Kia has been with Urban Works since mid 2009. Kia specializes in retail leasing and sales, in conjunction with tenant, or landlord, restaurant representation in Portland’s urban and close-in neighborhoods. Kia is currently working with several landlord/developer clients including American Assets Trust, JP Morgan, and RREEF Development. Prior to joining the Urban Works team, Kia had a successful career as an interior architect whose work spanned from the Pearl and the South Waterfront to Los Angeles.
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Portland is known for its quirks, what do you find especially cool about living in Portland?
As a Portland native, and a graduate of the University of Oregon, I am deeply rooted in the Northwest and all that it has to offer. Portland’s diverse culture is one of many qualities that make this city so wonderful. I love that we have neighborhoods like the Pearl that are strewn with art galleries, quaint restaurants and boutique shops. By simply circling the block I encounter an Italian pasta house, a Japanese eatery, a Swiss bakery and an all-American Jazz bar. If I go a little farther, I’ll hit a variety of coffee shops, art studios and clothing stores. There is no excuse for boredom in a place like this!
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What do you like most about working at Urban Works?
We have an awesome team at Urban Works! I love that I get to come to work everyday and work with an amazing group of individuals that genuinely make me laugh.
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Favorite vacation and why?
Picking one spot is like asking someone to pick their favorite child. For me travel has been an all-consuming passion. I was bit by the travel bug at age 9 when I first spent a summer in Paris on a student exchange program. Since then, I was hooked. I love experiencing new cultures. It is always so meaningful for me to step off the plane and into a “new world”. I love seeing how people around the world live their daily lives. We become so programmed, and so used to our own way of life, that seeing these other cultures is truly an eye opener.
