Multifamily developers doing business in 2011 were either surviving the recession or were quickly becoming a victim of it. Charlotte, N.C.-based Crescent Communities had advantages that helped it survive. It was a diversified company, building high-quality, mixed-use multifamily and single-family communities as well as resort developments. It had nurtured relationships with industry leaders and lending institutions. The company leveraged its history of success to expand with a focus on the multifamily and mixed-use sector, starting in Charlotte and then in Raleigh and Durham. The company's approach to planning and execution earned it the 2019 Pillars of the Industry Award for Development Firm of the Year, celebrated at the recent NAHB International Builders' Show®.