Real Estate for Breakfast

“Underwriting in Chicago is, I think, a bit easier than a lot of other markets,” says Matt Katsaros, founder of Wildwood Investments, adding, “Especially when you're local and you know the players, you can quantify risk a little bit easier.” Matt knows the players. Wildwood Investments has carved a niche in Chicago's premier neighborhoods by developing mid-sized multifamily properties of 30 to 100 units. Tune in to this conversation with host Phil Coover about the advantages of having both construction and finance expertise in-house and the unique challenges and opportunities in Chicago's limited-supply market.Connect and Learn More☑️ Matt Katsaros | LinkedIn☑️ Wildwood Investments☑️ Phil Coover | LinkedIn☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicThis podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

In this episode of the Real Estate for Breakfast podcast, Ice Miller Real Estate Practice Group partner and host Phil Coover, sits down for a conversation with Joe Smazal, Senior Managing Partner at Interra Realty. Joe brings more than a decade of experience specializing in the sale of mid-market apartment buildings in Chicago. With nearly $1 billion in total property transactions under his belt, Joe discusses his journey in real estate, the nuances of Chicago's vibrant housing market, and the lessons he's learned along the way. The conversation kicks off with Joe reflecting on his career highlights, including his anticipation of hitting the billion-dollar mark in properties sold. He shares insights into the dynamic Chicago real estate scene, focusing on neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Ravenswood, which continue to thrive thanks to great fundamentals and places to live. Joe talks about the importance of keeping up in a challenging market, offering insight into deal and pipeline management and maintaining resilience through uncertain times. Phil and Joe discuss Chicago's recent Northwest Side Housing Preservation Ordinance, unpacking its potential impact on property values and the city's housing market. Joe provides a straightforward assessment of the law, voicing concerns about unintended consequences while highlighting the need for balance in legislative approaches. Despite the challenges, Joe remains an unwavering advocate for Chicago, citing the city's thriving cultural scene, robust economy, and strong community appeal as reasons for why it remains an excellent place to invest and live in. The pair also engage in a dialogue on navigating the complexities of real estate in an evolving Chicago market, and why Joe believes staying consistent and focused on the long-term is key to success in the industry. Since joining Interra in 2014, Joe has personally sold over 240 properties, comprised of over 5,300 units, for a total consideration of over $940,000,000. He has helped the firm grow and and gained the respect of his clients through his honest and direct approach and dedication to his clients' interests. Joe has been recognized by his peers in recent years as Broker of the Year – Investment Sales by the Illinois Real Estate Journals; and was a Private Capital Markets Investment Broker of the Year Finalist in the Greater Chicago Food Depository CRE Awards. Interra Realty is a boutique commercial real estate brokerage firm focused on selling private capital, mid-sized apartment buildings. Founded in 2010, the firm has closed numerous transactions valued in excess of several billion dollars, with clients ranging from high-net-worth individuals and private investors to private equity groups, hedge funds, and private investors.

Phil and Dave dive right into it--with Dave discussing Hiffman National, his everyday job as a broker and how his time is primarily spent with property owners or industrial landlords or tenants in the marketplace trying to buy, sell or lease a building to suit their business needs. He then tells listeners how he began in industrial real estate in 2005, how the tide turned during the economic downturn of 2008-09, and the market corrections that led to bigger opportunities. He then touches on the market before, during and post-COVID which leads into a discussion on the industrial real estate conundrum of supply chain issues that created a demand for more buildings, and then landing on how inflation and interest rates have distressed cash flow and driven construction deliveries down. The duo also talks about how industrial has become the darling of the investor world, and the regression of landlord-tenant relationships—with fewer private landlords, and how tenants are feeling the trickle-down effect of the high rents market. David explains how Hiffman is crafting ways to cut some of the costs from these deals on the tenant representative side and conversely, how landlords are holding steady since vacancies in the city are low, giving them the advantage. David delves into how tenants are realizing ways to responsibly apply their funds and efficiently utilize their space. They also touch on transportation and how this major industry is in influx, and hypothesize the blueprint of one of the world's major e-commerce companies and how they make choices on leasing space. Dave also explains what's happening with infill development and the economic programs that are available in Cook County to spur economic growth, as well as the difficulties that are created by the county's tax structure and what the future may hold for commercial and industrial property owners trying to make the best decisions for their companies. David Haigh is a vice president and industrial real estate broker whose primary focus includes landlord and tenant representation in suburban Chicago. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003-2004, Dave credits his attention to detail and work ethic to his time spent in the military. His range of services he provides include acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and site search analysis. Dave and his family enjoy traveling, and he volunteers as a Big Brother within the Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Chicago. Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, Hiffman is a full-service, privately owned commercial real estate brokerage and management company. Hiffman National is the company's management platform serving markets across the nation. NAI Hiffman is the Chicago-based brokerage operation and representative for NAI Global, the world's largest managed network of real estate service providers across the world.

In this episode of the Real Estate for Breakfast podcast, Ice Miller Real Estate Practice Group partner and host Phil Coover sits down with Matt Pistorio, principal at R2 Companies, a privately-held, fully integrated real estate investment and development firm, and founder of Madison Rose, a real estate firm specializing in agency leasing. During the conversation, Matt talks about his passion for what he does and details how he began his professional journey with commercial brokerage houses. He recounts his road to becoming a principal at R2, and the opportunities and support of colleagues that allowed him to simultaneously have two significant roles at major real estate companies, including founding and driving Madison Rose forward. He details his involvement with the two companies, which at time cross paths on projects but remain separate. Matt discusses his mentors and the impact they had in the way he guides and manages his employees, and his belief that positive energy and attitude translates into building a positive workforce and overall success. Phil and Matt also talk about the office market and the current vacancy rate in Chicago, and how cities across the nation are feeling the pressure. Specifically, the massive dent in the market due to less demand with more people working from home. Matt and Phil also discuss distressed office space and explain the methodology of what should and needs to occur to get a business to a place that feels good where it can operate effectively. They also dive into the diamond that is 150 North Michigan, and the outlook of how it will play out in the market as a prime location, with new amenities and building upgrades. They touch on what Chicago looks like post-pandemic, if people are coming back downtown, the downside of financing and underwriting transactions, and everyone's favorite – taxes. The pair also talk about the strategy in bringing back the Chicago Board of Trade building from foreclosure to a white-hot, second-generation property for office use, and how vintage spaces are being rebranded and brought back to life while maintaining their history and importance to the city. Matt has nearly two decades of experience repositioning and leasing of commercial real estate assets. His projects include the Chicago Main Post Office, Aon Center, Citadel Center, Willis Tower and Prudential Plaza. Matt is a two-time recipient of the Greater Chicago Food Depository's ‘Broker of the Year' Award. R2 Companies owns, operates and manages superior investment opportunities. With offices in Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis, they are fully-integrated – managing all aspects of the real estate investment process. Madison Rose, founded in 2019, brings buildings back to life. Named after Pistorio's two daughters, the firm brings a new age model to leasing by curating the stories of properties and tailoring their approach to showcase each building's unique strengths and value.

In this episode of the Real Estate for Breakfast podcast, host Phil Coover interviews Chris Gersch, the founder and CEO of Verde Solutions (Verde). Verde is a full-service consulting firm utilizing a sensible approach to renewable energy, primarily focusing on building, financing, and engineering solar systems, also advising on battery storage and EV where appropriate but concentrating on solar energy efforts with over 1,400 projects in 48 states. During their conversation, the pair discuss Verde's founding in 2012, and the renewable energy projects that affect individual and commercial real estate. They talk about the financing, government incentives, and cost saving for projects using solar energy, as well as the effort to educate commercial developers on the benefits of solar energy for the environment and project costs. Getting more granular, the duo also talk about the energy incentives from the federal government extending to 2031, the potential challenges encountered during projects, and Chris' hopes for nurturing partnerships and plans for company growth. Chris Gersch knows the in-and-outs of the clean energy industry. For more than 20 years he has cultivated his portfolio through his knowledge of finance and his passion for sustainability. Chris serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago, designing and teaching quantitative trading strategies and algorithmic system modeling, and often appears as an expert guest speaker for CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, and Fox Business News. Active in his community, Chris sits on many executive and advisory boards for professional and nonprofit organizations and is a distinguished member of the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council. Verde Solutions serves clients ranging from large companies to small municipalities by providing a variety of services. The company is focused on providing next-gen solutions for some of the most complex problems in the energy industry across the country.

During their conversation, Phil and Sarah discuss how Hiffman is not a one-size-fits-all company and the intrinsic knowledge it takes to provide what the clients want and need to satisfy their stakeholders and investors. Sarah talks about the ability to be customizable, a perk of being privately owned, and how it has positioned Hiffman as a top alternative firm to the big national players. Hiffman is responsible for spaces in office, medical and industrial real estate — with the latter experiencing a surge in the Midwest since Covid. They also discuss ESG, its history and the three pillars; E for environmental, S for social, and G for governance. Within each of the pillars, different strategies are constantly evolving and being determined in how companies are contributing to being a sustainable player in the nation, world, and ecosystem. ESG is a way for stakeholders, investors and partners to examine more than just the bottom line, and evaluate questions like: “What impact are they leaving on the environment?” and, “What impact are we leaving on society?” The pair digs into how ESG is touching real estate efforts across the globe, and how Hiffman has made huge steps in talking to their clients about how to implement ESG standards and how many institutional money is requiring ESG processes for their investments, particularly from foreign investors. Sarah talks about the growth of the company, first in the Midwest and then branching out to Philadelphia and the East Coast. Their initial growth was organic and then spread through client driven initiatives. Hiffman National delivers full range commercial real estate services nationwide and have planted their flag throughout America with offices in 27 states; however, the company is always examining what may be the best next location for expansion. Sarah Cannella joined Hiffman in 2012 and is currently responsible for the oversight of the property management platform and operational initiatives, including transitioning assets, the Hiffman U property management training program, auditing, due diligence and technology platform directives. Sarah oversees four individuals who are solely dedicated to administering and evolving the Property Management platform. Prior to her role in operations, Sarah worked with the Hiffman Management Services group on behalf of investor clients on industrial, office and retail assets throughout the Chicagoland market. Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, Hiffman is a full-service, privately owned commercial real estate brokerage and management company. Hiffman National is the company's management platform serving markets across the nation. NAI Hiffman is the Chicago-based brokerage operation and representative for NAI Global, the world's largest managed network of real estate service providers across the world.

