diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-apigateway/test/test.resource.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-apigateway/test/test.resource.ts
index 627998d524f3c..c306bcd281098 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-apigateway/test/test.resource.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-apigateway/test/test.resource.ts
@@ -286,4 +286,4 @@ export = {
 
     }
   }
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch/lib/alarm.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch/lib/alarm.ts
index 7d762ca10c3dc..34cdc9a2b4bcd 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch/lib/alarm.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-cloudwatch/lib/alarm.ts
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ export class Alarm extends Resource implements IAlarm {
       ...metricJson(props.metric)
     });
 
-    this.alarmArn = alarm.alarmArn;
-    this.alarmName = alarm.alarmName;
+    this.alarmArn = alarm.attrArn;
+    this.alarmName = alarm.ref;
     this.metric = props.metric;
     this.annotation = {
       // tslint:disable-next-line:max-line-length
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/group.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/group.ts
index c5de7b2352384..2a8e1a185cf9b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/group.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/group.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,15 @@ import { AttachedPolicies, undefinedIfEmpty } from './util';
 
 export interface IGroup extends IIdentity {
   /**
+   * Returns the IAM Group Name
+   *
    * @attribute
    */
   readonly groupName: string;
 
   /**
+   * Returns the IAM Group ARN
+   *
    * @attribute
    */
   readonly groupArn: string;
@@ -131,8 +135,8 @@ export class Group extends GroupBase {
       path: props.path,
     });
 
-    this.groupName = group.groupName;
-    this.groupArn = group.groupArn;
+    this.groupName = group.ref;
+    this.groupArn = group.attrArn;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/role.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/role.ts
index 56bcd5de1d2bc..d0bba2eb46421 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/role.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/role.ts
@@ -206,9 +206,9 @@ export class Role extends Resource implements IRole {
       maxSessionDuration: props.maxSessionDurationSec,
     });
 
-    this.roleId = role.roleId;
-    this.roleArn = role.roleArn;
-    this.roleName = role.roleName;
+    this.roleId = role.attrRoleId;
+    this.roleArn = role.attrArn;
+    this.roleName = role.ref;
     this.policyFragment = new ArnPrincipal(this.roleArn).policyFragment;
 
     function _flatten(policies?: { [name: string]: PolicyDocument }) {
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/user.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/user.ts
index 759e99854ffbf..69d7f405f5cde 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/user.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-iam/lib/user.ts
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ export class User extends Resource implements IIdentity {
       loginProfile: this.parseLoginProfile(props)
     });
 
-    this.userName = user.userName;
-    this.userArn = user.userArn;
+    this.userName = user.ref;
+    this.userArn = user.attrArn;
     this.policyFragment = new ArnPrincipal(this.userArn).policyFragment;
 
     if (props.groups) {
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-kms/lib/key.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-kms/lib/key.ts
index 9950da6b13d05..05100be89d0f0 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-kms/lib/key.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-kms/lib/key.ts
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ export class Key extends KeyBase {
       keyPolicy: this.policy,
     });
 
-    this.keyArn = resource.keyArn;
+    this.keyArn = resource.attrArn;
     resource.options.deletionPolicy = props.retain === false
                                     ? DeletionPolicy.Delete
                                     : DeletionPolicy.Retain;
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/lib/cfn-resource.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/lib/cfn-resource.ts
index c8a8fb292dafd..c7410abc06531 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/lib/cfn-resource.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/lib/cfn-resource.ts
@@ -67,22 +67,10 @@ export class CfnResource extends CfnRefElement {
    */
   protected readonly properties: any;
 
-  /**
-   * AWS resource property overrides.
-   *
-   * During synthesis, the method "renderProperties(this.overrides)" is called
-   * with this object, and merged on top of the output of
-   * "renderProperties(this.properties)".
-   *
-   * Derived classes should expose a strongly-typed version of this object as
-   * a public property called `propertyOverrides`.
-   */
-  protected readonly untypedPropertyOverrides: any = { };
-
   /**
    * An object to be merged on top of the entire resource definition.
    */
-  private readonly rawOverrides: any = { };
+  private readonly rawOverrides: any = {};
 
