Robert Balzebre
Principal at Balzebre Investments
Miami United States (Florida)
Professional Status
Employed
Available
About Me
Robert Balzebre is a Miami-based real-estate investor, hotel owner, and former real-estate attorney with more than two decades of experience in development, hospitality, and asset management. As Principal of Balzebre Investments, he oversees a diversified portfolio of oceanfront hotels, retail centers, multifamily communities, and mixed-use development sites across Florida, Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, and other U.S. markets. His investment approach is built around long-term, value-add ownership, conservative leverage, and disciplined reinvestment in physical assets to strengthen cash flow and long-range performance.
Robert began his career practicing real-estate law after earning his Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Following several years focused on commercial transactions and property deals, he shifted into hands-on development in Miami’s South Beach. He acquired historic Art Deco apartment buildings, executed complete renovations, and converted them into successful condominium projects, including The Arcadia, The Maritime, and The Santana. He later expanded into hospitality ownership, leading full-scale hotel renovation and repositioning projects while also stepping into a larger role in his family’s development business, where he modernized aging assets, improved entitlements, and upgraded management across the portfolio.
Today, Robert combines legal training, development experience, and long-term ownership perspective to guide Balzebre Investments and its partners. He is active in civic and philanthropic work, including involvement with United Way initiatives and prior board service with Art Center South Florida. He studied International Law at Tulane University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and English from Connecticut College. His professional interests center on real-estate development, hospitality operations, and projects that contribute to the character and resilience of the communities where he invests.
Robert began his career practicing real-estate law after earning his Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Following several years focused on commercial transactions and property deals, he shifted into hands-on development in Miami’s South Beach. He acquired historic Art Deco apartment buildings, executed complete renovations, and converted them into successful condominium projects, including The Arcadia, The Maritime, and The Santana. He later expanded into hospitality ownership, leading full-scale hotel renovation and repositioning projects while also stepping into a larger role in his family’s development business, where he modernized aging assets, improved entitlements, and upgraded management across the portfolio.
Today, Robert combines legal training, development experience, and long-term ownership perspective to guide Balzebre Investments and its partners. He is active in civic and philanthropic work, including involvement with United Way initiatives and prior board service with Art Center South Florida. He studied International Law at Tulane University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and English from Connecticut College. His professional interests center on real-estate development, hospitality operations, and projects that contribute to the character and resilience of the communities where he invests.
Principal
Balzebre Investments
Since 2012
- Lead strategy and execution for a privately held real-estate and hospitality investment platform with assets across Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Louisiana.
- Source, underwrite, and structure long-term, value-add investments in hotels, retail centers, multifamily communities, and mixed-use development sites.
- Direct asset-management efforts, including business plans, capital programs, leasing strategy, and performance reviews for each property.
- Oversee development and redevelopment projects from site evaluation through design, entitlement, construction, and stabilization.
- Manage relationships with lenders, equity partners, and operating teams, including negotiation of loan terms, joint-venture agreements, and management contracts.
Managing Partner
Grand Marche Enterprises
Since 2004
- Own and supervise a roughly 180,000 square foot shopping-center asset and related entities.
- Reposition tenant mix through targeted leasing, focusing on durable credit, traffic drivers, and complementary uses.
- Plan and execute capital improvements, including façade upgrades, parking, signage, and building systems, to extend asset life and support higher rental rates.
- Negotiate leases, renewals, and amendments, including CAM structures and landlord work letters.
- Monitor financial performance, budgets, and lender reporting, adjusting strategy as market conditions change.
Managing Director
Sierra Investment Partners
2012
to 2014
- Led a commercial oil-and-gas exploration entity with project interests in Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
- Evaluated drilling programs and mineral interests using financial models, sensitivity analysis, and commodity-price scenarios.
- Structured joint-venture and participation agreements with operating partners and service providers.
- Coordinated with legal, engineering, and accounting teams on due diligence, transaction documentation, and ongoing reporting.
President
Private Hospitality Company
2000
to 2014
- Owned and operated a full-service boutique hotel on Collins Avenue, overseeing day-to-day operations and long-term asset strategy.
- Directed a full-scale renovation and repositioning of the property, including room redesign, public-space upgrades, and building systems.
- Managed P&L, capital budgeting, staffing plans, and service standards to improve guest satisfaction and profitability.
- Negotiated vendor, brand, and management agreements, aligning incentives around revenue growth and margin improvement.
Attorney
Russo and Baker PA
1996
to 2001
- Practiced real-estate law with a focus on commercial transactions, acquisitions, and financings.
- Drafted and negotiated purchase agreements, joint-venture documents, loan agreements, and closing deliverables.
- Coordinated due diligence across title, survey, environmental, and zoning issues for complex property deals.
Special Adviser to Hedge Fund
Green Cay Asset Management
1999
to 2001
- Advised a hard-asset real-estate and commodities hedge fund based in Nassau with a Palm Beach office.
- Identified and evaluated distressed and underperforming real-estate opportunities, including hospitality and commercial assets.
- Assisted with portfolio strategy, risk review, and disposition planning for selected investments.
- Real-estate development
- Value-add investment strategy
- Acquisitions and dispositions
- Portfolio and asset management
- Mixed-use and multifamily development
- Retail and shopping-center management
- Hotel ownership and operations
- Property renovation and repositioning
- Capital improvement planning
- Vendor and operator negotiations
- Capital structuring and financing
- Financial modeling and deal analysis
- Budgeting and performance tracking
- Long-term real-estate ownership
- Value-add property investing
- Mixed-use and hospitality projects
- Community development in Miami and South Florida
- Philanthropic initiatives through United Way
- Programs that expand youth opportunity
- Contemporary art and cultural spaces
- How the built environment shapes city life
- Neighborhood revitalization and urban character
