The Odyssey of the AOR

About the Book

Real estate development is a risky undertaking and can be fraught with complexities. With so many factors playing into the uncertain success or failure of real estate development, when you mix hubris, inflated egos, greed, and a false sense of reality with market trends, land and construction costs, contractors, money lenders, and the hyperbole of real estate brokers and attorneys, you’ve got all the components of the world of real estate development. In The Odyssey of the AOR—an acronym for the “architect of record”—an exaggerated satire unfolds about a fictional (yet all too true) story of real estate development. Based on the true stories and experiences of an architect, this raucous, sometimes raunchy drama of redesigning plans and acquiring permits, managing contractors and financiers, and watching those plans—and schemes!—finally come together will pit an unrecognized AOR against an egomaniacal developer, a narcissistic “Starchitect,” and a cast of colorful characters all too worthy of poking fun at—with all of them swimming together in the development shark tank. What makes a development a winner is simple—it makes money. And what makes a development a loser is also simple—it loses money. Not unlike roulette, playing craps, or betting the horses, real estate development is like an intense form of gambling—but with much higher stakes and a significantly longer wait time for success or failure.

About the Author

Jimmy CheLta is an architect, writer and raconteur. He lives in the suburbs of the city with his cat and elsewhere when convenient. Many times himself the unheralded architect of record, hopes you enjoy this frenetic look into the mad world of real estate development.