   /**
    * Logical IDs of dependencies.
@@ -103,7 +91,7 @@ export class CfnResource extends CfnRefElement {
     }
 
     this.resourceType = props.type;
-    this.properties = props.properties || { };
+    this.properties = props.properties || {};
 
     // if aws:cdk:enable-path-metadata is set, embed the current construct's
     // path in the CloudFormation template, so it will be possible to trace
@@ -146,7 +134,7 @@ export class CfnResource extends CfnRefElement {
       // object overwrite it with an object.
       const isObject = curr[key] != null && typeof(curr[key]) === 'object' && !Array.isArray(curr[key]);
       if (!isObject) {
-        curr[key] = { };
+        curr[key] = {};
       }
 
       curr = curr[key];
@@ -205,33 +193,21 @@ export class CfnResource extends CfnRefElement {
    */
   public _toCloudFormation(): object {
     try {
-      // merge property overrides onto properties and then render (and validate).
-      const tags = TagManager.isTaggable(this) ? this.tags.renderTags() : undefined;
-      const properties = deepMerge(
-        this.properties || {},
-        { tags },
-        this.untypedPropertyOverrides
-      );
-
       const ret = {
         Resources: {
           // Post-Resolve operation since otherwise deepMerge is going to mix values into
           // the Token objects returned by ignoreEmpty.
           [this.logicalId]: new PostResolveToken({
             Type: this.resourceType,
-            Properties: ignoreEmpty(properties),
+            Properties: ignoreEmpty(this.renderProperties()),
             DependsOn: ignoreEmpty(renderDependsOn(this.dependsOn)),
-            CreationPolicy:  capitalizePropertyNames(this, this.options.creationPolicy),
+            CreationPolicy: capitalizePropertyNames(this, this.options.creationPolicy),
             UpdatePolicy: capitalizePropertyNames(this, this.options.updatePolicy),
             UpdateReplacePolicy: capitalizePropertyNames(this, this.options.updateReplacePolicy),
             DeletionPolicy: capitalizePropertyNames(this, this.options.deletionPolicy),
             Metadata: ignoreEmpty(this.options.metadata),
             Condition: this.options.condition && this.options.condition.logicalId
           }, props => {
-            // let derived classes to influence how properties are rendered (e.g. change capitalization)
-            props.Properties = this.renderProperties(props.Properties);
-
-            // merge overrides *after* rendering
             return deepMerge(props, this.rawOverrides);
           })
         }
@@ -262,8 +238,19 @@ export class CfnResource extends CfnRefElement {
     }
   }
 
-  protected renderProperties(properties: any): { [key: string]: any } {
-    return properties;
+  protected renderProperties(): { [key: string]: any } {
+    const tags = TagManager.isTaggable(this) ? this.tags.renderTags() : {};
+    return deepMerge(this.properties || {}, {tags});
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return properties modified after initiation
+   *
+   * Resources that expose mutable properties should override this function to
+   * collect and return the properties object for this resource.
+   */
+  protected get updatedProperites(): { [key: string]: any } {
+    return this.properties;
   }
 
   protected validateProperties(_properties: any) {
@@ -339,7 +326,7 @@ export function deepMerge(target: any, ...sources: any[]) {
         // if the value at the target is not an object, override it with an
         // object so we can continue the recursion
         if (typeof(target[key]) !== 'object') {
-          target[key] = { };
+          target[key] = {};
         }
 
         deepMerge(target[key], value);
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/test/test.resource.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/test/test.resource.ts
index d66c13f871c63..6eaab15af1494 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/test/test.resource.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/cdk/test/test.resource.ts
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ export = {
       test.done();
     },
 
-    'untypedPropertyOverrides': {
+    'updatedProperties': {
 
       'can be used by derived classes to specify overrides before render()'(test: Test) {
         const stack = new Stack();
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ export = {
           prop1: 'foo'
         });
 
