Diane Marichal has experienced her share of struggles throughout her life. But according to this 39-year old woman from Paramus, they only have strengthened her. Perhaps that is why she is now one of the only female real estate developers in the area. It’s rare to hear of a development project that isn’t headed by a man. But Marichal hasn’t let this stop her from renovating a five-story, 17-unit walkup that she bought four years ago. The project will remain affordable housing, something the city has been encouraging in order to help out low-income tenants. Marichal hopes to be involved in other such projects in the city. In an interview last week, Marichal said she hopes her vision not only keeps low-income tenants in stable housing, but opens possibilities for the women in the industry. “I’ve been doing developing for five years, and this is my first project of this size here in Hudson County,” said Marichal last week. “There is such a need for affordable housing for families in this area that I saw this as a great opportunity to get involved. Not only have the mayor and his staff been supportive of what I’m trying to do, but the fact that I am a woman in a male-dominant industry is a challenge. I hope other women [will] enter the field and give back to their own community.” Marichal, who has been a Realtor for nearly 20 years, has seen the changes that have taken place in her field. Working often with general contractors and other developers who didn’t take her seriously, she has overcome the stereotypes. “It really disturbs me when you deal with people who won’t look at you for the job you can do just because you’re a woman,” she said. “Nothing can get under my skin more than being looked down upon. My attitude is, you don’t have to look at me, just deal with me and a lot can get done. I’ve assembled a group of women that I feel will move this project forward. It’s about having a vision and working with others to see it through.” Marichal, who has worked on developments in Bergen County, has hired several women to work on the project. They include Ana Galvan, architect of Ana Galvan & Associates; Marichal’s sister-in-law, Terry Marichal, a painter, and Milagros Rosa, who will be the superintendent for the building, handling on-site needs for tenants. At press time, Mayor Rudy Garcia, who has been involved in implementing the Urban Redevelopment Program for affordable housing in recent months, was unavailable for comment regarding Marichal. Five years ago, the five-story 17-unit walkup that Marichal is renovating, located at 153 49th St., faced foreclosure. According to the Hudson County Housing Corporation, it was in debt for $130,000 in back taxes and had a list of city and state violations. In the process of looking at property in the city, Marichal believed that she could help its tenants, so she bought the building from its former landlords, who weren’t willing to pay the $200,000 it would take to remove it from the auction block. Now, with a federal grant in place and a groundbreaking due to happen this week, she is excited about what lies ahead. “I realized the difficulty these families had to face when they thought they might lose their homes,” Marichal said. “I hope [this project] will be the first of many that I can help develop in Union City and the county. I fought very hard to get the grant that was needed to finance this project, and I feel that with the support of the residents and the city, we can provide affordable housing that will benefit everyone.” Marichal knows what it’s like to live in substandard conditions. When she was a teenager, she and her mother had to leave their apartment in New Milford because her father left and they couldn’t afford it anymore. For a while, they were homeless. Now, those days are in the past. Officials who work with Marichal agreed that her efforts have been an inspiration for others. “Anyone male or female who is willing to invest the time to help provide affordable housing, we are very grateful for,” said Susan Mearns, manager for the Hudson County Housing Programs. “The disparity of low-income families has become greater and there has been a crucial need to find developers that would assemble these projects. Just seeing more women and minority-owned businesses get involved in the process can only bring better opportunities to the forefront of the community. I think Diane is a great example of what someone can do, and I think it’s wonderful that she is the first female to initiate this development. If this can encourage more women to look at this business venture as a way to become involved in projects in Hudson County, then I strongly support that effort.” According to Marichal, the development project is only in its early stages. She has received a $410,000 ten-year federal grant through the HOME program, which Mearns said supports the spirit and intent to create public and private partnerships in Hudson County. It took Marichal three long years to obtain the grant that will help with the development. “It’s a lot of hard work and perseverance to believe you can do something like this,” Marichal said. “But I feel that if I can provide a better living environment for these families and others in the future, then I feel I have given back and it’s something I can see myself doing for a long time to come.” The public is invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at the site on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 1 p.m.
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