Through his dynamic leadership and visionary thinking, Michael Darby has not only been the driving force behind Monument Realty’s success, but also a recognized and admired real estate executive in Washington, DC.  As the principal and founder, Michael has built Monument Realty into a full-service real estate firm with expertise in financing, development and construction management, commercial and retail leasing, residential sales, and property and asset management.

Best recognized for thinking out of the box and creating value out of complex situations, Michael has successfully taken on challenging projects that many others have passed over.  Michael has always been comfortable leading the pack into evolving areas by using his company’s collective experience to tailor his buildings to the needs of the market.

Monument Realty was the first developer in 30 years to build new apartments in the Southwest Waterfront and built multiple office buildings along the Dulles Toll Road in the early days of the 1990s “Tech Boom,” adjusting floor plates and specs to make the buildings more technologically advanced.  Likewise, Monument Realty was the first developer to invest heavily in the Capital Riverfront, assembling 1.5 million square feet of developable land along Half Street in anticipation of Major League Baseball’s return to Washington.  Michael was confident a future Washington Nationals Park would drive demand for new office, retail and residential, a vision that proved prescient.

Michael believes that he can always deliver a better building for his user clients because their needs are constantly evolving, and Monument Realty looks to stay ahead of those needs.  Michael finds this exercise challenging and exciting.  He truly believes that creating a better building translates into demonstrable value for his investment partners and user clients.

An active member of the Washington region’s development industry for four decades, Michael previously worked with some of the most prominent developers in the area, including The Oliver Carr Company in the 1980s and The John Akridge Company in the 1990s.  During those years he managed the development of many prominent Washington, DC buildings, including such landmark restoration projects as the Willard Hotel, the Southern Railway Building and the Victor Building.

Michael began his career in his native Australia, working with a Melbourne-based general contractor, and holds a degree in Engineering and Business from the University of Melbourne.  He has been active in numerous regional real estate organizations over the years and has served on the Board of the DC Building Industry Association. Michael has also been involved with several charities and his company has been a longtime supporter of the annual Real Estate Games, benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, for which he was an event co-chair for six years.

• Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
• Hidden talent: Juggling while moving around the office on his hover board
• Best known as: An adrenaline junkie
• Favorite food: Roast leg of lamb (as long as it’s Australian lamb)