-        r.setProperty('prop2', 'bar');
+        r.prop2 = 'bar';
 
         test.deepEqual(toCloudFormation(stack), { Resources:
           { MyResource:
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ export = {
 
         const r = new CustomizableResource(stack, 'MyResource');
 
-        r.setProperty('prop3', 'zoo');
+        r.prop3 = 'zoo';
 
         test.deepEqual(toCloudFormation(stack), { Resources:
           { MyResource:
@@ -619,8 +619,8 @@ export = {
 
         const r = new CustomizableResource(stack, 'MyResource', { });
 
-        r.setProperty('prop3', 'zoo');
-        r.setProperty('prop2', 'hey');
+        r.prop3 = 'zoo';
+        r.prop2 = 'hey';
 
         test.deepEqual(toCloudFormation(stack), { Resources:
           { MyResource:
@@ -696,6 +696,10 @@ class Counter extends CfnResource {
   public increment(by = 1) {
     this.properties.Count += by;
   }
+
+  protected get updatedProperites(): { [key: string]: any } {
+    return {Count: this.properties.Count};
+  }
 }
 
 function withoutHash(logId: string) {
@@ -703,19 +707,41 @@ function withoutHash(logId: string) {
 }
 
 class CustomizableResource extends CfnResource {
+  public prop1: any;
+  public prop2: any;
+  public prop3: any;
+
   constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props?: any) {
     super(scope, id, { type: 'MyResourceType', properties: props });
+    if (props !== undefined) {
+      this.prop1 = props.prop1;
+      this.prop2 = props.prop2;
+      this.prop3 = props.prop3;
+    }
   }
 
-  public setProperty(key: string, value: any) {
-    this.untypedPropertyOverrides[key] = value;
+  public renderProperties(): { [key: string]: any } {
+    const props = this.updatedProperites;
+    const render: { [key: string]: any } = {};
+    for (const key of Object.keys(props)) {
+      render[key.toUpperCase()] = props[key];
+    }
+    return render;
   }
 
-  public renderProperties(properties: any) {
-    return {
-      PROP1: properties.prop1,
-      PROP2: properties.prop2,
-      PROP3: properties.prop3
+  protected get updatedProperites(): { [key: string]: any } {
+    const props: { [key: string]: any } = {
+      prop1: this.prop1,
+      prop2: this.prop2,
+      prop3: this.prop3,
     };
+    const cleanProps: { [key: string]: any } = { };
+    for (const key of Object.keys(props)) {
+      if (props[key] === undefined) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      cleanProps[key] = props[key];
+    }
+    return cleanProps;
   }
 }
diff --git a/tools/awslint/lib/rules/cfn-resource.ts b/tools/awslint/lib/rules/cfn-resource.ts
index a77b4f92d6183..fee7e4a4d10b5 100644
--- a/tools/awslint/lib/rules/cfn-resource.ts
+++ b/tools/awslint/lib/rules/cfn-resource.ts
@@ -67,12 +67,7 @@ export class CfnResourceReflection {
 
     this.namespace = fullname.split('::').slice(0, 2).join('::');
 
-    // special-case
-    const basename = this.basename
-      .replace(/VPC/g, 'Vpc')
-      .replace(/DB/g, 'Db');
-
-    this.attributePrefix = basename[0].toLowerCase() + basename.slice(1);
+    this.attributePrefix = 'attr';
 
     this.attributeNames = cls.ownProperties
       .filter(p => (p.docs.docs.custom || {}).cloudformationAttribute)
@@ -89,9 +84,6 @@ export class CfnResourceReflection {
       return 'securityGroupId';
     }
 
