Developing Developers

Molly Gwin, an attorney at Isaac Wiles, specializing in zoning and land use, explains the rezoning process and where developers may face some difficulty. As ready-to-develop land becomes less available, the need to rezone a property is becoming more common. Take a listen to learn how to rezone a property!

If you are involved in the construction or development industry, you likely have come across an AIA Contract. As an attorney with a focus on real estate law, Alicia Zambelli  does a great job of explaining what purpose an AIA Contract serves and how to understand it. It may be a long document, but hopefully it won't feel as daunting after listening to this episode!

In this first episode of our new "how-to" series, Leslie Biskner with Cooperative Business Services, walks us through the process of obtaining a loan. This process is undeniably important in every development project, yet it is something many people are not exposed to until later in their career. Take a listen to learn what a developer should look out for when approaching the loan process!

Brad DeHays, Founder and President of Connect Real Estate and Connect Construction, joins us to discuss the topic of redevelopment. He is an expert in the adaptive reuse of historic commercial properties, and shares a lot of great info on where to begin and how to successfully complete a redevelopment project. Take a listen to learn more!

In this episode, Brant Murdock returns as a guest to talk about the nitty gritty details of capital stack, which is the cornerstone of a development project. Although capital stack can be simply defined as the debt and equity needed to pursue a project, the approach to building the capital stack can be different for every developer and every project. Take a listen to uncover the endless possibilities! 

As a Commercial Lines Risk Advisor with Overmyer Hall Associates, Chris Comer specializes in construction and real estate insurance. In other words, he is a "business bodyguard" who plays a large role in protecting developers from issues they may face in the construction and development process. Take a listen to gain an understanding for the different types of insurance and what to pay attention to as a developer. The more informed you are, the better off you will be!

Ryan Geiser is an architect with Design Collective here in Columbus, where he focuses on designing commercial buildings for developers. In this episode, he walks us through the building design process and what a developer may need to know before even moving forward with the design. This is where a development project really starts to come to life! 

As a Development Manager at Tenby Partners, Gavin Jones is a part of all projects from start to finish. Much of his involvement is in the due diligence period, which is ultimately the "make it or break it" period. The process of due diligence is important for any developer to understand, as it influences your major decisions. In this episode, we will keep digging deeper to understand what the due diligence process actually entails. 

In this new series, we will "dig deeper" into the specifics of development! To kick it off, Logan Dawson with One Columbus gives insight into the site selection process - who is involved, how it impacts the community, what developers need to know, and more.  This is an essential foundational piece of the development process and affects businesses, developers, and communities. Take a listen to dig a little deeper!

Mary Kelly is a  Speaker, Author, Professor, retired Naval Officer and Commander, and the founder of Productive Leaders. Talk about experience! She has written hundreds of articles on leadership, but in this episode, we focus on how to keep the leadership momentum going.  Whether it is in the corporate world or your personal life, you will learn new strategies to stay motivated and to lead others well. 

Robbie Banks is the director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the Columbus Partnership and has played a huge role in cultivating change here in Columbus. In this "Big Picture" episode, she gives great insight into how we have seen positive change as a community in DEI and where there is still room to grow. Take a listen to hear how we can all contribute to diversifying and improving our industry.

Bob White Sr. is the Chairman of the Daimler Group and has seen Columbus completely transform in his 51 years of real estate development experience. He finishes off the Legends of Columbus Development series, sharing some game-changing lessons learned, the key to development, and insight into where the Columbus market is headed. This episode will leave you with practical ways to move forward in your development career.

As the former Mayor of Columbus, Michael Coleman has had a direct hand in the development of Columbus over the years. Both the residential and commercial downtown areas were completely transformed by his leadership of the city. This episode is a "behind the scenes" look into how Columbus developed into what it is today! I think developers of all experiences and all markets can benefit from the knowledge shared here.

Kenny McDonald is an experienced economic developer and leader here in Columbus, as well as the current CEO of Columbus Partnership. His past experience in the Carolinas, Georgia, and New Mexico led him here to Ohio 11 years ago, where he has been a part of some of the most exciting projects Columbus has seen. We are lucky to have him lead this city in economic development! Take a listen to learn more about where Columbus is going and what that means for you.

Robert “Bob” Weiler, Sr. is an experienced real estate developer and champion of people. He has played a direct role in making Columbus what it is today. In this episode, Bob dives into the importance of continually adding value to a development project, overcoming challenges, the evolution of Columbus over the years, and SO much more. There is a lot of wisdom shared here, so grab a pen and paper and enjoy!

Scott Ziance, an attorney at Vorys law firm in Columbus, is an expert on economic development incentives. If you have no idea what that means, you are in the right place! It is critical to have an understanding of the intentions of these incentives and the purpose they serve in moving development projects forward. I am excited for you to learn from an expert himself!

Dan Dunsmoor, a commercial real estate broker with Colliers | Columbus, is the perfect person to kick off this new mini-series, "The Big Picture." Dan shares how to have a healthy work-life balance while maintaining a successful career. He has experienced, first-hand, how effective it is to live this out.  Take a listen - it could change the trajectory of your life!

Paul Francois, the President of Pepper Construction Company of Ohio, has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. In this episode, you will learn about the construction process within a development project, along with some key terms and ideas that are important to understand before beginning to build. There may be more to it than you think!

Jennifer LaPointe, with the Kleingers Group, has spent most of her career focused on Civil Engineering. Whether you know all that civil engineering entails, or are just getting started, this episode gives great insight on the importance of it in a real estate development project. And I promise it is important!

Brant Murdock is a developer with Tenby Partners. His path into development happened to be through finance, which he did not originally intend. As he mentions in this episode, the road has been linear but has not been straight. If you are looking to get into development through finance, this episode is for you!