I remember the anticipation I felt, as a 10-year-old, returning from school each day and being welcomed by the workers building my family’s modest new home. The construction crew would indulge my curiosity, finding small jobs for me on the site. That’s where I learned that buildings are acts of creation, they have a life to them.

Unfortunately, after the house was completed, my family would have to leave it behind in Castro’s Cuba. But it was these early experiences during the construction of my family’s home that inspired me to pursued a career in architecture. After graduating from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, I worked in all aspects of planning and design for a number of years. Areas of special interest included affordable housing, building codes and zoning requirements, plus sustainable materials and construction methods.

When I got the opportunity to design and build my first home in the Township of North Bergen, NJ,–on Easy Street of all places—I fell in love with building all over again. After that house was completed and sold, I continued working as a construction consultant, project manager and designer, using my experience to help clients navigate a variety of projects. In 2012, I started Liberty Design-Build Corp., and since then, our company has successfully completed many residential and commercial projects, primarily in Northern New Jersey.

After 3 decades of restoring old structures and building new, energy efficient homes, I still find joy and deep satisfaction in this work. I love showing up at a new site, ready to tackle the next construction job, eagerly looking for creative ways to turn each building challenge into a successful project for my clients.

Jesus M. Alvarez, Founder and President