The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/800610
BY MICHAEL SCIVOLI - It's almost impossible to take a drive down River Road in Edgewater and not notice a highrise that has recently been developed or is in the process of being built. With the town's developments come more people, a diverse group of residents moving in each year because, simply, the town has become an ideal place to call home. The reason for this, other than the obvious fact that it has stunning views and is at Manhattan's doorstep, is that it has become a community, a neighborhood of like- minded individuals who continue to improve the area's culture. What some may not know is that, for the last few decades, almost everything that's popped up in the riverside borough has, in one way or another, involved Fred Daibes, owner and CEO of Daibes Enterprises, a consortium of subsidiaries which specialize in fields such as real estate development, contracting, architectural design, banking, property management and insurance brokerage, among other things. On a residential level, Daibes FRED DAIBES: LOCAL DEVELOPER A Reflection of Community Enterprises is best known for their big projects such as The Alexander, Mariner's Landing, Saint Moritz (now Riello) and Cliffside Views. And with each new residence, Daibes and his team make a solemn promise to not only improve on their previous projects, but to set a standard for luxury living in Edgewater. However, the company and its subsidiaries have contributed (built and managed) so much more to the community than just a few highrises; they've built everything from libraries, restaurants and retail hubs, to schools and assisted-living centers, and in some cases, they've even facilitated road work. Daibes Enterprises' inception was in the mid-1980s, a few short years after the passing of Daibes' father, who formed a small masonry business with his two sons just 10 years after immigrating to the U.S. from Lebanon. But from that modest family business, Daibes and his siblings would forge a respected general contracting company and shoot for the stars. "I didn't have much when my father passed. And in our culture, the oldest son is V U E N J . C O M 97 VUE ON DESIGN & REAL ESTATE