-    const cfnName = name.startsWith(this.basename) ? name.slice(this.basename.length) : name;
-
-    // if the CFN attribute name already have the type name as a prefix (i.e. RoleId), we only take the "Id" as the "name".
-    return this.attributePrefix + camelcase(cfnName, { pascalCase: true });
+    return this.attributePrefix + camelcase(name, { pascalCase: true });
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tools/awslint/lib/rules/construct.ts b/tools/awslint/lib/rules/construct.ts
index 341b005bdfa4b..ce7cc920e9a01 100644
--- a/tools/awslint/lib/rules/construct.ts
+++ b/tools/awslint/lib/rules/construct.ts
@@ -292,4 +292,4 @@ constructLinter.add({
     e.assert(!property.type.isAny, `${e.ctx.propsFqn}.${property.name}`);
     }
   }
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/tools/awslint/lib/rules/resource.ts b/tools/awslint/lib/rules/resource.ts
index 869ffd675ee58..a05e5f7e436ca 100644
--- a/tools/awslint/lib/rules/resource.ts
+++ b/tools/awslint/lib/rules/resource.ts
@@ -69,15 +69,16 @@ export class ResourceReflection {
   private findAttributeProperties(): Attribute[] {
     const result = new Array<Attribute>();
 
+    const attrPrefix = this.basename.charAt(0).toLowerCase() + this.basename.slice(1);
     for (const p of this.construct.classType.allProperties) {
       if (p.protected) {
         continue; // skip any protected properties
       }
 
-      // an attribute property is a property which starts with the type name
-      // (e.g. "bucketXxx") and/or has an @attribute doc tag.
+      // an attribute property is a property which starts with `attr`
+      // and/or has an @attribute doc tag.
       const tag = getDocTag(p, 'attribute');
-      if (!p.name.startsWith(this.cfn.attributePrefix) && !tag) {
+      if (!p.name.startsWith(attrPrefix) && !tag) {
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -152,7 +153,12 @@ resourceLinter.add({
   message: 'resources must represent all cloudformation attributes as attribute properties. missing property: ',
   eval: e => {
     for (const name of e.ctx.cfn.attributeNames) {
-      const found = e.ctx.attributes.find(a => a.names.includes(name));
+      const basename = e.ctx.basename.charAt(0).toLowerCase() + e.ctx.basename.slice(1);
+      const stripAttr = name.replace('attr', '');
+      const lookup = stripAttr.toLowerCase().startsWith(basename) ?
+        stripAttr.charAt(0).toLowerCase() + stripAttr.slice(1) :
+        basename + stripAttr;
+      const found = e.ctx.attributes.find(a => a.names.includes(lookup));
       e.assert(found, `${e.ctx.fqn}.${name}`, name);
     }
   }
diff --git a/tools/cfn2ts/lib/codegen.ts b/tools/cfn2ts/lib/codegen.ts
index 23d66fab92150..82795ad74e938 100644
--- a/tools/cfn2ts/lib/codegen.ts
+++ b/tools/cfn2ts/lib/codegen.ts
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
     for (const name of Object.keys(this.spec.ResourceTypes).sort()) {
       const resourceType = this.spec.ResourceTypes[name];
 
-      this.validateRefKindPresence(name, resourceType);
-
       const cfnName = SpecName.parse(name);
       const resourceName = genspec.CodeName.forCfnResource(cfnName, this.affix);
       this.code.line();
@@ -121,7 +119,7 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
     this.docLink(spec.Documentation, `Properties for defining a \`${resourceContext.specName!.fqn}\``);
     this.code.openBlock(`export interface ${name.className}`);
 
-    const conversionTable = this.emitPropsTypeProperties(resourceContext, spec.Properties);
+    const conversionTable = this.emitPropsTypeProperties(resourceContext, spec.Properties, Container.Interface);
 
     this.code.closeBlock();
 
@@ -138,13 +136,23 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
    *
    * Return a mapping of { originalName -> newName }.
    */
-  private emitPropsTypeProperties(resource: genspec.CodeName, propertiesSpec: { [name: string]: schema.Property }): Dictionary<string> {
+  private emitPropsTypeProperties(
+    resource: genspec.CodeName,
+    propertiesSpec: { [name: string]: schema.Property },
+    container: Container): Dictionary<string> {
     const propertyMap: Dictionary<string> = {};
 
