Gidi Cohen, Founder and CEO of CGI+ Real Estate Investments
As Founder and CEO of CGI+ Real Estate Investments and its subsidiary, CGI+ Hospitality Collection, Gidi Cohen has more than three decades of experience in leading projects across commercial, residential, industrial, and retail spaces in the U.S.
As principal investor, Cohen’s strategies help raise property values by instituting operational and capital improvements to maximize brand potential and boost demand, transforming underperforming assets into lucrative ventures. His portfolio spans urban and suburban markets across the U.S., from Atlanta, Georgia, and Florida to Los Angeles and Oakland, California.
Cohen began his real estate journey in 1994 by acquiring a small construction firm in LA, which he sold in 2008. In 2006, he founded CGI+, initially focusing on multifamily and retail developments in Southern California. Despite economic challenges, he expanded the company’s portfolio in retail, industrial, and residential real estate.
By 2012, Cohen had refined the firm’s investment focus to multifamily assets and extended its holdings. As professional and personal nomadic lifestyles began to evolve, he envisioned a greater demand for mid-term living/travel solutions, foreseeing the growth of the upscale extended-stay segment. Today, he manages a variety of assets and strives to grow the CGI+ Hospitality Collection, with its flagship Villa Carlotta among his most notable projects.
Tell us about yourself and your company
Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, I started my real estate career in 1994 by acquiring a fledgling construction firm here in the city and steadily growing the company until I sold it 14 years later.
In 2006, I founded CGI+ Real Estate Investments (CGI+), then known as Cohen & Associates, to invest in multifamily and retail developments in Southern California. Despite the heightened economic challenges that plagued the country during that time, we expanded the company’s retail, industrial and residential real estate portfolio, located primarily in Southern California.
By 2012, I refined our investment focus to multifamily assets and expanded our holdings beyond California with acquisitions in Atlanta, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida. Today, our focus is on growing our subsidiary, CGI+ Hospitality. For nearly three decades, I have created and financed numerous projects in commercial, residential, industrial and retail spaces across the U.S.
My goal is always to identify and capitalize on opportunities with significant, unfulfilled brand potential and to maximize the value of diverse properties, including niche segments such as upscale extended-stay residential living.
Our current portfolio spans urban and suburban markets across the United States, from Atlanta, Georgia, and Florida to Los Angeles and Oakland, California. Our high-performing ventures range from solid, safe complexes in metro centers to unique, residential extended-stay properties (three in Los Angeles), such as the completely revitalized Villa Carlotta in Hollywood, a cool-luxe boutique for extended stays.
Can you explain more about your upscale extended-stay properties in LA?
Over the past five years, business and personal lifestyles have dramatically evolved, with more consumers seeking a high-quality, home-like footprint on an interim basis to meet their array of professional and personal living and travel needs. There has been an increasing demand for unique, upscale furnished residences on a mid-term basis of 30 days or more. Our CGI+ Hospitality Collection is designed for guests experiencing an array of work/life transitions.
We provide them with extended-stay living in distinctive styles: the retro-glamorous, restored landmark Villa Carlotta on Franklin Avenue in Hollywood; The James, an eclectic boutique property in the heart of Hollywood’s entertainment district; and the contemporary 888 Hilgard, adjacent to the UCLA campus and hospital complex and near major corporate offices and agencies in Westwood and Century City. All three properties are pet-friendly and feature spacious, fully-furnished units with modern kitchens, linens and towels, and commensurate with high-end hotels, concierge services, as well as housekeeping scheduled at guest preference.
In addition, one of our CGI+ luxury apartment developments, The Baxter, now features a line of fully furnished, one- and two-bedroom accommodations to meet demand for our premium product.
Can you describe what makes each property special?
Villa Carlotta is a coveted Hollywood hideaway for celebrities, entertainment executives and creatives and offers studio, one-bedroom/one-bath, and two-bedroom/two-bath floor plans, from 570 to 1,200+ sq. ft. The flagship of the trio, its Renaissance-meets- Parisian-style decor has a timeless feel. Units include queen-size beds and bathrooms with linens, towels, robes, personal care products, and amenities such as a pool and rooftop sundeck, a fitness center and daily continental breakfast.
The James, like its sister Hollywood property, is a historic building but with an eclectic, laid-back vibe, drawing music and entertainment professionals and performers, international writers and other remote workers. Its bohemian chic-style furnished studio and one-bedroom units range from 300+ to 700 sq. ft. Amenities include a communal working space, workout room and laundry facilities. The modern 888 Hilgard is designed with loft-style units from 743 to nearly 1200 sq. ft. Amenities include a rooftop sundeck, workout room, fireplaces, and covered parking with security. It draws families and patients being treated at nearby medical facilities, international students, educators, traveling medical professionals, as well as corporate executives and consultants on assignment.
The Baxter offers another vibrant haven for mid-term living in the heart of Hollywood’s entertainment district, with a select category of furnished units available among the apartments. Like Villa Carlotta and The James, its historic charm is complemented by modern amenities, such as a rooftop sundeck ideal for viewing the city’s sunset, a social lounge and fitness center.
Who are the guests seeking these “just for now” residential-style accommodations?
Our clientele is quite varied, from executives and career professionals to people adapting to life’s unexpected twists and turns. They are individuals, couples, and families taking on new opportunities or experiencing new chapters who seek these interim living and travel solutions.
The guests we cater to run the gamut: project-based creatives, mobile executives, medical professionals and guest professors on interim assignments; homeowners navigating daunting remodeling, repairs or property loss/damage due to natural disasters; and newly singles leaving shared residences.
We also host leisure travelers who prefer a stable, secure base while visiting family or for day trips and excursions if they will be in the area for a period of time, a duration when hotel costs or staying with family/friends is not sustainable.
At the same time, each of our extended-stay accommodations is a true one-of-a-kind in decor, design and vibe, drawing a distinctive mix of guests who find allure in the property and its location. All of our clients crave a temporary place to reside for at least a month or longer. They want a quick but comforting fix with the authenticity, character and privacy of a real home without a long-term commitment. They are free of the hassles of moving furniture, setting up services/utilities, and securing a mortgage or year-long lease. At the same time, they experience the conveniences and amenities of a hotel without the transient, cookie-cutter feel.
What do you see as the future for this luxury extended stay segment?
As people continue to face life transitions, including hybrid work arrangements, this unique segment will continue to grow nationally. We see the most potential in the upscale and luxury category, where it is opportune to make investments accordingly.
CityBiz – Sobeida Dilone | March 31, 2025
Original article at: https://www.citybiz.co/article/677640/qa-with-gidi-cohen-founder-and-ceo-of-cgi-real-estate-investments/