During their conversation, Phil and Jon talk about his start with the company, growth, and responsibilities as CEO. Jon also speaks on the bread and butter of what makes Belgravia, a smaller conglomerate, a frontrunner in the Chicago condo market and deep dives into how they survived and came out fairly unscathed in the economic downturn of 2008 and how they are navigating the current market. They touch on macroeconomics, failing banks, interest rates and where the market stands and the demand and desire for new product, as well as Belgravia's expansion into the West. Jon provides his thoughts about the challenges in the market and what goes into the decision-making process in choosing and building a project. The pair also discuss distressed investments in office and the fluctuation in occupancy and funding in older spaces, and the wait and see game. Jon McCulloch has been with Belgravia Group since 2004 and serves as the Chief Executive Officer. He is responsible for the company's residential developments and oversees the company's debt and equity needs. He also is a Principal at Belgravia affiliate, Lakewest, Inc., as well as a co-founder of Lakewest Venture Partners, and a Venture Partner at Dundee Venture Capital. He is also an avid soccer fan and member of the U.S. Soccer Federation's Chicago Development Council, which efforts support increasing access and resources to accelerate the development of youth soccer players and their coaches. Belgravia Group is an industry leader and vertically integrated company with divisions for real estate development, sales and marketing, interior design, accounting, customer service, and a full range of real estate legal services. Belgravia recently expanded to the Arizona market, with Portico, a collection of luxury condominiums.

During the podcast, Alissa and Phil discuss serious distress in the office real estate market nationwide—particularly in larger cities such as San Francisco, New York, and Boston. Within those cities, challenges including transportation, tax assessments, and crime are explored while emphasizing other issues such as the change in work culture and having dated, functionally obsolete office spaces. These compounding issues have contributed to the seriously distressed office market, which could have cascading micro and macro economic effects. They also touch on the “Wall of Maturity” for CMBS loans coming due. With lenders having pulled back dramatically on lending in the office market, there is starting to be, and will continue to be, challenging situations for borrowers—who may have to fight foreclosure or hand over the keys to a lender in this difficult environment. The pair also discuss the challenges and factors that play into repurposing a building, whether an owner can demolish or convert a property, and the hurdles that these properties encounter in examining how to value them and what they will become. Ultimately, some people will see a lot more funds to buy distressed assets. Alissa Adler joined Colliers as SVP in 2019, and focuses on office investment sales across the Midwest, as well as debt and equity placement, and has in-depth experience across office, industrial and retail asset classes. Based in the Chicago area, Alissa is recognized in the industry for utilizing her broad real estate knowledge and massive network to uniquely serve her diverse client base. Colliers is a global leader in real estate services and management. Founded in 1898 in Vancouver, Canada, as a real estate, property management and insurance agency, it now operates in 66 countries, with 18,000 employees worldwide that collaboratively work to provide expert real estate and investment advice to clients. Colliers Chicago was founded in 1947, and is made up of more than 300 real estate advisors, property management professionals and staff. The company's mission is to maximize the potential of property and real assets to accelerate the success of their clients, investors, and team.

The foursome talks about real estate development and trends, specifically in the Midwest and opportunities that the company is exploring for continued long-term growth in office, residential and industrial space. During the podcast, Peter and Dan discuss strong Midwest market and epicenters for growth, as well as the importance of having a partner with strong ties to local government and public affairs to streamline projects for success. They also touch on the challenges in the market with increasing costs and if the demand will keep up with the supply that's trending. Peter speaks to seizing the right opportunities to go forward and long-term fundamentals, while Dan talks about being selective and the importance of building culture, logistics and the inside knowledge of opportunities that will drive demand to spaces. Peter Kelly is the Executive Vice President of LPC's commercial real estate activities across the Midwest, which include acquisitions, dispositions, development, joint ventures, agency leasing, property management, construction management and other services. LPC Midwest has grown to over 15 million square feet of assets under management across five states, under Peter's direction. As Vice President at LPC, Dan Reidy oversees industrial property acquisitions and development in the Chicago area and throughout the Midwest. Dan joined the company in 2019 and has been at the forefront of many major developments in and around the region and is currently leading the efforts of a $100+ million project in Indianapolis and Columbus. Lincoln Property Company was founded in 1965. LPC Midwest is one of the region's leading commercial real estate service providers, offering property management, leasing, investment and construction management services. Our regional headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois along with 15 offices across the Midwest employing 60 top-tier real estate professionals with the skills and resources to meet the needs of our diverse clients.

In this episode of the Real Estate for Breakfast podcast, host Phil Coover chats with Chris Fotopoulos (EVP of Legal, Real Estate, and Risk), and Sam Harmelech, of Verano Holdings - a multi-state cannabis operator headquartered in Illinois, harvesting six brands and 120 retail dispensaries in 13 U.S. states – and growing. During their conversation, the group discusses the challenges of navigating the cannabis industry, the cultivation of such an enterprise, and the real estate hurdles of expanding in a highly regulated and ever-changing industry. Chris and Sam also speak on the difficulties of financing, fears, and safety of such an operation and the rapid pace with which the cannabis industry is growing. As Executive Vice President of Legal, Real Estate, and Risk, Chris Fotopoulos began his journey in cannabis law in 2012, as one of the first lawyers leading the charge in navigating the emerging regulatory environment. He was key in the creation of the primary application for what serves as the basis for the Illinois Cultivation Center and the first license for what is now, Verano, acting as their external General Counsel, then In-House Counsel, and now his current position. Sam Harmelech is the Vice President of Real Estate and Associate General Counsel at Verano, where he helps manage and operate the company's portfolio of office, industrial and retail properties. In addition to managing and operating the properties, he handles all of the legal transactional work associated with acquiring, leasing, borrowing against, managing, zoning, and constructing those properties. Verano is a leading, vertically integrated, cannabis operator devoted to the ongoing improvement of communal wellness by providing responsible access to regulated cannabis products. The company strives to address vital health and wellness needs, Verano produces a comprehensive suite of premium, innovative cannabis products.

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and guest Kapil Khanna, CEO of Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), discuss some of the design challenges that the architecture firm faces in a changing world. As part of an integrated design practice with its parent company, Clayco, a full-service, turnkey real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm, LJC has a competitive advantage in its understanding of the intersections between design and construction. In addition to discussing LJC's background and overall design process, Phil and Kapil also talk about the many challenges that have arisen in the architecture industry due to the pandemic. Specifically, they discuss the supply chain and how LJC's scale allows the company to prioritize and plan strategically to navigate the ever-changing world. Kapil also explains the concept of resiliency planning, which includes anticipating a building's capacity to adapt to changing conditions and to maintain or regain functionality in the face of stress or disturbance. Along with sustainability, resiliency planning is another important design parameter, and Kapil shares examples of designing vertical agriculture and massive 40 acres greenhouses. Since the year is winding down, Kapil also takes the time to reflect on some of LJC's recent projects, such as a Macy's Flagship store, Pfizer's Midwest headquarters and Fulton East, a newly constructed 12-story office and retail building. He says LJC is optimistic about 2023, especially as industrial projects are increasingly in demand. As CEO of LJC, Kapil Khanna focuses on overall firm management. A member of the executive leadership team, he is responsible for providing direction for both the business strategy and the implementation of initiatives to support the firm's growth. Kapil works across all disciplines of the enterprise to seek out opportunities for greater alignment and integration, and to make positive impacts on the firm's most complex projects. A veteran of the design industry, Kapil has provided project management on some of the region's largest and most complex projects for healthcare and academic systems, including Cook County Health & Hospitals System's Stroger Hospital Central Campus, University of Chicago Medicine Center for Care and Discovery Parking Garage, Orange Regional Medical Center Outpatient Care Center and Cancer Center Expansion; as well as extensive projects with higher education and healthcare facilities across the U.S. prior to joining LJC.

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by a fellow champion of Chicago, Jon Morgan. Jon is co-founder and managing principal of Chicago-based Interra Realty, and he and Phil begin their conversation by discussing Interra's formation to its emergence as a middle-market commercial real estate brokerage focusing primarily on multifamily asset sales. During the episode, Phil and Jon reminisce on the 2008 recession and how it differs from today's market conditions, especially concerning the level of control banks previously had on real estate. Now that the real estate market is so volatile, Jon ensures that research is an integral part of Interra's philosophy. Jon says he and his colleagues track the market weekly and stay in constant communication with clients to effectively take advantage of fluctuating market conditions. Jon also explains how the multifamily market has managed to stay lucrative despite seesawing trends spurred by the pandemic. He points out that retailers are now starting to participate in the multifamily space because it keeps pace with inflation, making it a prime investment opportunity. As fellow Chicagoans, Phil and Jon do not forget to pay homage to the city by highlighting Chicago's phenomenal restaurants, major sports teams and growing tech scene. As the two discuss prominent Chicago neighborhoods such as the West Loop, Phil capitalizes on Jon's knowledge of economics to get him to reveal what he believes the “next West Loop”, or at least an up-and-coming area of Chicago. Jon Morgan began his career in real estate in 2004. Since then, he has been involved in more than $1 billion in transactions, including apartment buildings, retail properties and ground-up developments. Jon co-founded Interra Realty with David Goss in 2010 to create a different kind of brokerage firm, one built on trusting relationships with buyers and sellers and hyperlocal, block-by-block expertise. This, coupled with Interra's commitment to client service, has helped the company to establish many long-lasting relationships, fuel its meteoric growth and become a destination for talent and the training of up-and-coming brokers. As Chicago's top middle-market brokerage, Interra now handles almost one in five sales of apartment buildings up to 100 units, according to CoStar. Learn more about Interra here: https://interrarealty.com/

Vice President of Development for Wingspan Development Group Chris Coleman says that the privately owned real estate company is more of a “developer with a general contractor in-house,” than a traditional developer. That vertical integration gives Wingspan a differentiator in the market. Currently focused on multifamily and mixed-use developments in Northern Illinois, Southeastern Wisconsin and Central Florida, Wingspan is now seeking to expand into the Greater Phoenix, Greater Denver, and Greater Atlanta markets. On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and Chris Coleman discuss Wingspan's real estate development strategy, how the company differs from other developers, and some of the group's most successful projects. Additionally, they discuss how Wingspan is navigating the current real estate climate and how Chris and other company leaders chose which new markets to target. Chris explains that the Phoenix, Denver, and Atlanta markets are all areas that he himself or the group's Director of Development, Jason Macklin, are personally familiar with, and that is what gives Wingspan comfort in moving forward in those regions. Chris refers to this concept as the group's way of avoiding “the dumb tax,” or losing money by naively developing in areas that the local operators have passed over due to local knowledge of a development challenge. Chris also discusses the group's formation, and how it grew out of its sister company, Nicholas & Associates. As a family-owned business, Chris points out that Wingspan can be selective about its deals, and that patience can sometimes give it an advantage over traditional development companies. Overall, Chris says, Wingspan's number one priority is to protect the family and execute good projects. As Wingspan's Vice President of Development, Chris is responsible for all of the company's lines of business, including development oversight, fostering new debt and equity relationships, and implementing Wingspan's overall strategic plan. Prior to joining Wingspan, Coleman served as Chicago Division President for William Ryan Homes, Inc. Chris first began his career in real estate in 1988 as a market analyst with The Zale Group. After spending time in Florida and Georgia, Coleman returned to Chicago in 1997 to launch his own firm specializing in in-fill redevelopment. He joined Wingspan Development Group in 2017. Learn more about Wingspan Development Group here: https://www.wingspandev.com/.

