Bridging the Gap Development, LLC (“BTG”), founded in 2006, is a diversified real estate development firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Derrick L. Tillman, Founder and President of BTG, leads the company’s mission to rebuild healthy, sustainable communities through residential & commercial development by “bridging the [real estate and opportunity] gap[s]” in a community. In order to achieve this goal, BTG develops a variety of projects including multifamily affordable housing, mixed-income and market rate rental and homeownership properties, community and cultural space as well as commercial real estate. BTG also has over 200 new units slated for new construction in 2021-2022. As a board member of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, Tillman continues to work to ensure all Pennsylvanians, especially the most vulnerable, have access to a home within reach. We remain dedicated to tackling blight, homeownership, energy efficiency, affordable housing, and homelessness. The Housing Alliance of PA supports all of our efforts, including education, coalition building, research, and advocacy with the goal to make a safe and decent home available for all Pennsylvanians. BTG has also been able to use its business acumen to innovatively train many unemployed and underemployed individuals with construction and/or weatherization skills. BTG, itself a Minority Business Enterprise, is committed to providing opportunities to other M/WBE enterprises.
HISTORY To date, BTG has redeveloped over 100 units which include multi-family, commercial and single-family properties. Additionally, we previously were a partner in a weatherization business that weatherized over 900 homes throughout seven counties in Pennsylvania within a three year period. This multi-million dollar weatherization business had contracts with Gas and Electric utility companies, Housing Authorities and County Action agencies to perform services for homeowners and tenants to make their homes more energy efficient. We performed services for residents in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Washington, Greene and Franklin Counties prior to selling our interests to focus on Development.

Overall, Tillman believes his unique combination of brokering commercial and residential deals as well as owning and operating several successful companies gives him a great advantage in business and serving his clients. A product of the environment he is providing for, Tillman knows what it is like to be unable to obtain employment and is very familiar with the communities he is developing. Tillman identifies mentorship as a key component and as a way to assisting people to get on tract to reaching their potential.

Expertise: Real estate Development, Real estate Sales and acquisition, Real estate Negotiation, Real-estate Rehabbing, Commercial Brokerage & Leasing, Property Management, Sustainable Design/Construction and Weatherization, Union Negotiation, Networking, Restaurant Management & Operations, Marketing.