In today’s fast-paced market,
we need to re-think construction

Our focus is on making the process easy, streamlined, and transparent for our clients.

WE’RE IN GOOD COMPANY

With over 30 years of experience, we ensure clients have peace of mind during our engagement

We re-imagine project management, due diligence, and code compliance to go beyond spreadsheets and calendars. Our clients get clear and simple tools that move the project forward. With solutions that accelerate construction, you can build spaces based on ESG principles.

HERE’S WHAT WE OFFER OUR CLIENTS

See the benefits of our unique approach for your next construction site development project.

See Our Work
Holistic, common-sense approach
Solutions take expertise. We don’t only memorize pages of building codes and recite them for our clients. Instead, we look at real-world scenarios and implications and then develop strategies to achieve them.
Simplifying the labyrinth of DOB
The Department of Buildings’ processes, forms, and rules are complex and difficult to understand. We eliminate headaches for our clients by understanding the DOB details on an intimate level and simplifying information so it is relevant for our clients.
Ahead of the game
The rules for building codes, zoning, and compliance change frequently. Our team is always up to date so that we know what changes are coming and when. We participate on numerous code review committees from the International Building Code (IBC) and NYFPA, to local task forces like NYC’s Existing Building Task Force. As a result, we ensure our clients’ properties are compliant now and in the future.
Open communication and transparency
When it comes to building codes, zoning, and construction, there are many moving pieces at any given time. It’s been said that municipal approvals are similar to the proverbial “changing tires on a moving car”. Our team is dedicated to proactive and transparent communication as well as developing solutions like Codfiy that effectively share project goals.

Our team is driven to serve our clients by our core values

Trust

Our value is in being mirrored with our clients. We understand your objectives, your budgets, and your schedule.

Clarity

We simplify the often-confusing details inherent in codes and regulations so clients are able to make the business decisions needed to occupy and perform in their buildings.

Knowledge

To ensure our clients are always ahead of the game, we keep up to date on all compliance and zoning law changes with the city.

Transparency

We build trust and solidify long-term relationships with our clients by being clear and proactive about project progress and status.

Dedication

Our team lives and breathes codes, ESG, and high-performing buildings, and we hope to bring our passion to the next generation of projects impacting our country’s skylines and communities.

Meet our construction site development and compliance leaders

Charlie Rizzo

Principal

Charlie Rizzo founded Rizzo Group in 1967 and continues to be actively involved as a Principle of the Rizzo-Brookbridge team. As the President of Rizzo Group for many years, Mr. Rizzo grew the organization into a leading building and zoning consulting firm in New York City with a reputation for excellence and quality. He built the Rizzo team firm with professionals dedicated to compliance, inclusive of licensed architects. Rizzo Group was the consulting team involved with many of the seminal jobs in the City from the United Nations Master Plan, 550 Washington Street for Google and new buildings such as 425 Park Avenue and 799 Broadway

Mr. Rizzo graduated from Pratt Institute in 1970 and is currently based in New York City, United States.

Bob Silvestri

Founder & CEO, Brookbridge

The founder of Brookbridge Consulting Services, Inc., Mr. Silvestri has over
forty years experience in real estate construction, development & property
management in the New York area. As a specialist with extensive
knowledge of regulatory systems, he guides clients through the complex maze of regulations governing new construction, renovations and ownership of commercial and residential property.

He has developed more than twenty million square feet of prime commercial and residential real estate, and has managed multi-hundred million dollar construction projects nationally.

His experience with new development projects and the acquisition of existing properties
uniquely qualifies him to fathom the extent of a landlord’s obligation to meet all regulatory
and property management requirements on both a local & national scale.

Mr. Silvestri has built a solid reputation for Brookbridge by maintaining the highest standards of ethics for clients who require quality stewardship. He and his team of specialists are ever conscious of meeting deadlines without compromising sound judgment.

Prior to establishing his own company, Mr. Silvestri was with Tishman Speyer Properties, where he was a partner. He was a responsible asset and portfolio manager for over 8 million square feet of class-A commercial real estate. From 1976 to 1984, he was a construction and property manager for Fisher Brothers and the chief engineer of the Citicorp building. He began his career at Cushman & Wakefield as an operating engineer in 1972.

Mr. Silvestri holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Iona College of New Rochelle. He completed the Certified Property Management Program from the Institute of Real Estate management. His professional memberships include the Building Owner and Managers Association of New York and the Real Estate Board of New York. He is a former chairperson of the Recreation Commission in the Borough of Old Tappan, a coach at Northern Valley Regional High School, a certified substitute teacher in NYU's Masters program in Real Estate Science, and in the state of New Jersey as well as a former advisor to the Board of Education. Mr. Silvestri was the recipient of the Aflac National Assist Coach of the Year award in 2005. He received the “Man of the Year” award from the Mann Group in 2009.

Stephen Rizzo

Principal

Stephen Rizzo is the Principal and CEO of Rizzo-Brookbrige. Mr. Rizzo is the Principal in charge for many of Rizzo-Brookbridge’s signature projects, including the Google expansion in NYC as well as the Empire State Building capital plan renovation. His expertise is in obtaining municipal permits with various City Agencies. In 2013, Mr. Rizzo was selected for the Mayor’s Building Resiliency Task Force, for which he received the Distinguished Service Award for leading the Commercial Buildings Code Task Force.

On the community level, Mr. Rizzo is active in REBNY, on the Management Committee and is part of the Advocacy Committee for BOMA New York. Mr. Rizzo is a graduate of Fordham Law School and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Jenna Silvestri

Executive Vice President

Jenna Silvestri graduated Magna Cum Laude from Quinnipiac University and started her career in commercial real estate in 2007 at SL Green Realty Corp. She comes with 15 years’ experience in Property Management, including a combined total of 10 years at SL Green, and in between at Trinity Real Estate and Paramount Group, Inc.