Magnolia aims to balance the needs of economic development with the important task of preserving our world's most valuable natural resources. On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover talks environmental mitigation (that is mitigation with an “M”, not an “L”), and the creation of ecological offset markets, with Mark Bernstein of Magnolia Land Partners. The two discuss Magnolia Partners' distinctive business model, which includes creating mitigation banks to help businesses navigate complex permitting challenges, while working with landowners to restore environmentally protected areas such as wetlands. The company receives credits for each restoration project, which it then trades with companies that need to comply with environmental regulations. The podcast also covers the economic incentives for participating in these types of restoration programs, and how available programs create economic markets which revolve around mitigation. Mark explains that Magnolia covers 100 percent of the costs associated with restoration and landowners are simply required to maintain the land and comply with the terms of the conservation easement. He also points out that this opportunity allows a proprietor to retain ownership of their land. This company is a fascinating case study in land preservation, while creating tax incentives, other economic incentives, and even profits, while being environmental stewards. Phil also asks Mark about the challenges of environmental mitigation work, his favorite projects, and the company's plans to increase their ability to preserve land. As a co-founder of Magnolia Land Partners, Mark and his team have already secured 10,000 acres under conservation in fourteen active states, and are pioneering a new era in environmental stewardship. Prior to founding Magnolia Land Partners, Mark led the analyst team and guided new market development at one of the largest mitigation banking companies in the US. During that time, he was published in the Journal of Environmental Geosciences for contributing to the development of a new condition assessment protocol employed in wetland and stream mitigation throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude with departmental honors) in Environmental Science and Economics from Northwestern University and is a member of the inaugural class of Venture For America. For more information about Magnolia Land Partners, visit https://mitigation.org/.

Phil and Mike discuss the history of Structured Development, including the company's recent shift toward developing projects in up-and-coming areas of Chicago. Specifically, they discuss Structured Development's Big Deahl project, a residential and mixed use building at the corner of Dayton and Blackhawk Streets in Chicago's Clybourn Corridor. They also discuss Chicago's Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO) and the requirements for affordable housing in the city. Mike explains how the ARO works, its' challenges and pitfalls, and how Structured Development has approached meeting the city's ARO requirements with its Big Deahl project. As you may suspect, Mike has extensive war stories from his remarkable career building Chicago. Mike regales us with the tales of the great Chicago flood in the 90s, his team's near-death proximity to the calamity, and overwhelming aftermath of that situation. As a founding principal of Structured Development, LLC, Mike has been engaged in the real estate development and construction management business for nearly 40 years. He has extensive experience in all phases of the construction process, especially scheduling labor forces and subcontractors and comparatively purchasing material and equipment. Some of the notable projects he has completed include the City Hall Lobby and Entrance Renovations, Marshall Field and State of Illinois Pedways, Clark Lake and Roosevelt Subway Stations, McCormick Place Expansion, and numerous utility tunnel installations. He was an active participant in the conversion and renovation of obsolete loft buildings to commercial and residential reuse throughout the city, including Riverworks on Goose Island, Lincoln Lofts in Lakeview, 1415 Dayton and 1333 Kingsbury in the Halsted Triangle. During his tenure as a principal of Structured Development, the firm completed over 2,000,000 square feet of product including Lincoln Park Center, Blackhawk on Halsted, Kingsbury Center, and Kendall College at Riverworks. Mike has represented the Builders Association of Greater Chicago on the City's Minority Relations Committee, has served on the recent Land Use Task Force Committee, and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, and Lambda Alpha International. He is a 20-year member of World Presidents Organization, and a past President of Olympia Fields Country Club. He has also served on the Advisory Board for the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University for over a decade.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by his colleague and guest co-host LaTonya Ellis, and his former law school classmate, Nicole White, the newly appointed Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Avison Young. Avison Young is a full service global real estate company. Nicole and Phil briefly reminisce about their time as law students at DePaul University, but quickly jump into a conversation about Nicole's new role as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Avison Young: what it entails, her career trajectory and how the company has grown so fast in such a short amount of time, and challenges for growth and culture in a post pandemic world.During the episode, LaTonya shares that she too will be taking on a new position as Ice Miller's Director of Legal Operations and Knowledge Management. She and Nicole acknowledge that there is a degree of uncertainty that accompanies taking on a new role, but they both admit that they are more excited for the chance to leverage their talents in new and different ways. As their conversation continues, Phil, LaTonya and Nicole discuss the importance of workplace culture and how employees' priorities have shifted during the pandemic. In particular, they agree that strategic growth and a healthy, flexible workplace culture can help retain employees and sustain revenue. As Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Avison Young, Nicole promotes the firm's corporate culture of trust and integrity through strategic growth initiatives and the overall management of the firm's global legal affairs. She provides the senior leadership team and Board of Directors with legal guidance to achieve Avison Young's objectives, including leveraging multidimensional data, technology and consultative solutions that enable clients to achieve their unique and rapidly transforming goals. In addition, Nicole handles complex business matters, mitigates risk and protects the firm's competitive advantage. She also sits on the firm's Executive Committee.Prior to joining Avison Young, Nicole was an attorney for the Allstate Corporation. She earned her juris doctor from DePaul University College of Law and received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by his good friend, Colin Laitner, principal of Metis Capital, and General Counsel of Deeter Investments, based in Austin, Texas. During an engaging discussion, Phil and Colin examine the topic of Metaverse real estate – what it is, how it works and its extrinsic value. Recently, Metaverse real estate has been a hot topic in the news. With a supposed gold rush for Metaverse real estate happening, some early adopters have already invested millions of U.S. dollars in virtual property on platforms such as Axium Infinity, Sandbox and Decentral Land. Phil and Colin discuss these trends, draw parallels between Metaverse real estate and NFTs or “non-fungible tokens,” the relationship of crypto-currency to Metaverse real estate, and assess the potential value of Metaverse property. They also point out the similarities as well as the differences between Metaverse real estate and traditional real estate, and how concepts such as scarcity and human attention can actually drive value. As an attorney and real estate developer, Colin is knowledgeable about emerging financing methods like blockchain, and he regularly advises clients who are on the cutting edges of new transactional technologies. Colin leverages his extensive background in real estate and tax law to explain how transactions are completed in the Metaverse and how each transaction, including real estate, is taxed. Colin serves as general counsel and principal of Metis Capital, a commercial real estate development company based in Austin, Texas. Colin's diverse array of transactional, legal and developmental experience includes sales, mergers and acquisitions, ground-up project development, and ongoing operational roles. Colin has personally overseen over $100 million in transactions for Metis Capital's parent company, Deeter Investments LLP, and has been responsible for post-closing investor oversight, compliance, tax reporting and financing. Colin's development experience covers all project stages including the initial inception of concept; the feasibility, transactional, legal and planning stages; all build phases from ground up to finish out; the sales and lease processes; and closing. Currently, he is overseeing Metis' “Sheldon Cove” project in North-Central Austin, which will soon host the largest climbing gym in Texas. He also maintains a legal practice and is licensed in real estate by the Texas Real Estate Commission.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and co-host Jay Augustyn are joined by Nick Earls and Eric DiNicola, co-founders of Winterspring Capital. Phil and Jay sit down with Nick and Eric to discuss the pair's 20-year friendship and how they successfully developed a business and brand from their first real estate project, which included the renovation and sale of three condominium units in Boston. The Winterspring story is interesting in seeing how two friends can create a real estate development company, without deep pocket backers, by taking one step at a time, by building skills, by stepping out of their comfort zone and focusing on marketing, and by measuring each decision and learning lessons as they build for the future. Specifically, the group examines the pros and cons of funding projects with equity investments in lieu of debt; the company's marketing strategy and plans for future growth including writing books and articles for public consumption; the concept of the “karma economy”; and Winterspring's foray into Boston's affordable housing market. As co-founder and managing principal of Winterspring Capital, Nick Earls has over a decade of experience in all phases of commercial real estate, including asset management, sales, new construction development and property management. While building his own portfolio, he has also guided many investors down the path of multifamily investment, management or development. He is an expert on multifamily condominium development, underwriting, and asset management in the multifamily space and is also the author of the top-rated book, “Making Millions through Multi-Family Development.” Eric DiNicola is also a co-founder and managing principal of Winterspring Capital. His strong financial background spans over a decade. Eric began working in public equity in 2010 and moved into the private equity markets where he worked on valuations and capital raising. Joining forces with Nick in 2015, Eric leveraged his investment experience and expertise to accelerate the growth of Winterspring's real estate business. Heading up the company's acquisitions team, Eric leans on his extensive broker network to keep Winterspring's deal pipeline full. For more information, visit: https://winterspringcapital.com/