     Object.keys(propertiesSpec).sort(propertyComparator).forEach(propName => {
+      this.code.line();
       const propSpec = propertiesSpec[propName];
       const additionalDocs = resource.specName!.relativeName(propName).fqn;
-      const newName = this.emitProperty(resource, propName, propSpec, quoteCode(additionalDocs));
+      const newName = this.emitProperty({
+        context: resource,
+        propName,
+        spec: propSpec,
+        additionalDocs: quoteCode(additionalDocs)},
+        container
+      );
       propertyMap[propName] = newName;
     });
     return propertyMap;
@@ -223,7 +231,7 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
         this.code.line();
 
         this.docLink(undefined, `@cloudformationAttribute ${attributeName}`);
-        const attr = genspec.attributeDefinition(resourceName, attributeName, attributeSpec);
+        const attr = genspec.attributeDefinition(attributeName, attributeSpec);
 
         this.code.line(`public readonly ${attr.propertyName}: ${attr.attributeType};`);
 
@@ -231,31 +239,10 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
       }
     }
 
-    //
-    // Ref attribute
-    //
-    if (spec.RefKind !== schema.SpecialRefKind.None) {
-      const refAttribute = genspec.refAttributeDefinition(resourceName, spec.RefKind!);
-
-      // If there's already an attribute with the same name, ref is not needed
-      if (!attributes.some(a => a.propertyName === refAttribute.propertyName)) {
-        this.code.line(`public readonly ${refAttribute.propertyName}: ${refAttribute.attributeType};`);
-        attributes.push(refAttribute);
-      }
-    }
-    // set the TagType to help format tags later
-    const tagEnum = tagType(spec);
-    if (tagEnum !== `${TAG_TYPE}.NotTaggable`) {
-      this.code.line();
-      this.code.line('/**');
-      this.code.line(' * The `TagManager` handles setting, removing and formatting tags');
-      this.code.line(' *');
-      this.code.line(' * Tags should be managed either passing them as properties during');
-      this.code.line(' * initiation or by calling methods on this object. If both techniques are');
-      this.code.line(' * used only the tags from the TagManager will be used. `Tag` (aspect)');
-      this.code.line(' * will use the manager.');
-      this.code.line(' */');
-      this.code.line(`public readonly tags: ${TAG_MANAGER};`);
+    // set class properties to match CloudFormation Properties spec
+    let propMap;
+    if (propsType) {
+      propMap = this.emitPropsTypeProperties(resourceName, spec.Properties!, Container.Class);
     }
 
     //
@@ -271,7 +258,7 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
     this.code.line(` * @param props - resource properties`);
     this.code.line(' */');
     const optionalProps = spec.Properties && !Object.values(spec.Properties).some(p => p.Required || false);
-    const propsArgument = propsType ? `, props${optionalProps ? '?' : ''}: ${propsType.className}` : '';
+    const propsArgument = propsType ? `, props: ${propsType.className}${optionalProps ? ' = {}' : ''}` : '';
     this.code.openBlock(`constructor(scope: ${CONSTRUCT_CLASS}, id: string${propsArgument})`);
     this.code.line(`super(scope, id, { type: ${resourceName.className}.resourceTypeName${propsType ? ', properties: props' : ''} });`);
     // verify all required properties
@@ -308,20 +295,24 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
     if (deprecated) {
       this.code.line(`this.node.addWarning('DEPRECATION: ${deprecation}');`);
     }
-    if (tagEnum !== `${TAG_TYPE}.NotTaggable`) {
-      this.code.line('const tags = props === undefined ? undefined : props.tags;');
-      this.code.line(`this.tags = new ${TAG_MANAGER}(${tagEnum}, ${resourceTypeName}, tags);`);
-    }
 
+    // initialize all property class members
+    if (propsType && propMap) {
+      this.code.line();
+      for (const prop of Object.values(propMap)) {
+        if (prop === 'tags') {
+          this.code.line(`this.tags = new ${TAG_MANAGER}(${tagType(spec)}, ${resourceTypeName}, props.tags);`);
+        } else {
+          this.code.line(`this.${prop} = props.${prop};`);
+        }
+      }
+    }
     this.code.closeBlock();
 
