A Conversation with Nate Green and Chris Marshall of GreenMars

The founders of GreenMars – Nate Green, Lead Developer, and Chris Marshall, Business Manager – sit down with MEREDA President Craig Young and MEREDA Board Member Josh Soley, for the sixteenth episode of MEREDA Matters – the podcast that puts you in the room with the people who are driving responsible development in Maine.

Green and Marshall discuss how they search for development opportunities by reviewing town’s comprehensive plans and give an overview of one of their projects in Brunswick that is in a “designated growth zone.” The pair, who both grew up in York and met in preschool, talk about how their partnership started after their early career paths took them in different directions.

The group discusses the learning curve for getting involved in development work, the biggest risks GreenMars has faced thus far, and the importance of relationship building. Green and Marshall go on to provide an overview of their other development projects including Yarmouth Commons in Yarmouth, Nasson in the Pines in Sanford, and the Time & Temperature Building in Portland. The Time & Temperature Building will feature affordable micro-unit apartments and expansive amenities such as a co-working space and rooftop deck, a trend that is taking off in other urban areas in the country.

Asked to give advice to other young developers, Green and Marshall cite persistence and a bias toward action as fundamental. What Portland restaurant is a go-to for Nate and Chris? Listen to the episode to find out!