On the podcast, Phil and Mark discuss the process of debt placement and financing for all types of commercial real estate deals. In particular, they examine a particular type of financing from life insurance companies, and what those types of lenders look for in terms of deals. From there, they discuss the difference between lending sources, from life companies, to traditional banking, to CMBS loans, and current market trends stemming from COVID-19 fallout. Mark highlights the importance of relationships– both his own personal relationships and those cultivated throughout Draper and Kramer, Incorporated's over 125-year history – in finding the best deals for his borrower and lender clients.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by Dan Wagner, senior vice president of government relations at The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc. (Inland). During the episode, Phil and Dan discuss the history of Inland, the numerous benefits of 1031 like kind exchange, and Delaware Statutory Trusts. The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, one of the nation's largest commercial real estate and finance groups, was founded over 50 years ago by four Chicago public school teachers. Dan gives Phil an overview of the firm's modest beginnings, from its initial founding to its transformation into one of the largest residential real estate company in Chicago, and then pivots to big box retail, among other investments. Dan explains that due to tax law changes in the 1980s, Inland's four founders saved their investors from potential ruin by calling upon the Treasury to create Delaware Statutory Trust. Phil and Dan further discuss the intricacies and myriad benefits of the 1031 like kind exchange, the “401K of real estate,” and how these transactions can be used to make a positive impact on the economy. As Vice President of Government Relations at Inland, Dan keeps the company's leadership up to date on regulatory and legislative issues. He regularly interfaces with government leaders and associations on behalf of the company to ensure that important policies are implemented and upheld. Dan also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Conservation Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring the natural environment in northeastern Illinois. The Inland Real Estate of Companies manages millions of square feet of commercial property in 49 states. As a business incubator, Inland supports its member companies that provide commercial real estate-related services and alternative investment funds, including limited partnerships, institutional funds and non-listed and listed REITs, and investment advice. For more information, please visit: https://inlandgroup.com/

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by guest co-host Tyler Kalachnik, a partner in Ice Miller's Public Finance Group, and featured guest Matt Fiascone, President of The Habitat Company. In recognition of The Habitat Company's 50th year in business anniversary, the group discusses the history of the company and its full spectrum of offerings in the multifamily housing space from affordable public housing development to luxury condominium third-party management. They dive deeper into current trends in affordable housing, the explosion of LIHTC deals and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. With Matt's broad real estate experience, he is able to provide keen insights into managing people, creating culture and running a sustainable real estate business. Tyler Kalachnik is a partner in and vice chair of the Firm's Public Finance Group. Tyler has served as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, disclosure counsel and borrower's counsel for both long-term and short-term financings involving the pledge of revenues, taxes or a combination thereof. Tyler also has experience in transactions involving letters of credit, standby bond purchase agreements, interest rate and commodity swaps.Tyler has participated in financings including single and multi-family housing projects, airports, municipal gas utilities, prepaid natural gas transactions, municipal water utilities, Indiana's State Revolving Fund Program, solid waste disposal facilities, 501(c)(3) organizations and temporary loan warrants for political subdivisions and school corporations. Tyler also works in the Public Finance Group's rebate calculation practice. President of The Habitat Company, Matt Fiascone has led a full range of real estate development and investment activities for more than 30 years. Since joining The Habitat Company in 2011, Matt has been instrumental in strategizing, executing and managing capital events including development joint ventures, recapitalization of existing ventures and acquisitions. Matt has also established new relationships for both debt and equity, as well as strategic partnerships.As president he leads the creation and integration of the vision and growth of Habitat. During his tenure he has overseen the expansion of the company's footprint and assets under management with a focus on continuously enhancing the company's culture for its team members, partners and residents.Previously, Matt served as senior vice president for Inland Real Estate Development Corporation, where he originated and implemented real estate transactions involving assets valued at over $1 billion and negotiated and managed equity joint ventures.Matt serves as vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Inland Bank and Trust and is a member of Lambda Alpha (a Land Economics Honorary Society), the Urban Land Institute and the National Multifamily Housing Council. Matt has been a frequent speaker and panelist for industry events. In addition, he is a licensed real estate broker in Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin and Missouri.For more information, please visit https://www.habitat.com/.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and his frequent co-host Jay Augustyn are joined by Willie Hoag, Principal and Co-Founder of Tether Advisors, a real estate advisory company founded in August 2020 during the tumult of the global pandemic. Tether Advisors works with high-growth businesses to help them achieve national reach and alternatively with developers, REITs and private equity to help them find stable tenants and businesses with strong futures. Tether links brands, developers and private equity to physical locations that fit perfectly in the lives of customers. Tether also focuses on “medtail” – the initiative by medical service providers to bring prevention and wellness services to underserved areas via brick and mortar facilities located in shopping centers and other historically retail-focused properties. During the podcast, Willie discusses his background and what led to the creation of Tether Advisors. Willie shared his insight into the changing real estate model with landlords exploring opportunities outside traditional retail and how he can focus on building value for his clients. Willie encourages the Tether team to embrace a long-term approach to client services and to remain keenly aware of trends and technology that will augment or disrupt the businesses that Tether serves. Willie developed his consultative acumen at Mid-America for more than 15 years, where he was a Partner and Director of Tenant Representation for the leading full-service retail real estate firm in the Midwest. In that capacity, Willie educated developers on the benefits of medtail brands, bringing change and success in a space that had long-held misconceptions and stigmas.At Tether, Willie facilitates the expansion needs and real estate challenges of a dozen tenants throughout the Midwest and nationally. His many national relationships transcend verticals and foster his true passions: solving problems and refining brands, linking experts to the obstacles they may uniquely solve. For more information, please visit https://www.tetheradvisors.com/.

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by CEO of Freedom Venture Investments, Dave Seymour. On this extremely entertaining episode, Phil and Dave discuss private equity real estate investing in the lower-middle market in Florida and challenges and opportunities in the current climate. In addition, Dave explains his journey from firefighter to fundraiser and private capital investor. They cover everything from deciding which deals to fund to raising capital and to adjusting to the market. Freedom Venture Investments is a private equity real estate firm delivering institutional-quality management and operations to the lower-middle multifamily sector. The firm is based in south Florida and predominantly acquires assets within the southeast market. Their partners enjoy passive, income-producing returns—plus additional gains upon the property's sale. Each of the Freedom Venture principals, at some point in their careers, left the safety of employment and went on to build successful businesses with profitable exits. They created Freedom Venture because they believe it is the best place to grow their own portfolios. They came together out of choice with purposeful intention and a common goal to build wealth for themselves and their investors through cash flowing real estate. With more than two decades experience operating in the Florida market, the management team has built an extensive network of relationships with local and national brokers, lenders and special service providers experienced in distressed commercial real estate. These relationships provide superior access to investment opportunities. Dave Seymour, a retired 16-year veteran of the fire service, launched his real estate career more than a decade ago, rapidly becoming one of the country's top investors. Within his first few years, Dave transacted tens of millions of dollars of real estate and has become one of the nation's leading experts in commercial multi-family transactions. His unabridged passion for business and real estate put him on the radar of A&E television network, as well as multiple news organizations like CBS, ABC, CNBC and FOX News. “Flipping Boston” aired on A&E for multiple seasons. Dave has been sought after, as a no-nonsense investor with zero tolerance for inefficiency and speculation. Dave is well-known for doing business alongside investors of all experience levels and has helped accredited investors on their very first deal, as well as guided some of the largest investment firms in the nation through complex transactions. Dave's blue-collar attitude in a white-collar world is why investors seek his advice and want to invest alongside his team at Freedom Venture Investments. His partnership with Shark Tank's Kevin Harrington has disrupted the Private Equity landscape allowing investors access to institutional quality CRE assets that have typically only been for the elite.For more information, please visit https://www.freedomventure.com/.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by two guests from Cotter Consulting, Founder and President Anne Cotter and Group Manager Deeta Bernstein, to talk sustainability, which is an important and growing characteristic of real estate development. Phil and Anne first discuss Cotter's role as an owner's rep project and construction firm. Being an owner's rep means Cotter becomes an extension of the client's staff. Cotter serves clients with projects from transportation and aviation to buildings, as well as those in the energy sector, providing project management and construction management services, and then project control services, which is cost schedule information management and data management. Anne also lets Phil in on her entrepreneurial journey to found and grow this great company as a women-owned business. Throughout her 40-year career in the Chicago construction industry, Anne Cotter has provided program, project and construction management services for diverse corporate, public and institutional clients. As Founder and President of Cotter Consulting, Anne built a purpose-driven organization that contributes to project success and provides value to clients through leadership and results. A strategist and groundbreaking industry leader, Anne was the first woman to be named President of the Chicago Building Congress and was the recipient of the organization's 2018 Award of Honor. She has served on industry Board's such as Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, Bradley University Civil Engineering & Construction Advisory Council, and is affiliated with the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). As Group Manager for Cotter Consulting, Deeta Bernstein has been helping clients to achieve their project, program and sustainability goals for more than 25 years. She is passionate about accelerating the adoption of sustainable practices to create a more environmentally sustainable world while ensuring project performance. In her role as Sustainability Manager for the Public Building Commission of Chicago's (PBC) Program Management team, the intersection of her program expertise and her passion for sustainability was instrumental in supporting the $2.6B+ program, which has resulted in close to 100 LEED certified projects to date and has helped to re-frame sustainability expectations in the city of Chicago.

Today on Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and his co-host Jay Augustyn are joined by Joe Moriarty of Dayton Street Partners LLC (Dayton Street), a commercial real estate investment and development firm focused on the acquisition and development of high barrier to entry infill industrial and logistics properties.On the podcast, Joe shares Dayton Street’s current investment thesis and passion for challenging development projects. Joe discusses Dayton Street’s pursuit of industrial development projects outside of the Chicagoland area and the process by which the Dayton Street team cultivates relationships with key constituencies in the new markets. Joe then shares his thoughts on why he remains bullish on industrial and logistics facility development as we approach living in a post-pandemic world. Joe Moriarty is a Director of Acquisitions at Dayton Street, where he is responsible for sourcing industrial real estate acquisitions and land for development opportunities. He co-heads the firm’s acquisition efforts throughout the Midwest, while also focusing on Atlanta and the greater Southeast. Prior to joining Dayton Street, Joe worked in the Capital Markets Group at JLL where he specialized in office transactions. Joe began his career in 2013 as an analyst for GE Capital Real Estate and graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Kansas. For more information, please visit https://www.daytonstreetllc.com/.