-    //
-    // propertyOverrides
-    //
-
-    if (propsType) {
+    // setup render properties
+    if (propsType && propMap) {
       this.code.line();
-      this.emitCloudFormationPropertiesOverride(propsType);
+      this.emitCloudFormationProperties(propsType, propMap);
     }
 
     this.closeClass(resourceName);
@@ -334,12 +325,18 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
    *
    * Since resolve() deep-resolves, we only need to do this once.
    */
-  private emitCloudFormationPropertiesOverride(propsType: genspec.CodeName) {
-    this.code.openBlock(`public get propertyOverrides(): ${propsType.className}`);
-    this.code.line(`return this.untypedPropertyOverrides;`);
-    this.code.closeBlock();
-
-    this.code.openBlock('protected renderProperties(properties: any): { [key: string]: any } ');
+  private emitCloudFormationProperties(propsType: genspec.CodeName, propMap: Dictionary<string>) {
+    this.code.openBlock('protected renderProperties(): { [key: string]: any } ');
+    this.code.indent('const properties = {');
+    for (const prop of Object.values(propMap)) {
+      // handle tag rendering because of special cases
+      if (prop === 'tags') {
+        this.code.line(`${prop}: this.tags.renderTags(),`);
+        continue;
+      }
+      this.code.line(`${prop}: this.${prop},`);
+    }
+    this.code.unindent('};');
     this.code.line(`return ${genspec.cfnMapperName(propsType).fqn}(properties);`);
     this.code.closeBlock();
   }
@@ -514,15 +511,43 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
     this.code.closeBlock();
   }
 
-  private emitProperty(context: genspec.CodeName, propName: string, spec: schema.Property, additionalDocs: string): string {
-    const question = spec.Required ? '' : '?';
-    const javascriptPropertyName = genspec.cloudFormationToScriptName(propName);
+  private emitInterfaceProperty(props: EmitPropertyProps): string {
+    const javascriptPropertyName = genspec.cloudFormationToScriptName(props.propName);
 
-    this.docLink(spec.Documentation, additionalDocs);
-    this.code.line(`readonly ${javascriptPropertyName}${question}: ${this.findNativeType(context, spec, propName)};`);
+    this.docLink(props.spec.Documentation, props.additionalDocs);
+    const line = `: ${this.findNativeType(props.context, props.spec, props.propName)};`;
 
