By Donna Heiderstadt

Russell Sang has put his Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from Drexel University College of Engineering to good use over the past several years. He has held positions that had him in the thick of both construction and management — as Assistant Superintendent for Plaza Construction, LLC at the River Club in Yonkers, NY and the Tin Building in lower Manhattan, as well as Assistant Project Manager and Field Engineer at W&W Steel Erectors, working on the Hudson Yards project — all of which prepared him for bigger and even more rewarding things.

As Project Manager on the Design and Construction team at Hudson Valley Property Group — which acquires, renovates, and preserves affordable and mixed-income housing across the country — 30-year-old Russell currently oversees projects from start to completion, focusing on developing construction Scope of Work documents and specifying products to be installed in apartment units and common areas. “My favorite part of the job is assuming responsibility of a project from conception to completion,” he says. “I place a large focus on diligence and pre-construction, since this will set the project up for success during construction.”

More significantly, Russell says he is grateful to witness the impact HVPG’s renovations have on its residents. “Creating a sense of safe and secure community and ‘homes’ for our residents is inspirational,” he explains, noting that he was particularly affected by seeing the impact his work can have while leading a project in Baltimore. “During one of my site visits,I was able to witness firsthand the change in community that we strive for,” he explains. “Residents were extremely appreciative of the improvements we made to their apartments and security we installed throughout site. It is inspiring to hear firsthand how residents lives are changed by the renovations we make.”

He is particularly proud of the renovation of Drexel Court & Lake Park, located in Chicago, which consists of four scattered buildings built in the 1920s with a total of 156 units. The renovation included complete unit rehabs, including bathroom and kitchen spaces, common areas, corridors, exterior facades/roofs, and exterior community areas. “We completely renovated all buildings while keeping true to its historic nature,” Russell says.

When he’s not helping change residents’ lives for the better, Russell enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, Esther, and Muffin, his rescue dog from Isla Mujeres in Mexico. He also makes staying active a priority. “I have a goal of finding ways to move every day,” he says. “This can include long walks with our dog, lifting weights, playing basketball, or training Muay Thai. One new hobby I have picked up is pickleball.”Planning ahead is also a skillset. “One item on my must-do list is to purchase and design a generational home for my future family,” he says.