In this episode of the Real Estate for Breakfast podcast, host Phil Coover and co-host Jay Augustyn are joined by another dynamic duo, Patrick Russo and Brian Duffy of Stream Realty Partners (Stream), a full-service real estate platform representing clients in connection with the investment, acquisition, development and management of real estate across asset classes throughout the United States. On the podcast, Patrick and Brian explain how Stream’s core values inform their approach to pursuing new business relationships while cultivating the Stream team here in Chicago and throughout Stream’s geographical footprint. Patrick and Brian discuss the current challenges and opportunities for investors, owners and tenants when evaluating Chicago’s real estate market. They also share stories of Stream’s recent wins in the Chicago market and how asset management changes necessitated by COVID-19 presented new opportunities for innovations to a team that embraces innovation as part of its ethos. As an example, Stream describes the recent “Rapid Office” concept and how this new innovation is attracting tenants even in an office market environment with substantial vacancies. Patrick and Brian provide their expectations for Chicago real estate’s post-pandemic future and what that means for Stream’s clients and the market generally. Patrick Russo is an Executive Managing Director at Stream, where he leads the strategic direction and operations of the Chicago office. Patrick’s primary responsibilities include expanding Stream’s acquisition, development, leasing, and property management platforms and building Stream’s presence in the greater Chicago market. Prior to joining Stream, Patrick was with Lincoln Property Company for more than seven years where he most recently served as Vice President of Acquisitions and Asset Management. While at Lincoln, he assisted in acquisition activities on assets with an aggregate value of more than $700 million on behalf of joint venture and separate account clients. In addition, he was responsible for an asset management portfolio of more than 2.3 million square feet of commercial assets that was valued at more than $500 million. Brian Duffy is a Senior Vice President of the firm’s tenant representation team in Chicago. He is responsible for growing all facets of the tenant representation business including serving existing and expanding new client relationships while recruiting and retaining top-tier talent. In addition to driving the tenant representation business in Chicago, Brian is responsible for identifying and executing acquisition and development opportunities. Prior to joining Stream, Brian spent seven years at Cushman & Wakefield where he was most recently a Director on the tenant representation team. In that role, Brian participated in more than 125 transactions valued at close to $600 million. His experience spans all industries including professional services, technology, legal, manufacturing and finance.For more information, please visit https://streamrealty.com/locations/chicago/.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover, joined by co-host Jay Augustyn, chats with Todd Roffman and Jordan Scheiman of Highline Hospitality Partners (HHP), a family office platform focusing on investments in hospitality assets throughout the United States. On the podcast, Todd and Jordan discuss their backgrounds in hospitality investment and asset management and what excites them about the potential of the HHP platform. Todd and Jordan highlight the advantages of operating as part of a family office platform—greater flexibility in identification of investment opportunities throughout the capital stack, return thresholds and asset hold timeframes. They then share lessons learned in hospitality asset management throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and outline innovations that will endure beyond the end of the pandemic. Todd and Jordan provide their insights into the current state of the hospitality market and opportunities for debt and equity investment in hotel assets in the post-pandemic world. Todd Roffman is a partner at HHP, responsible for identifying and evaluating new investments in the hospitality sector and asset management of HHP’s existing hospitality portfolio. Prior to joining Highline, Todd was a Director at Garrison Investment Group, a New York based private equity fund, where he was responsible for executing on new hotel acquisitions as well as all aspects of asset management of Garrison’s hospitality portfolio (peak exposure of 55 hotels and nearly 10,000 keys). In his time at Garrison from 2013 through 2019, Todd lead or assisted in the acquisition of 44 hotels totaling more than 7,000 keys with a combined value in excess of $830MM. Todd received a B.A. in Economics from Tufts University. Jordan Scheiman is a managing director at HHP, responsible for sourcing, evaluating and capitalizing new debt investments in the hospitality sector. Prior to joining Highline, Jordan was a Vice President in the Investment Group of Rockbridge Capital, a private equity fund manager focused exclusively on investments in the hospitality space. Before Rockbridge, Jordan was a Director of Garrison Investment Group where he was responsible for managing all real estate financings across multiple active closed-end private equity funds and separately managed accounts for the firm’s approximately $2 billion in commercial real estate assets under management. Jordan holds a B.A. in Economics and Spanish (Phi Beta Kappa) from Vanderbilt University.For more information, please visit https://highlinehp.com/

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover and his co-host Jay Augustyn chat with Brett Holmes and Andrew Dealy, co-founders and managing partners of Steel City Management (SCM), a Chicago-based boutique investment company that develops and manages real estate projects for high net worth individuals and institutional investors. Founded in 2015, SCM identifies innovate investment opportunities that generate sustainable, risk-adjusted return for its investors. On the podcast, Brett and Andrew discuss their backgrounds and initial forays into real estate investment, sharing lessons learned from hands-on ownership and management of multi-family assets in Chicago. Brett and Andrew then describe the evolution of SCM’s capital deployment strategy, focusing on investments in single-family residential rental community development. The single-family residential rental product is increasingly popular with individuals and families across generations who increasingly value flexibility but demand high-quality living spaces and amenities typically associated with home ownership. Brett and Andrew describe in detail the successes earned and challenges overcome with their most recent single-family residential rental investments in the suburbs of Minneapolis, MN and Nashville, TN. They also share their outlook for the future of single-family residential rental development and those markets that are ripe for that product. Brett Holmes has more than 13 years of real estate investment experience. His investment experience includes luxury rehab, value-add multifamily, ground-up single family rental and multifamily development. Brett’s skills include real estate financial modeling, deal structuring, equity syndications, investor relations and capital raising. Brett also has a decade of interest rate futures trading experience at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Board of Trade, where he specialized in financial modeling, trade execution, and portfolio risk management.Brett volunteers as a Board Member of Autism Speaks to Young Professionals in Chicago. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University where he played varsity soccer. He also completed the Commercial Real Estate Investment Course at MIT’s School of Architecture & Planning. Andrew Dealy has more than 12 years of real estate investment experience. This experience includes value-add multifamily contracting, single family rental development, deal initiation, property management, investor relations and capital raising. Andrew has nine years of securities trading experience on trading desks and in the open outcry markets at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), specializing in trade execution, deal flow, and portfolio risk management.Andrew holds a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University where he played varsity soccer.Learn more about Steel City Management: www.steelcitymgmt.com/.

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by Noah Birk and Aaron Sklar, partners with the Kiser Group and two of the highest-grossing brokers of multifamily housing in Chicago. Phil, Noah and Aaron discuss the state of the multi-family market in 2021, as well as how COVID-19 and other events in 2020 impacted the market. Noah Birk focuses on the disposition of apartment buildings on the South side of Chicago and is Chicago’s highest producing multifamily broker. Since 2014, he has sold more apartment buildings than any other broker in Chicago. He has a reputation of persistence, market knowledge and integrity, which has led to achieving record-setting results for his clients. Noah stays active in the real estate community as a member of the South Side Community Investment Association (SSCIA) and Young Real Estate Professionals (YREP). He is also an experienced operator of his own personal multifamily portfolio. Aaron Sklar assists investors, developers and property owners on the acquisition and disposition of south side multifamily properties. He has established himself as a multifamily market leader throughout the south side of Chicago, including South Shore, Jackson Park and Chatham. Since 2015, Aaron has successfully completed transactions in excess of $165 million on behalf of his clients, encompassing more than 130 properties and 3,000 units. He has been named a CRE Future Leader by RE Journals, named One To Watch by Bisnow and is regularly mentioned and quoted by an assortment of news and media outlets. In 2017 and 2019, Aaron earned Kiser Group’s Top Closer award. Additionally, he earned two 2019 Commercial Forum Top Producer awards by the Chicago Association of REALTORS, including Platinum for Multifamily Transactions and Gold for Multifamily Sales Volume.For more information, please visit https://kisergroup.com/.

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by President of James McHugh Construction Company Michael Meagher. Many of the buildings that make up the Chicago skyline were constructed by McHugh, including the Vista Tower, which is now the third tallest building in Chicago. Phil and Mike discuss what it was like to build the Vista Tower during the pandemic and how COVID-19 has impacted the construction industry, from material shortages and labor challenges to enhanced safety protocols. In addition, they discuss the 100 Club of Chicago, which provides much needed immediate relief and support to the families of deceased first responders. Michael Meagher is directly responsible for the overall strategic direction and vision fulfilment for James McHugh Construction Co. Additionally, he reports to the Board of Directors of McHugh Enterprises. He oversees all general contracting activities and associated operations. Starting in the industry as a summer worker for four consecutive years, Meagher took an immediate liking to jobsites and seeing a project from start to completion. Immediately out of college he was hired at James McHugh Construction Co, as an estimator with the company. For over 30 years he exemplifies the company culture of loyalty, promoting within and client satisfaction. He works closely with the company’s senior management team in developing accountable project teams that are empowered to make decisions on the project site to eliminate bureaucracy and provide a seamless project experience. Eliminating obstacles and providing support to project teams is a cornerstone of the management teams’ approach.Meagher is dedicated to maintaining strong working relationships with clients, ensuring that McHugh’s storied reputation for delivering quality construction solutions is upheld.As part of his successful strategy of building lasting client relationships and staying on the cutting edge of construction trends, Meagher has led McHugh’s development of a long-term partnership with the U.S. Navy at its Great Lakes Naval Station. He spearheaded the company’s design-build efforts for the $62 million MCPON Plackett Manor Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, whose success spurred the Navy to designate it as a prototype for design-build programs. Since then, Meagher also led a McHugh team to its creation of a design-build program for the Navy’s cutting-edge Battle Stations 21 training simulator.Meagher has been with McHugh his entire post-collegiate career, starting as an assistant project engineer/estimator, responsible for quantity and labor estimates for rehabilitation and interior projects. He then became a project manager, overseeing retail, office, and healthcare projects. Later, Meagher was asked to set up and manage a marketing department for the firm. As business development manager, he developed target markets and led sales and marketing efforts focused on large, complex construction projects, often in the $100 to $500 million range. Meagher became an officer of the firm in 1997.During this time, McHugh recognized the potential for great opportunities overseas and construction offices were established in Moscow, Russia and Prague, the Czech Republic. From Chicago, Meagher directed the Eastern European sales and marketing efforts, earning their first major client, Boeing Commercial Aircraft Group. He then helped develop a stand-alone sales and marketing office in Eastern Europe. Although the company concluded its Moscow operations because of a failing Russian economy, it maintained many of the corporate relationships Meagher helped build.Meagher also spearheads corporate goodwill efforts for McHugh, including the firm’s pro bono construction of the Special Olympics Eternal Flame of Hope Memorial, Ford Heights Little League Baseball Field, and the Chicago Youth Program headquarters. He has served as chairman on the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, the board of Catholic Charities of Chicago, and Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. He currently serves as president of the board of the 100 Club of Chicago, and president of the Chicagoland Associated General Contractors. Meagher also serves on the board of McHugh Enterprises, Inc.For more information, please visit http://mchughconstruction.com/.

