Richard D. Searles is co-founder and CEO of CRT Realty & Development, Inc. Since August of 1995, Rick has been active in the senior 
housing industry working with several of the country’s leading providers of senior housing and assisted living. Beginning in 1995, CRT served Sunrise Senior Living (NYSE:SNZ) in their multi-year development expansion in the Southeast. Services for Sunrise included land acquisition and pre-development approvals for 12 assisted living facilities in Georgia , Virginia and Louisiana . The CRT team is well-versed in all senior and multi-family housing aspects such as design, development consulting, specifics of operations, legislative actions to promote the industry, licensing and permitting/zoning issues. The team oversees preparation of market feasibility studies, competition analysis, caregiver criteria, projections and business plans.
In 1999, Big Bethel AME Church engaged CRT to design, develop, construct and oversee operations for a senior living community known as Big Bethel Village located in west Atlanta. This 120-unit facility opened in January 2003, and reached stabilized occupancy in the Summer of 2004.
In 2002, Antioch AME Church engaged CRT to master plan, zone and develop Antioch Manor Estates as a four-phase senior village. In June 2004 construction began for Antioch Phase 1, a 120-unit senior independent living community. Antioch Manor Estates, Phase 1 was successfully opened in August of 2005 and has exceeded it’s expectations as a nearly full facility in October 2005.
CRT Realty & Development broke ground on Sweetwater Terraces in fall of 2006. Sweetwater Terraces, located in Duluth, Georgia, is a 165 unit senior independent living community featuring a beautifully landscaped courtyard and extensive building amenities. Leasing began in March, 2008. This community is conveniently located off of I 85 and Pleasant Hill Rd. near the Gwinnett Place Mall.