City Space is an equal opportunity housing provider and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness,familial status, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, or disability.
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Rita runs the City Space Accounting Office, ensuring the financial records for City Space and subsidiary companies are in order. Rita first dipped her toes into the accounting waters to lend a hand to a friend who needed help at their business. From there her love of numbers prompted her to open her own bookkeeping business providing services for a variety of small businesses. After joining the City Space team, she led the transition away from outsourced accounting services and established our in-house Accounting Office. As Controller, Rita oversees all areas of finance, serves as a focal point for human resources management and is a liason with our public accounting firms, payroll service and lenders. When Rita is not busy crunching numbers, she enjoys traveling with her husband Tommy, exploring Blue Ridge’s off-road trails, and spending time with her three children. Taking the leap into entrepreneurship has prepared her more than anything for the roles she fills at City Space. Problem solving, providing timely and relevant analyses, and working to grow a business equipped her with the skills needed to manage the Accounting Office with grace and expertise.
Matt grew up on construction sites learning the trades from his father and grandfather, and eventually carried on the family tradition by becoming a third-generation home builder and general contractor. As a teenager he became a volunteer firefighter, ultimately spending 16 years in the fire service with several career and volunteer departments, while operating a construction business on his days off. Entering the world of property management in 2012, Matt brought with him many years of relevant experience in construction, customer service, teamwork, leadership, and business management. He is a Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor and holds many other technical and trade certifications. As Chief Operations Officer Matt thoroughly enjoys his job every day, working with the team to create great experiences for City Space customers and stake holders.
Being the musician that he is, Chuck never had a “real job” before coming to City Space in 2013! During that time period he owned and operated a recording studio and was moonlighting with occasional renovation projects and house flips. After working part-time with City Space for awhile he scaled back on those other activities and began working full-time with us as a Maintenance Technician. Maintaining over a hundred homes as if they are his own home gives him much satisfaction, and he appreciates the new challenges that arise each day on the job. For many years Chuck has been a big fan of the TV show “This Old House” and his job provides plenty of opportunities for him to apply the tips and tricks that Tom, Richard, and the gang share each week.
As Director of Facilities Management, Chad coordinates the care of our buildings and manages the Facilities Team, contractors, and many vendors that it takes to keep everything clean and in good working order. He handles purchasing, supply chain management, budgeting, and collaborating with the Property Managers to ensure units are rent-ready and well maintained. Before coming to City Space in 2014 he worked in the corporate world as Vice President for an electronic components distributor. Chad values the people he works with and enjoys supporting the City Space community in many different ways. As an ordained minister he learned to work with and appreciate people from all walks of life, and when he’s not at work he enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, hunting, and fishing.
Jimmy is our official “hybrid” and has been keeping The River House team on track since 2016! As Building Superintendent his primary focus is building upkeep, resident relations and coordinating with the team on every aspect of the job. After many years of serving in the military, providing janitorial services, and coordinating events at a large event venue he now enjoys the smaller community scene within City Space. He appreciates the different places he’s called home and is glad he landed in a smaller city where he has the opportunities to recognize and implement new ways to help City Space constantly improve. Outside of work Jimmy enjoys spending time with his daughter, listening to live music, and enjoying the fine arts. People are his passion, and he loves the people that live and work in our communities!
Richard has been our “go to guy” since he joined City Space in 2016 after years of working in the real estate, home inspection and construction industries. He collaborates with our team on special and ongoing projects, troubleshooting and lending his skills and experiences on a daily basis to the maintenance staff. He knows the ins and outs of all of our buildings and always loves a new challenge. He brings his thorough approach to everything he does to ensure it’s done properly while spending extra time to make sure each repair and renovation is up to City Space standards. When he’s not hard at work on a City Space property; he’s playing hard on his farm, spending time with his family and is always in search of perfect skiing conditions out west!
Clarence is our in-house Painter, updating and transforming the appearance of City Space properties one wall at a time. Prior to their current role Clarence was a student and while in school helped their dad and grandad with all aspects of renovating several rental and for-sale properties. Clarence is a “hands-on” person who likes to move and be active, and they enjoy seeing the transformation that happens on the other end of the paint brush. That, paired with their eye for color theory and their natural artistic abilities makes them the perfect fit for the position!
Della joined City Space in 2017 and hasn’t looked back! She keeps The Cotton Mill Lofts pristine clean, and helps each of the residents feel like part of the community there. After years of working in nutrition at a large medical facility and working in janitorial services for Goodwill, she loves the small community within City Space. Della loves to stay busy and is grateful that her job keeps her on the go every day. She enjoys everyone she works with and considers them her family. Outside of work Della stays busy enjoying new films, attending church, shopping, and spending time with her great niece!
As Director of Property Management, Erin manages many different strategic components for City Space. She tirelessly works with the team to improve customer service, resident relations, and vibrancy in our communities. Seeing her grandfather’s role in redeveloping The Waterfront in Buffalo, NY had a big impact on Erin, and after years of working in higher education/academic affairs she switched over to City Space where she gets to exercise her love of real estate and community building every single day. She enjoys the new challenges that arise as the business grows and improves, and in her time away from the office she embraces her love of photography, her two Labrador Retrievers, and music.
As a Maintenance Technician, John works hard every day to keep our residents happy and make them feel like family. Prior to joining the City Space team he was in the commercial roofing business for over thirty years, and is a well-respected Flat Roof Foreman. And since every one of our buildings has a flat roof he gets to use his expertise often! But he doesn’t work solely on roofs, he fulfills many of the other duties associated with repairing and maintaining the properties. John enjoys talking with the many people he encounters each day at the properties, and enjoys being part of a supportive team environment. He’s a devoted family man and outdoorsman who is constantly working to improve the level of service we offer to our customers.