On this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover chats with Mark Wight, Chairman and CEO of Wight & Company, about the intricacies and challenges of architectural design and construction and the efficiencies to the client of a vertically integrated design-led firm that handles design to delivery all in one shop. They discuss some current Wight & Company projects, including the Will County courthouse where the focus is transparency. Phil and Mark also discuss how the COVID-19 global pandemic and the shift to remote working have impacted design and workplace trends and how the company is handling the pandemic. Mark Wight is Chairman and CEO of Wight & Company, an award-winning architecture, engineering and construction firm that has been in business for more than 80 years. Originally founded by Col. Raulin B. Wight as a civil engineering firm, Wight & Company continues the tradition with a highly acclaimed group of transportation and infrastructure professionals. When Mark took the helm in 1987, he disrupted the industry by pioneering Design Led-Design Build, an integrated model of project delivery promising design and delivery excellence at unrivaled schedule and cost savings. This multidisciplinary approach connects architects to the cost implications of their design decisions and centers the collaborative process as the key to discovering the most creative and responsible solutions. Wight & Company is known for innovative ideas, technologies and responsible solutions ahead of their time. As a result, our company has been at the forefront of delivering environmental solutions that were once unorthodox but eventually became mainstream. The company’s culture of sustainability was integral to the successful completion of the first LEED Pilot Project. The construction value of the firm’s work in progress is over $1B annually and is continually ranked among the top firms in the country. The company has won numerous awards for its work from the American Institute of Architects, Landmarks Illinois, Design-Build Institute of America, U.S. Green Building Council, and many others. The greatest reward for Mark is working with the brightest people in the industry. Today, the firm boasts a visionary and vibrant culture of around 200 design, engineering, and construction specialists, dedicated to creating meaningful impact in the world today and in perpetuity. Mark earned a B.A. from Reed College and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. While never formally trained in architecture, engineering or construction, Mark has been a determined student of the industry for more than 32 years. Learn more at: https://www.wightco.com/

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover discusses diversity and inclusion with colleague and Ice Miller Practice Group Director LaTonya Ellis and Walker & Dunlop Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Jason Golub. The guests discuss the topics of diversity and inclusion—how those concepts are similar and how they are different—and why more and more real estate companies are hiring diversity and inclusion leaders and placing a greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion for business, moral, ethical and innovation propositions. Matt Miller, Ice Miller Partner and Chair of the Firm’s Racial Justice Task Force But first, Phil introduces special guest Matt Miller, Ice Miller partner and chair of the Firm’s Racial Justice Task Force. As Matt details, the Task Force is really expanding efforts beyond diversity and inclusion, which is traditionally internal, to be the outward face of the Firm as it channels Ice Miller’s highly motivated and highly skilled human resources to address issues of racial injustice in the law and in our communities. Matthew J. Miller is a partner in Ice Miller’s Municipal Finance Group. Matt has served as bond counsel, disclosure counsel and underwriter’s counsel on over 100 financings, including various short-term and long-term general obligation financings, revenue financings, working cash financings, refunding transactions and special obligation financings issued by states, large municipalities and transit systems, counties, villages, school districts and other special districts. Matt has specific experience in public transportation and airport-related financings. LaTonya Ellis, Ice Miller Practice Group Director LaTonya Ellis serves as a practice group director in Ice Miller’s Real Estate and Municipal Finance Practice Groups. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of administration, management and day-to-day business operations for the Groups.In her role, LaTonya works closely with Firm leadership to design and implement strategic plans and develop innovative approaches to business operations and development to help execute the Groups’ business plans. LaTonya also is responsible for implementation of synergies, efficiencies and best practices across the practice groups. Jason Golub, Walker & Dunlop Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Jason Golub joined Walker & Dunlop in September 2020 as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). In this new role, Mr. Golub is responsible for accelerating and strengthening the company’s commitment to DE&I. Mr. Golub will develop and execute a strategy that further incorporates a diversity lens into the firm's culture, which includes changes to how the firm innovates, serves clients, helps communities, and supports employees. He is responsible for improving Walker & Dunlop’s existing DE&I strategies and initiatives, as well as helping to foster an environment in which diversity and inclusion are a central and driving force across the firm. As part of his role, Mr. Golub will focus on diverse leadership development, retention strategy, supplier diversity, multicultural talent acquisition, and corporate initiatives that drive inclusion and create an equitable environment for all employees. As Vice President, he also advises Walker & Dunlop’s Council for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, supports and expands the company’s employee resource groups (including the Women of Walker & Dunlop and the Minority Employees Resource Group for Empowerment / Engagement / Elevation), and helps strengthen the company’s external DE&I strategy through organizational partnerships and thought leadership. Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Mr. Golub was a senior leader at GE legal, where he focused on high-risk investigations, workplace culture and training, and compliance, while also serving as a senior member of the company's Diversity & Inclusion Council for five years. Earlier this year, he was appointed the chair of the Police Reform and Re-imagination Task Force in Saratoga Springs, NY, a Governor Cuomo-mandated task force aimed at police reform and reducing racial inequality. Golub holds a Bachelor of Arts from Connecticut College and a juris doctor from Columbia University, School of Law, where he focused on human rights law. To learn more, visit https://www.walkerdunlop.com/power-people/diversity/. To learn more about Ice Miller’s Racial Justice Task Force, visit https://www.icemiller.com/racial-justice-task-force/. To learn more about Ice Miller’s Diversity and Inclusion efforts, visit https://www.icemiller.com/firm/diversity-information/.

In this episode, host Phil Coover welcomes Marcus & Millichap Regional Manager David Bradley to discuss commercial real estate investment brokerage and financing services in the Chicago market. Phil and David specifically discuss the mechanics of sale-leaseback transactions and how these transactions can be structured to unlock value and benefit the long-term goals of both the buyers and sellers. They also discuss the challenges and rewards of managing a team of ambitious professionals and, of course, the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on real estate. David Bradley is the Regional Manager of Marcus & Millichap’s Chicago Downtown office. He joined Marcus & Millichap as an agent in 2004. He held executive positions within the firm in Florida, Washington DC and Virginia before being promoted to Regional Manager of the Chicago Downtown office in November 2016. David graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial and organizational psychology with minors in business, labor relations and dispute management and negotiations.For more information, please visit https://www.marcusmillichap.com/.

In this episode, host Phil Coover and Jay Augustyn of Ice Miller LLP are joined by Zio Pekovic and Rob Sadoff of Scarlett Hotel Group, a hotel owner and operator based in Chicago, to discuss the hospitality industry and its challenges in the face of COVID-19. Despite these challenges, Scarlett Hotel Group maintains a growth mindset, exploring distressed investments and creditor advisory opportunities. Scarlett Hotel Group proactively and transparently implemented procedural and practical changes in hotel operations and infrastructure to safeguard guest and employee health and safety in response to COVID-19. Mr. Zio Pekovic is a co-founder and principal of Scarlett Hotel Group. During his career, Mr. Pekovic has cultivated strong relationships with owners, brokers and financial institutions throughout the country and internationally, allowing him to identify both on- and off-market opportunities for investors. His focus includes identifying and analyzing potential hotel investments and structuring joint-venture partnerships with private equity funds, endowment funds, family offices and private investors. Mr. Pekovic is also involved in asset management and investor relations and is responsible for third-party management and receivership opportunities. Mr. Rob Sadoff is a co-founder and principal of Scarlett Hotel Group where his focus is in the investment and development of hotel real estate assets. Since the formation of his new company in 2017, Mr. Sadoff has managed the execution of each transaction for the company’s portfolio of owned hotels. His expertise in deal structuring, franchising, financing and legal oversight provides the team with the confidence to execute and close on each transaction. Additionally, Rob’s strong business reputation of high ethics has been the catalyst for the addition of new capital and joint venture partners.Jay Augustyn is a Partner in Ice Miller’s Real Estate Practice. He represents clients in all manners of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing and joint ventures. Jay also advises investors, developers and entrepreneurs in fund formation and investment matters with respect to the federal Opportunity Zone program and other federal, state and local programs to improve efficiency of project financing.For more information, visit https://scarletthotelgroup.com/.

