An award-winning Bronx developer is pushing forward with a mission to expand affordable housing across the borough and she’s now being recognized for it. Rella Fogliano, CEO of MacQuesten Construction, has spent decades building modern, affordable apartments for Bronx residents, all with one idea in mind: that everyone deserves a place they’re proud to call home. “We all need to live and look at things and be in awe of our surroundings,” Fogliano said. “I believed in that ever since I was very, very young.” Fogliano was born and raised in The Bronx, a fact she says shaped her early connection to the neighborhood. “My mother used to say when we used to go to Orchard Beach, as I was teething I would eat the sand — so I guess it’s now part of my DNA,” she joked. She began her career working alongside her father as a teenager, gaining hands-on experience with some of the buildings he owned in the borough. That early start eventually laid the foundation for MacQuesten Construction Management, which she now owns and operates. Decades later, Fogliano has unveiled her tenth building — this one in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn — but her heart remains firmly in the Bronx. “We want tenants to be happy, to be proud of where they live,” she said. Her work recently earned her the Developer of the Year Award from the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, highlighting her commitment to creating high-quality housing options for residents of all income levels. Sometimes, she says, even she steps back in awe of what her team has built. “Sometimes I come back to these places and I’m just like in awe.” On a visit to the rooftop of one of her favorite properties on Hoe Avenue, Fogliano said developments like the ____ House motivate her to keep going — not for the accolades, but for the roughly 60% of Bronx residents who are considered rent-burdened. “I want to keep doing more and more and do better and better,” she said. Fogliano says her mission is simple: ensure Bronxites have access to safe, modern homes with views that remind them they belong — and that their borough is worth investing in.