In her role as Senior Manager, Gwyn is responsible for keeping the Residential properties on track. She runs daily operations, mixing together lots of problem solving, resident interaction, and community building to make our communities some of the best places to live in Roanoke. She has prior work experience in the field of quality assurance, and in her previous job as office manager for a small business she developed a wide-ranging skillset that transfers well to her current duties. Gwyn really enjoys working with the diverse people that make up the communities: visitors, residents, vendors, and other team members. She loves people watching…especially watching them succeed! She has a son serving in the military and a daughter working in health care management. She enjoys visiting with family, staying active, and reading lots of good books.
Evelyn has spent most of her life “keeping it clean!” As a mom of four, and as someone who has always taken pride in keeping things neat and tidy, she gained many years of preparation for her current Custodian job at The Patrick Henry. Evelyn is a patient perfectionist who enjoys the detail work required to keep the property clean and sanitary. She always makes guests and residents feel welcome and comfortable with her gentle caring spirit and enjoys being part of the Patrick Henry community. When she’s not at work Evelyn enjoys attending church and spending time with friends and family.
Becca has been on the move since she joined City Space in 2021! Between building upkeep at Patrick Henry, lending a hand in cleaning our commercial spaces and ensuring our upcoming available apartments are in pristine condition, you will rarely find her sitting still. She owes her perfectionist tendencies and her ‘always moving’ work ethic to being raised on her family’s dairy farm in Kansas and growing up in a large family. After years of working in nutrition and janitorial services in the local school system and higher education facilities, Becca loves being a part of our small City Space family. She values being a part of a team that allows her the freedom to stretch her wings and help out at every property while being a part of a group of people that appreciate her! Outside of work Becca is still on the move – she enjoys fitness, is always studying up on nutrition, and relaxes in the kitchen by cooking and baking up a storm!
While most City Space team members are cross trained in different aspects of the business, Lori is our “official” generalist. In her Property Manager role she contributes her skills in a wide and ever-expanding range of duties that include leasing, resident communication, research, and many different administrative and management tasks. Her background in the retail world taught her the importance of really connecting with customers to best meet their needs, and she enjoys doing that daily! She also gained valuable problem-solving skills while working as a customer service representative for a large insurance company. Lori really enjoys helping her customers and teammates, doing “good stuff for good people.”
Josh moved to Roanoke from upstate NY where he gained many years of experience in the Tech field. He stumbled upon City Space and has become our “hands on guy”. His experience helped develop the skills needed for the electronic world, and he works closely with the teams at all of City Space’s properties. Always looking for a new challenge, he enjoys taking things apart and figuring out how to make them work again…and better. What he loves most about his position is the ability to work alongside wonderful people while coming up with solutions together. Josh’s motto is ‘there’s nothing I can’t figure out; it may take me some time – but I will always find an answer’. He’s certified in Seal Systems and Low Voltage and plans on adding more knowledge to his cap. He’s one that never wants to stop learning. When he’s not at work he enjoys spending his free time outdoors, playing with his 4 sons, interacting with new people, and is always on a quest to find new ‘good food’!
Sunny is one of our most versatile members at City Space and is always a warm, friendly personality at each of our offices. Whether she is preparing agreements or handling requests, Sunny approaches each task with a positive attitude and a determination to deliver top-notch service.
Sunny has been able to successfully use her experience in other administrative work to ensure things keep rolling at our properties. Her experience in various customer service positions has given her the ability to effectively manage and build relationships with tenants and other members of our staff. Whether it’s coming up with innovative solutions or simply making someone’s day a little brighter, Sunny’s ultimate goal is to provide excellent support to all and exceed expectations.
In her free time, Sunny also enjoys spending time with her friends, reading, and hanging out with her dog, Daisy.
Mike is our dedicated Maintenance Specialist at Riverdale, responsible for overseeing general maintenance tasks across the entire Riverdale property. Prior to joining CitySpace, Mike ran his own successful business specializing in remodeling, construction, and electrical work.
What Mike particularly enjoys about his role is the direct communication with renters and the ability to effect positive changes within Riverdale (formally known as the Roanoke Industrial Center) witnessing its growth and development over time.
One thing Mike wants people to know about him in relation to his work is his unwavering commitment to excellence. He approaches every task with meticulous attention to detail and refuses to compromise on quality.
His life experiences, including running his own business and learning from his father, who was a seasoned plumber, have uniquely prepared him for the challenges of his role. Mike thrives on problem-solving and finds fulfillment in staying active and engaged. He’s always eager to tackle new challenges and find innovative solutions to improve the spaces he manages.
Cory Dorathy serves as a vital part of City Space, balancing her time between managing daily operations at the Grandin CoLab and supporting various City Space properties. With a focus on member satisfaction, community outreach, and promoting the benefits of the CoLab, Cory also assists property managers, markets properties, and showcases potential homes to residents. Before joining City Space, she spent over eight years in media sales and marketing for Comcast, following a 20-year career in TV, radio, print, and digital advertising. Known for her people-first approach, Cory is driven by the question, “How can I help?”—a reflection of her dedication to finding the best outcomes for others. She attributes her success in her current role to her professional background and life experiences, including being a mother and grandmother, which have helped shape her abilities.