In the latest episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by living Chicago real estate legend Bob Wislow. Phil and Bob discuss the properties managed and developed by Parkside Realty throughout Chicago, including the ground-up development of Fulton East – a 12 story commercial building including 5,000 square feet of retail, 3 levels of enclosed parking and 8 stories of office space. The top is crowned with an 8,000 square feet outdoor space. Fulton East is the nation’s first office building designed to deliver health-focused operating solutions for the post-COVID-19 business environment, and is receiving national publicity and attention. Each of the 10,605 square foot floor plans enable flexible, custom planning options to accommodate safe social distancing. State-of-the-art wellness features include a hands-free elevator system and air and surface disinfection systems housed within a beautiful glass and steel grid exterior design that fits the historic district where the property is located. Bob Wislow is chairman and CEO of Parkside Realty, Inc. In 1978, Bob Wislow and Camille Julmy founded U.S. Equities Realty which they, together with Nancy Pacher, grew to be Chicago’s largest, privately-owned commercial real estate services firm. U.S. Equities has been responsible for a number of major projects including the development of the Harold Washington Library Center, Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Center For Care & Discovery and Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago, Poetry Foundation and John Stroger Hospital for Cook County; co-development of One Financial Place , Grand Plaza and The Cook County Hospital Headquarters and Clinic Building; and the redevelopments of the John Hancock Center, Willis Tower, 20 North Michigan, and 840 N. Michigan in Chicago; as well as overseeing the development of Compuware’s Headquarters in Detroit, Bank Boston’s Headquarters in both Argentina and Brazil, 618 S. Main in Ann Arbor, and in partnership with Clayco Centene’s Headquarters in St. Louis.In Spring 1999, U.S. Equities was retained by Millennium Park Inc., (the group representing the Park’s private donors) to oversee the design, engineering, fabrication and construction of Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion and BP Bridge, Anish Kapoor’s monumental Cloud Gate sculpture and Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain. In addition to development and project management services the firm provided tenant representation, asset and property management, leasing, real estate consulting, and financial and investment services. Its Chicago headquarters, directly across from Millennium Park, housed original works of art, including paintings, prints and sculpture by over 150 artists. Through its annual Artist in Residence program, the company commissioned artists to create original, limited edition books related to the cities where the firm did projects. After nearly four decades of success in Chicago, Wislow and his partners merged their firm into CBRE, the world's largest commercial real estate services firm, in the summer of 2014. At the time, U.S. Equities leased and managed 17 million square feet of Chicago property, including Willis Tower, 2.5 million square feet of office and retail space along Michigan Avenue, Union Station, Metra Market, and six Illinois tollway oases. The successfully merger brought more than 400 U.S. Equities employees under the CBRE flag. In August 2019, after five successful years with CBRE, that includes projects like the World’s largest Starbucks Roastery on Michigan Avenue, Wislow and Julmy formed a new, boutique real estate venture called Parkside Realty Inc. The real estate veterans will maintain their portfolio and develop new projects, such as Fulton East, a 12-story, 90,000-square-foot office and retail building under construction at 215 N. Peoria Street, in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market.A native Chicagoan, Wislow is known by friends as a dedicated heli-skier, road biker and fly fisherman, an avid arts supporter and longtime dedicated steward for civic engagement in Chicago. He has, or is serving, on the boards of many organizations and institutions, including the Chicago Public Library Foundation, Rush University Medical Center, Civic Committee, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Civic Consulting Alliance, CHICAGO Symphony Orchestra, Columbia College, North Central College and the Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Wislow has been honored with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Lifetime Achievement Award, the NAIOP Chicago Award for Excellence, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) Legacy Award. For more information on the Fulton East project, visit https://fulton-east.com/.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, host Phil Coover is joined by Senior Vice President of the Habitat Affordable Group, Charlton Hamer. Phil and Charlton discuss the affordable housing sector of the commercial real estate market, including development, funding and property management and operations. They discuss some interesting projects undertaken by the Habitat Affordable Group, including those in Opportunity Zones, and the impact of COVID-19 on affordable housing and commercial real estate. The Habitat Company is a full-service real estate company with a people-first foundation and an emphasis on service. As Senior Vice President of Habitat Affordable Group, Charlton Hamer provides leadership and oversight for all affordable housing clients, both development and property operations. Habitat’s affordable portfolio consists of 13,000+ units located in Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. Charlton's experience spans development and both asset and property management. His focus on top-level operations sets the stage for portfolio growth in the affordable housing market. Charlton has served in several leadership roles at real estate firms like Redstone Urban Properties, LLC; VESTA Corporation and Shore Area Community Development Corporation. Professionally, Charlton is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the American Planning Association and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. Additionally, he served as the chairman of the Bridgeport, Connecticut, Redevelopment Agency. Charlton holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He is a licensed real estate broker in the state of New York. For more information, please visit http://www.habitat.com/.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, Willy Walker, chairman and chief executive officer of publicly traded Walker & Dunlop, joins host Phil Coover to discuss the capital markets and the impact of the Great Recession and COVID-19 on that industry, as well as Walker and Dunlop’s explosive growth over the past 12 years. While discussing the evolution and growth of Walker & Dunlop, Mr. Walker and Phil discuss specific industry sectors such as hospitality and retail from both the landlord and tenant perspective. In addition, they dive into office space and how the need for and use of space may change moving forward. This includes a discussion of working from home and the development of corporate culture. Phil also gets the chance to ask Mr. Walker about the decision to take the company public and the ramifications of that decision. Willy Walker is chairman and chief executive officer of Walker & Dunlop. Under Mr. Walker’s leadership, Walker & Dunlop has grown from a small, family-owned business to become one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. Walker & Dunlop is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and was #17 on Fortune’s 2017 list of “Fastest Growing Public Companies.” The company has also been named a Best Workplace for five of the past six years by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Mr. Walker received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2011 and was named “Financier of the Year” in 2017 by Commercial Mortgage Observer.Mr. Walker received his master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University. He currently serves on the boards of Children's National Medical Center and the Mortgage Bankers Association, and he is a member of the Real Estate Roundtable. Mr. Walker is an avid runner, skier and cyclist, and has run the Boston Marathon in 2:36.For more information, visit https://www.walkerdunlop.com/.

In this episode, host Phil Coover is joined by Jay Soave and Matthew Burskey of Cadence Capital Partners LLC and Jay Augustyn of Ice Miller LLP. The Cadence team shares its approach to raising equity and placing debt for sponsors and developers to facilitate their real estate projects. Cadence employs a proprietary data-driven scoring system that evaluates and weighs deal vitals, demographics, trends and risk probability for its sponsor clients and capital sources. The discussion includes an insider’s look at how COVID-19 has impacted the retail and hospitality sectors and investments in Opportunity Zones. Jay Soave, Cadence Managing Principal Jay Soave in a Managing Principal at Cadence and leads the Chicago office with responsibility for sourcing debt and equity for all asset classes nationwide, focusing on the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast. Jay has structured, negotiated and closed sophisticated transactions for 16 years, representing over $15 billion in gross value. Before joining Cadence, Jay worked in Tishman Speyer for nine years as a Managing Director in the Transactional Tax Group based in New York. Before Tishman Speyer, Jay worked as an attorney in the Chicago offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Kirkland & Ellis, and Baker & McKenzie where he represented clients in mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, restructurings, and fund formation. Matthew Burskey, Cadence Partner Matthew Burskey is a Partner at Cadence and is responsible for the firm’s directional strategy and sourcing equity for all asset classes nationwide. Matt has established himself as an expert in the art of opportunity zone capital raises, yet his experiences spans all aspects of the capital raise spectrum.Jay Augustyn is a Partner in Ice Miller’s Real Estate Practice. He represents clients in all manners of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing and joint ventures. Jay also advises investors, developers and entrepreneurs in fund formation and investment matters with respect to the federal Opportunity Zone program and other federal, state and local programs to improve efficiency of project financing.For more information, visit the Cadence Capital Partners website: https://cadencerec.com/.

In this episode, host Phil Coover is joined by JLL Managing Director of Research and Strategy Christian Beaudoin and Ice Miller partner Jay Augustyn. As we all know, COVID-19 has caused an abrupt shift in workplace operations, many of which may have a lasting impact on how we work. For example, as we return to the office, we can expect a hyper-focus on health, wellness and safety. Post COVID-19, tenants and landlords will be looking for space designs that offer greater privacy and separation from others, as well as opportunities to collaborate and concentrate. We can expect flexible work schedules and locations, and our workplaces will need to accommodate these flexible needs. The amenities we expect from our workplaces will be different in a post COVID-19 world. Christian Beaudoin is a Director of Research and Strategy for JLL in the Americas. He manages a team of analysts and consultants covering market dynamics in office, industrial, multifamily, and retail properties. He is nationally recognized as a leader in site selection, and he drives industry-leading analysis on economics, real estate development, and market conditions. He has led several publications on cities and planning, and real estate strategy and trends. Christian advises many of the world’s largest organizations across multiple industries—including banking, consumer products, high-tech and government—on real estate strategy and development. Most recently, Christian led site selection project for Toyota in its decision to move its corporate headquarters from California to Texas and to locate its next generation auto plant in Huntsville, Alabama. He currently serves as an Advisor to the Obama Foundation on the planning, design and development of the Obama Presidential Center. He has presented at ULI, CoreNet, IFMA and related real estate association events and authored published papers on real estate trends, innovation and strategy.Learn more about Christian at www.joneslanglasalle.com. Please review the JLL article on this topic at: https://www.us.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights/research/2020-first-look-navigating-post-COVID-19

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, Antonia Cardone, Americas Lead of Total Workplace for Cushman & Wakefield, joins Phil to discuss the return to work following the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home restrictions. Cushman & Wakefield has helped numerous businesses return to work in China and across Asia, and Antonia brings that experience and knowledge to this discussion. Antonia and Phil discuss how businesses can prepare now to return to work in the future and think about what the future at work will be like and what we know now about people working from home. They discuss the “6 Feet Office” and other considerations as we go back to our offices, including maintaining social distance, minimizing touch points and managing any contamination. The return to work will be gradual and businesses can prepare the building, workforce and organization now for that transition. In the long run, technology will be key. The role of the office and how we create community and culture will change and evolve. Antonia Cardone is Americas Lead of Total Workplace for Cushman & Wakefield. In this role, she supports clients and accounts challenged to create work environments that best support their people and business goals. Antonia’s specialties include innovative workplace strategies, activity based work settings, dynamic facilitation skills, sensitive change management, effective occupancy strategies and focused project management. She and her team serve clients by creating strategic plans to optimize space utilization; create dynamic, flexible work environments; and support change and future-ready spaces and portfolios. As well as providing stand-alone advisory services, the team has strong synergies with other services already available to Cushman & Wakefield clients, in particular, portfolio strategy, project management, brokerage and facilities management.Visit cushmanwakefield.com for access to a range of online collateral including: podcasts, infographics, guides and articles.

