In 1981, Dick Gsottschneider founded RKG Associates with a simple but powerful idea: help public and private sector clients speak the same language to create better places. From the early days in a farmhouse in Durham, New Hampshire, the firm focused on economic development and real estate analytics throughout New England. As RKG grew, so did its geographic reach, expanding across the United States through work with the Department of Defense and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) initiatives. These projects introduced the firm to new clients, new partnerships, and new opportunities to broaden its expertise and physical footprint. 

 

In 1998, RKG opened an office in Alexandria, Virginia to better serve clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southern United States. As communities in these regions experienced population and employment growth, RKG increasingly helped clients understand the critical connections between housing and economic development. This work expanded the firm’s expertise across the housing continuum from supporting HUD ESG grantees to guiding private developers through entitlement and development processes. Even as the breadth of services grew, RKG’s foundation in economics, market analysis, and real estate strategy remained at the center of the firm’s work. 

 

By 2015, RKG had established a strong presence throughout the Mid-Atlantic while expanding into Atlanta, Georgia and Dallas, Texas as its client base continued to grow. In New England, the firm opened its Boston, Massachusetts office, bringing together staff from across Massachusetts and New Hampshire under one roof. While RKG had long contributed to local and regional planning efforts, the firm increasingly began leading larger and more complex planning initiatives, including comprehensive plans, downtown strategies, corridor studies, and area plans in collaboration with urban designers, architects, and planning partners. 

 

Today, RKG remains a nimble consultancy recognized for its expertise in economic development, market analysis, housing, and real estate strategy. At the same time, the firm’s analytical capabilities, data tools, and decision-making platforms are rapidly evolving. With the addition of a new Director of Data and Technology, RKG is developing new tools and approaches designed to transform how public and private sector clients evaluate opportunities and make decisions. 

 

In a world where data has become widely accessible, the real challenge is no longer finding information but instead understanding what matters, identifying the right questions, and translating analysis into actionable strategy. That is where RKG continues to differentiate itself. Building on the work and vision of those who came before us, we are excited about the future and what the next 45 years may bring.