As the CEO of Miami-based development firm Terra, David Martin has cultivated a portfolio spanning more than eight million square feet of residential and commercial real estate, positioning Terra as a transformative force in shaping South Florida’s built environment.
The firm is active across all major real estate asset classes, including multifamily apartments, luxury condominium and single-family residences, retail and office space, hotels, and industrial properties. Mr. Martin oversees all facets of Terra’s operations, including development, design, construction, financing, marketing, sales, and leasing.
Since founding Terra in 2001, Mr. Martin has advanced a vision of design excellence and thoughtful urbanism through collaborations with many of the world’s foremost architects, designers, and planners – including Rem Koolhaas/OMA, Renzo Piano, Bjarke Ingels, Daniel Buren, Ruben and Isabel Toledo, Meyer Davis Studio, William Sofield, West 8, Rene Gonzalez, Chad Oppenheim, RDAI, Gabellini Sheppard, Yabu Pushelberg, Vicky Charles, and more.
A Florida native, Mr. Martin has taken an active role in advancing sustainable, long-term development across the region. Under his leadership, Terra has earned international acclaim for its commitment to design excellence, community engagement, and resiliency. The firm consistently integrates green space, renewable energy, forward-thinking construction methods, and transit connectivity into its developments.
Mr. Martin serves on numerous institutional and environmental boards, including Miami-Dade County’s Biscayne Bay Task Force, the Sea Level Rise Committee, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is also Chair of the Neighborhoods Committee for The Underline and serves on the advisory board of the University of Miami’s MRED+U program.
This commitment to community is underscored by Terra’s historic role in charitable, civic, arts and cultural organizations, including Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Freedom Tower, Vizcaya Museums and Gardens, The Bass Museum and Teach for America.
Mr. Martin is an alumnus of the University of Florida, where he earned his MBA and his Law Degree (JD), as well as his undergraduate degree, and currently sits on the board for the UF School of Business. He resides in Coconut Grove with his wife and two children.