In this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, Phil is joined by two of his Ice Miller colleagues: partner Brian Crist and partner Josh Christie. Phil, Brian and Josh discuss the ongoing economic impact of COVID-19 across a variety of sectors and the hot topics surrounding stimulus and relief packages. They also discuss legislation and federal stimulus packages including: the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Stabilization program, the Main Street Lending Program, the Fannie-Freddie Mortgage Forbearance Program and other available programs. In addition, they discuss what landlords and tenants are doing in the current situation. The impact of various state and federal orders to suspend or stay rent and tax collections, evictions and mortgage payments is also explored. The purpose of this podcast is try to wrap our arms around the various stimulus and legislative packages at play, provide some practical tips and guidance from practitioners who are living this on a daily basis and see how businesses are responding at this current time. Brian Crist is a partner at Ice Miller and concentrates his practice in business, real estate, environmental, public/private partnership and privatization law. He represents and counsels clients on all aspects of the acquisition, disposition, redevelopment, leasing and financing of commercial real estate assets across the country. Brian has provided counsel to an international real estate development company on numerous transactions related to its Shari'ah compliant real estate investment funds, including serving as lead counsel with respect to a $100 million acquisition of leasehold interests in two office parks in Boca Raton, Florida in a multi-tiered ground lease structure owned by several municipal entities. He has also represented publicly-traded real estate investments trusts and privately held developers over a sustained period of time with respect to the development, acquisition, sale and financing of single property and portfolio transactions throughout the country. Brian also has provided counsel with respect to properties with environmental problems commonly called "brownfield redevelopment projects." His legal practice also includes extensive experience in advising clients with respect to public/private partnerships and public infrastructure transactions. Learn more about Brian Crist: https://www.icemiller.com/people/brian-c-crist/. Joshua Christie is a partner in the Firm's Business Group. Josh primarily focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate transactions, commercial agreements, general corporate matters and financing transactions including commercial lending transactions. Josh's practice also includes advising clients, including governmental entities, municipalities, bidders and developers, in public-private partnerships. His P3 experience involves a number of jurisdictions, projects and industries. Josh has assisted clients in the analysis, negotiation, documentation and consummation of a variety of transactions, including the acquisition and sale of assets and equity, equity issuances, financing and re-financing, mergers and joint venture formations. Josh also has experience representing borrowers, lenders and investors in financing transactions. He has assisted entrepreneurs in entity formation and other legal matters related to starting new businesses.Josh also assists clients in the preparation, drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements, including the sale, purchase, supply, distribution and manufacture of products and services. His experience in this area also has touched a number of areas, including the manufacturing, distribution, logistics, chemical, life sciences, food products and consulting industries. In addition, Josh helps clients navigate and make informed decisions with regard to general corporate matters, including entity formation, the sale and issuance of securities, advising boards of directors and other corporate governance issues, including fiduciary duties of directors and officers and corporate policies and procedures.Learn more about Josh Christie: https://www.icemiller.com/people/joshua-l-christie/.

In this emergency episode of Real Estate for Breakfast, Phil has Spencer Levy, Chairman of Americas Research and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE, to discuss the imminent recession and COVID-19’s impact on the commercial real estate markets. In the past week, entire cities (San Francisco), bars and restaurants have been shut down across the country, retail companies have voluntarily shuttered (Apple, Nike, Abercrombie and Fitch, etc.), airlines have reduced flights by 40% or more, unemployment is expected to rise, and consumer demand has fallen off a cliff. Spencer comes in to discuss how this will play out on a macroeconomic level, and more specifically, what will happen to the hospitality markets, retail markets, housing markets, senior housing markets, and more. Furthermore, if hospitality and restaurants fail and vacancies rise, will there be a ripple of loan defaults and foreclosures? Spencer also gives us a unique insight on deal flow, the debt and capital markets, and summarizes the COVID-19 impact on commercial real estate. Spencer Levy is Chairman of Americas Research for CBRE and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE. He plays an integral role in the development and implementation of the global research strategy and business plan. A CBRE veteran of more than 10 years, Spencer had previously served as Executive Managing Director in the company’s Capital Markets division. Mr. Levy oversees the analytical activities of the CBRE research community within the Americas region and is responsible for the management of hundreds of professionals who are focused on producing market-leading insight and interpretative analysis on the latest real estate trends. Mr. Levy supports CBRE executives in their decision-making by providing insight into the impact of market trends related to strategic business planning, and analyst call preparation. He serves as principal external spokesperson on real estate issues in the Americas region and has considerable media experience, providing market commentary for many national television, newspaper and internet outlets. Mr. Levy joined CBRE in 2007 to lead the U.S. Eastern Division of the Capital Markets platform. Since then, he has assumed positions of increasing responsibility. As a part of senior management for the Capital Markets platform, Mr. Levy provided leadership for several areas in the United States and Latin America. Mr. Levy provided additional oversight of Retail, Auction and Investment Banking in the United States. He also directly serves a number of major clients. Learn more at: http://www.cbre.us/people-and-offices/spencer-levyWashington Post Article on Impending Recession: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/14/recession-economy-coronavirus-jobs/

On this episode, Alpha Capital CRE Managing Director Trisha Connolly joins Phil to discuss building the capital stacks, money, and the various types of financing and equity investments available. Alpha Capital CRE started in 2008 as a hedge fund placement agent firm raising institutional capital for fund to funds. In 2010, Alpha Capital transitioned to a capital markets platform. Since its inception, the company has changed its name, institutionalized its platform, and grown its team. They optimize solutions for capital, whether it’s debt or equity, for transactions across the country.

In this episode, Phil is joined by Camille Renshaw, CEO and Co-Founder of B+E Net Lease Brokerage. B+E helps to trade single tenant triple net leased properties with confidence by implementing technology and bringing the real property and tenant financials to one place. B+E investors are able to make those important connections to properties across the country through an online platform. Camille and Phil dive deeper into net leasing: a real estate sub-genre where a single tenant such as Walgreens, for example, pays rent but also takes care of real estate taxes, property insurance and maintenance for the property. Net leasing is intriguing for investors because they want to invest their money in a single property where essentially all they will need to do is sit back, and collect rent. Camille compares the net leasing process to that of the stock world – it’s based on relationships with firms and people who are able to help you make an investment. Camille and Phil continue to discuss the ease of net leasing, why it’s gaining popularity among investors, and how technology is playing a crucial role in its success.

Phil is joined in this episode by Dee Brown, CEO of The P3 Group, Inc., a commercial real estate, boutique development and consulting firm that specializes in business and community development through the creation of P3's: public private partnerships. Dee explains that The P3 Group’s projects are atypical, meaning that they generally take on modestly sized building projects, which most P3 companies shy away from—due to the complexity of the deals and efforts needed to coordinate these types of municipal projects. For instance, Dee’s first public private project was changing 60,000 pound anchors on a nuclear submarine.

On today’s episode, Phil is joined by Matthew (Matt) Mason, a Managing Director at Conway MacKenzie, to talk store closures in 2019, challenges in retail real estate, and receiverships. Matt leads the Conway MacKenzie real estate vertical, has been a Court Appointed Receiver for over 200 properties, managed over 31.5 million square feet, and over $1 billion portfolio of retail, office, and industrial properties. With that experience, Matt provides strategic insight to large distressed retail and office assets for borrowers and lenders. Matt and Phil discuss current challenges in the commercial retail market, the headwinds of massive store closures in 2019, why those challenges are taking place and how to navigate them. Matt explains lessons learned from the 2008 crash, what is different about the current challenges in the market, and how to move forward. He goes on to discuss that many retailers are either struggling or gaining success, with very few in-between. Some discount retailers such as Target have gained success post market-crash, because they are now appealing to a market of buyers by producing a better quality discounted product. Phil and Matt go on to discuss that on the flip side, consumers are now buying products largely online, a method of consumerism that is greatly affecting the commercial retail market, leading to more disruption, store closures, and more experience driven retail.

Joining Phil on this episode is Susan Tjarksen, Managing Director at Cushman and Wakefield. Susan has over 30 years of experience in real estate, in both the public and private sectors. She is a leading expert on co-living and joins us to discuss how buildings are being developed and adapted for the Co-living model to generate more income per square foot while at the same time serving marketplace demands. Co-living is a community style of living where common spaces are shared, and spaces such as bedrooms are private, with each tenant responsible only for their share (rather than everyone in one unit being jointly and severally liable). Susan and Phil discuss why co-living, which has existed for quite some time in various forms, is regaining popularity among the younger professional demographic: millennials. Susan goes in depth about what is attracting more and more people to co-living in the gateway markets. One of the main reasons is affordability, because rent is rapidly expanding in these markets, and the other is convenience. This creates an opportunity for developers and investors. According to a survey by the National Apartment Association, millennials chose to live close to work and travel for entertainment, which makes co-living all the more attractive for young professionals seeking the ideal living situation.

In this episode, Phil is joined by Jon Milonas, a Senior Vice President in CBRE’s Tenant Representation Group, the largest commercial real estate firm in the world.  Jon’s Chicago team focuses on helping occupiers of real estate to align their business strategies with their real estate, by identifying the needs and challenges of an organization and couple those needs with finding the right office space.  Jon discusses his approach to clients by asking where businesses see themselves in 5-10 years, and how to help them achieve their vision by finding an appropriate office space for their current and future business. 

Joining Phil Coover on this episode of Real Estate for Breakfast is Matt Katsaros, SVP – Acquisitions of CA Ventures’ subsidiary—CA Residential. CA Ventures is one of the fastest growing real estate companies in the Midwest, and does about $1.5 Billion in real estate development every year. Matt and Phil discuss the history of CA Ventures from its initial niche in student housing to a current portfolio of multiple asset classes and real estate services. Matt shares trends in residential real estate development and investment markets across the U.S.

In this episode, Phil is joined by Collete English Dixon, Executive Director of the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate and Chair of Real Estate in the Heller College of Business, at Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL. The dynamic Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate sets itself apart from other educational institutions in that it’s deeply intertwined with the Chicago Real Estate community, by helping those in the community to feed off of and learn from one another. Collete and Phil discuss how valuable networking and educational opportunities within the Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate can help further the careers of professionals and enable students to grow in the Real Estate community. Collete also discusses the academic offerings of the Institute such as the Masters in Real Estate (MSRE) program, and the creation of the Advisory Board, which consists of industry leaders who share their knowledge with students, providing a connection with those who are moving the Real Estate industry forward.

On this episode, Phil Coover is joined by Kevin Bupp, CEO of Sunrise Capital Investors and host of the popular podcast “Real Estate Investing for Cash Flow”, on which Phil was a guest in November. Florida-based with a national presence, Sunrise Capital has developed an investment niche in mobile home parks. Kevin and Phil discuss what makes this asset class different from other multi-family commercial real estate and the unique opportunity it presents. Kevin also talks about making the transition from self-funded investment to finding partners and raising capital.