Jenna joined the Rizzo Brookbridge team in September 2021 and has been instrumental in our launch of the new Brookbridge Compliance website.

Prior to this, Jenna most recently served as Vice President, Portfolio Manager at SL Green, responsible for the oversight and management of 11 buildings, totaling 10 million square feet of commercial, residential, and retail space. She contributed to very high-level corporate projects and was responsible for overseeing major service contracts for the entire SL Green portfolio. Jenna was also involved with several multi-million-dollar redevelopment projects at some of New York's most iconic properties including 1515 Broadway, 11 Madison Avenue and the Lipstick Building.

Prior to her recent role at SL Green, Jenna oversaw the $20 million dollar redevelopment at 712 Fifth Ave, which included a complete lobby renovation, including an elevator modernization, class E upgrade and had intensive façade repairs. During her tenure at Trinity from 2012 - 2016, Jenna oversaw 6 buildings, totaling two million square feet, and was intimately involved with the rezoning and transformation of the Hudson Square portfolio.

Joshua Brown

Senior Director

Joshua Brown is a Senior Director at Rizzo-Brookbridge and holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Kansas. He specializes in zoning, code compliance and overall strategy related to navigating approvals and associated occupancy associated with various city agencies.  During his time at Rizzo-Brookbridge has overseen the development of over 1 million square feet of renovations and relocations of major buildings and tenants throughout the city, with the assistance of his team of Project Managers.

Evan Bray

Senior Code Consultant

Evan was trained as an architect at The Cooper Union (B.Arch. ’01) and has been with the company for over 21 years. He has wide-ranging experiences with the multitude of City agencies that are required to build in New York City. These experience have given him a unique ability insure project schedules are never impacted by the City’s bureaucracy.  It should be noted that in addition to his professional career—he has been working as a Ball Boy at the United States Open Tennis Championships for 4 years.

Kellie Johnson

Senior Director

Kellie Johnson is a Senior Director at Rizzo Group and holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Kansas. She specializes in zoning and code reviews of multiple high-rise commercial properties located throughout the Tri-State area. Along with her Associate, she leads a team of Project Managers that coordinate DOB/FDNY and various city agency approval and permitting processes in their entirety. Miss Johnson has guest-lectured at New York University, highlighting the processes, rules and regulations surrounding new building filings at the Department of Buildings.

Jinny Kim

Senior Code Consultant

Jinny Kim holds a BFA in Communication Arts from the Pratt Institute. She has been in the Expediting and Consulting industry since 2001, making her way up from an administrative position to a Senior Code Consultant by practicing initiative and actively gathering knowledge and experience beyond her job description.

Jinny is skillful at navigating multiple city agencies, they key being the Department of Building’s procedures and regulations, from Alteration type I’s, II’s, III’s, Certificates of Occupancy, inspections, and violations as well as expertise in New York City’s Building Code and Zoning Resolution.

Jessica Speigel

Senior Director

Diandra Soto

Senior Code Consultant

Diandra is a Senior Code Consultant with Rizzo-Brookbridge and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

From concept to completion, Diandra’s technical knowledge and industry expertise have led her to work on several major developments including upgrades to hospital facilities, residential conversions, vertical / horizontal enlargements, and New Buildings. Armed by her industry experience, incredible charisma, and communication skills; Diandra takes pride in building great relationships with clients, city agencies, and regulators alike, making her a great asset to any team for her outstanding interpersonal skills and client satisfaction.

Kaitlin Standridge

Director

Kaitlin Standridge is a Director at Rizzo-Brookbridge and a Registered Architect who holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Kansas. She specializes in zoning and code reviews of multiple high-rise commercial and manufacturing properties located throughout New York City. Kaitlin has previously worked as a director for a high-end retail brand focused on expanding and re-inventing its presence in the North America region. She helps her colleague manage a team of Project Managers that coordinate DOB approval and permitting processes in their entirety.

Kaitlin’s extensive project experience on a variety of clients throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. This experience includes the asset repositioning of Class-A buildings such as the Dumbo Height complex, redevelopment and expansions of Google’s New York City campus, expansions of new warehouse & manufacturing facilities throughout Queens for Prologis, and office redevelopments of high profile commercial and residential properties such as 101 Franklin and 34 Desbrosses.

Andrew Dimitriou

IT Director/Special Projects

Kristina Hernandez

Senior Project Manager

Kristina Hernandez has been with the Rizzo-Brookbridge team for over 14 years. During that time, she has cultivated an in-depth knowledge working with the various city agencies that interface with DOB, such as MTA, Landmarks Commission, SBS and OER. This expertise allows for faster & more efficient turnaround times of permits and approvals for all of her clients.  During her tenure with Brookbridge, Kristina has been the lead on hundreds of different projects & types of properties within the 5 boroughs; from commercial real estate space, private residences and townhouse to restaurants & bars. Ms. Hernandez is the key Account Executive for two of Rizzo-Brookbridge’s largest clients and holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Industrial Organization Psychology from Quinnipiac University

Caitlin Doherty

Senior Project Manager

Caitlin Doherty has been with the Brookbridge Team for over 14 years. During that time she has cultivated anin-depth knowledge working with the various city agencies that interface with DOB; including the MTA, Landmarks Commission, SBS and OER. This expertise allows for a fast, efficient turnaround time on all permits and approvals for her clients.

During her tenure with Brookbridge she has been the lead on hundreds of projects & various types of properties within the 5 boroughs; from commercial real estate space, private residences, townhouses to restaurants & bars. Ms. Doherty is the key Account Executive for two of Brookbridge’s largest clients.

Build your space with ease and freedom with Rizzo-Brookbridge on your team

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