Capital Markets group and was responsible for originating and underwriting over $2 billion in ground-up construction financing.  Greg has a BA from Carleton College and is active in both the Urban Land Institute and the Real Estate Group in Washington DC.