+    const question = props.spec.Required ? '' : '?';
+    this.code.line(`readonly ${javascriptPropertyName}${question}${line}`);
     return javascriptPropertyName;
   }
+
+  private emitClassProperty(props: EmitPropertyProps): string {
+    const javascriptPropertyName = genspec.cloudFormationToScriptName(props.propName);
+
+    this.docLink(props.spec.Documentation, props.additionalDocs);
+    const question = props.spec.Required ? ';' : ' | undefined;';
+    const line = `: ${this.findNativeType(props.context, props.spec, props.propName)}${question}`;
+    if (props.propName === 'Tags' && schema.isTagProperty(props.spec)) {
+      this.code.line(`public readonly tags: ${TAG_MANAGER};`);
+    } else {
+      this.code.line(`public ${javascriptPropertyName}${line}`);
+    }
+    return javascriptPropertyName;
+  }
+
+  private emitProperty(props: EmitPropertyProps, container: Container): string {
+    switch (container) {
+      case Container.Class:
+        return this.emitClassProperty(props);
+      case Container.Interface:
+        return this.emitInterfaceProperty(props);
+      default:
+        throw new Error(`Unsupported container ${container}`);
+    }
+
+  }
+
   private beginNamespace(type: genspec.CodeName) {
     if (type.namespace) {
       const parts = type.namespace.split('.');
@@ -555,7 +580,12 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
       Object.keys(propTypeSpec.Properties).forEach(propName => {
         const propSpec = propTypeSpec.Properties[propName];
         const additionalDocs = quoteCode(`${typeName.fqn}.${propName}`);
-        const newName = this.emitProperty(resourceContext, propName, propSpec, additionalDocs);
+        const newName = this.emitInterfaceProperty({
+          context: resourceContext,
+          propName,
+          spec: propSpec,
+          additionalDocs,
+        });
         conversionTable[propName] = newName;
       });
     }
@@ -648,12 +678,6 @@ export default class CodeGenerator {
     this.code.line(' */');
     return;
   }
-
-  private validateRefKindPresence(name: string, resourceType: schema.ResourceType): any {
-    if (!resourceType.RefKind) { // Both empty string and undefined
-      throw new Error(`Resource ${name} does not have a RefKind; please run in @aws-cdk/cfnspec: npm run set-refkind ${name} Arn|Id|None|...`);
-    }
-  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -702,3 +726,15 @@ function tagType(resource: schema.ResourceType): string {
   }
   return `${TAG_TYPE}.NotTaggable`;
 }
+
+enum Container {
+  Interface = 'INTERFACE',
+  Class = 'CLASS',
+}
+
+interface EmitPropertyProps {
+  context: genspec.CodeName;
+  propName: string;
+  spec: schema.Property;
+  additionalDocs: string;
+}
diff --git a/tools/cfn2ts/lib/genspec.ts b/tools/cfn2ts/lib/genspec.ts
index 4603e4b9b092f..9cc7a4bacb8c4 100644
--- a/tools/cfn2ts/lib/genspec.ts
+++ b/tools/cfn2ts/lib/genspec.ts
@@ -167,9 +167,10 @@ export function validatorName(typeName: CodeName): CodeName {
  * - The type we will generate for the attribute, including its base class and docs.
  * - The property name we will use to refer to the attribute.
  */
-export function attributeDefinition(resourceName: CodeName, attributeName: string, spec: schema.Attribute): Attribute {
-  const descriptiveName = descriptiveAttributeName(resourceName, attributeName);  // "BucketArn"
-  const propertyName = cloudFormationToScriptName(descriptiveName);      // "bucketArn"
+export function attributeDefinition(attributeName: string, spec: schema.Attribute): Attribute {
+  const descriptiveName = attributeName.replace(/\./g, '');
+  const suffixName = codemaker.toPascalCase(cloudFormationToScriptName(descriptiveName));
+  const propertyName = `attr${suffixName}`;      // "attrArn"
 
   let attrType: string;
   if ('PrimitiveType' in spec && spec.PrimitiveType === 'String') {
@@ -186,43 +187,6 @@ export function attributeDefinition(resourceName: CodeName, attributeName: strin
   return new Attribute(propertyName, attrType, constructorArguments);
 }
 
-/**
- * Return an attribute definition name for the RefKind for this class
- */
-export function refAttributeDefinition(resourceName: CodeName, refKind: string): Attribute {
-  const propertyName = codemaker.toCamelCase(descriptiveAttributeName(resourceName, refKind));
-
-  const constructorArguments = 'this.ref';
-
-  return new Attribute(propertyName, 'string', constructorArguments);
-}
-
-/**
- * In the CDK, attribute names will be prefixed with the name of the resource (unless they already
- * have the name of the resource as a prefix). There are a few reasons for that, mainly to avoid name
- * collisions with base class properties, but also to allow certain constructs to expose multiple attributes
- * of different sub-resources using the same names (i.e. 'bucketArn' and 'topicArn' can co-exist while 'arn' and 'arn' cannot).
- */
-function descriptiveAttributeName(resourceName: CodeName, attributeName: string): string {
-  // remove '.'s
-  attributeName = attributeName.replace(/\./g, '');
-
-  const resName = resourceName.specName!.resourceName;
-
-  // special case (someone was smart)
-  if (resName === 'SecurityGroup' && attributeName === 'GroupId') {
-    attributeName = 'SecurityGroupId';
-  }
-
-  // if property name already starts with the resource name, then just use it as-is
-  // otherwise, prepend the resource name
-  if (!attributeName.toLowerCase().startsWith(resName.toLowerCase())) {
-    attributeName = `${resName}${codemaker.toPascalCase(attributeName)}`;
-  }
-
-  return attributeName;
-}
-
 /**
  * Convert a CloudFormation name to a nice TypeScript name
  *