Design Development

Bill Endicott, VP of Construction with a Skanska background, and Tim Alexander, Managing Director of Development focused on multifamily and mixed-use deals. They discuss Mill Creek’s five Boston projects, balancing local offices with a national footprint, funding via SMAs and third-party equity, in-house construction advantages, and design choices like podium systems and amenity tradeoffs.

Nothing in Celeste Tanner's background suggested a future in real estate. Before rising to President and Chief Development Officer of Confluent Development, she majored in English in college, had no ties to the industry, and was starting in an administrative role at Opus Northwest.Her first assignment - reorganizing the paper filing system - became an unexpected introduction into CRE. By reading every document that crossed her desk, she transformed a routine task into a self-taught immersion in the workings of real estate development.That same curiosity propelled her through a decade at Opus, where she advanced to Director of Real Estate Development and led the ground-up development of more than 5 million square feet. In 2014, she co-founded Confluent Development with her business partner, Marshall Burton.Over the past twelve years, Confluent has delivered more than 100 projects across the United States, completing over $1 billion in development in Colorado alone and carrying nearly $500 million in committed development nationwide. The firm builds for clients like Target, FedEx, Starbucks, and Charter Communications across a portfolio spanning industrial, retail, multifamily, mixed-use, and senior living.Celeste currently serves as Chair of NAIOP and has been recognized by the Denver Business Journal, CREW, and Bisnow for her contributions to the industry. Inside this week's episode:What Celeste has learned about trust, empowerment, and building a teamThe demand for senior living development, and how the industry is not building fast enough to meet that demand How Confluent went from two people and zero capital to over 100 projects across the countryWhy Confluent bets on diversification and how cross-asset knowledge gives them an edge in new marketsWhere the development industry falls short in communicating its impact on communities, and what Celeste believes needs to change Thank you for joining the Design Development community. Subscribe to capture insight from the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. Our goal is to help people like you identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of industry leaders. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story.  Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Toby Banta, Executive Managing Director at Eastern Real Estate with nearly 20 years in the industry, leads investment strategy and asset execution. He discusses disciplined deal selection, structuring deals with multiple paths to success, putting firm capital alongside investors, the Portsmouth 360-unit ground-up project, and the legendary Wang HQ acquisition-turnaround.

Few people begin as interns and rise to Chief Architecture Officer at the same firm. Robin Bellerby is one of them.Over nearly 26 years, Robin has advanced through six roles at Humphreys & Partners Architects (HPA). Starting as a Project Manager, she oversaw more than 10,000 units and $1 billion in construction costs, and subsequently became Vice President. Her excellence in this position led to her stepping in as Risk Management Director, where she took on implementing the firm’s risk management program and reduced losses by 85% in just one year.Building on these accomplishments, Robin went on to serve as Principal and Senior Vice President of Strategy & Risk before becoming Chief Architecture Officer, where she oversees architectural operations and risk management across the firm's global practice. Inside this week's episode: How Robin balances career ambition and home life - and why her 5-year hiatus was crucial to her growthWhat it means to be a developer’s architect - and how Humphreys embeds that philosophy into their design approachHow Robin turns claims into lessons learnedEssential contract terms for design professionals: limitation of liability, errors and omissions, and accounting for insurance limitsA look inside Robin’s day-to-day as CAOThank you for joining the Design Development community. Subscribe to capture insight from the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. Our goal is to help people like you identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of industry leaders. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story.  Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Philippe Saad, Principal at DiMella Shaffer and co‑founder of Project Q Communities, is an architect focused on inclusive senior, affordable, and supportive housing. He discusses creating LGBTQ+ senior homes like The Pryde, converting a surplus school into community-centered housing, how immigration and wartime loss shaped his design lens, and leading an interdisciplinary firm while mentoring new leaders.

Laura Gollinger has spent 13 years at The Collaborative Companies (TCC) advising clients on decisions that make or break a project. Rental, condo, or hybrid? How big should the units be, and who will they be built for? What will residents be willing to pay? What kind of parking is necessary, and what amenities will actually be used?Across billions of dollars in real estate, she's learned exactly what the right answers look like.As Senior Vice President of TCC, a Boston-based advisory firm specializing in market analytics, design consultation, sales, and leasing, Laura has shaped some of Greater Boston’s most recognized projects. Over 40 years, TCC has sold more than $20 billion in assets, including Raffles, One Dalton, Echelon Seaport, Pierce in Fenway, and South Station Tower.Laura is a member of NAIOP and ULI, serves as Council Chair of WLI Boston, and frequently speaks at Harvard GSD, MIT, and Bisnow. She holds a BSBA from Boston University's Questrom School of Business, where she was a Division I Academic All-American in tennis.Inside this week's episode:TRIO Newton: When data contradicted market sentiment and won. Parking strategy based on bedroom count, price point, and product type, including how the dominance of SUVs changes the calculations.Successfully selling luxury condos in Fenway, and what the resale data proved.Transforming laundry into an amenity when it didn't pencil in small units - and what made this a success.Where Boston’s affordability and rent control debate misses the economics behind new development, and where new homes are heading.Thank you for joining the Design Development community. Subscribe to capture insight from the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. Our goal is to help people like you identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of industry leaders. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story.  Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Brett Powell started his career as an architect who consistently dug into the numbers behind every project he designed. Today, he is the Chief Financial Officer of a 120-person firm. As Partner and CFO of Cline, Brett sits at the point where architecture and business decisions collide. He and Rens explore what it takes to manage the financial side of a design firm, from understanding a P&L to structuring an acquisition, and why financial fluency remains one of the most underrated skills in the industry. A few more topics this week's conversation covers: How Cline built a financially literate firm, from the metrics Brett uses to track performance to the ESOP structure that gives every employee ownership.Scaling and integrating two firms through a merger.How alignment improves when architects learn the language of developers.If you're an architect who's had any interest in business financials, Brett is an important voice to listen to. Thank you for joining the Design Development community. Subscribe to capture insight from the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. Our goal is to help people like you identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of industry leaders. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story.  Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Mark Seck had a job offer at Fidelity Capital Markets waiting for him when he graduated from college. Then the financial crisis hit, and his start date was pushed back - indefinitely. A temporary desk at a family friend's real estate firm changed his trajectory, and when Fidelity called back, he turned down the finance career he had been planning to pursue for years.That decision changed everything. Today, Mark is a Development Partner at JLB Partners, leading their expansion into Greater Boston. Just over a year in, the office is already pushing multiple deals in one of the most demanding markets in the country. Rens and Mark discuss JLB's unique approach to development, the challenges rent control legislation could bring for investment in Massachusetts, and the tenacity it takes to keep building here. If Greater Boston multifamily development is on your radar, Mark is someone you'll want to hear from. Thank you for joining the Design Development community. Subscribe to capture insight from the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. Our goal is to help people like you identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of industry leaders. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story.  Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Stephen Skolas went from designing 96-story skyscrapers to figuring out how to fund, permit, and deliver projects at that scale. This skill range is rare in the industry. It's exactly what Davis brought him into leverage.Now Managing Director and Head of Residential Development at Davis, Stephen's career has been interdisciplinary from the start. He holds a Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology and is a licensed architect in multiple states with NCARB accreditation. He began at the Mitchell Architectural Group, working on healthcare and advanced technology projects across New England, before moving to Rafael Viñoly Architects, where he contributed to 432 Park Avenue - a nearly 1,400-foot supertall in Midtown Manhattan - and Marble Arch Park in London.In 2013, he joined Related Companies, stepping into a role spanning the full development lifecycle in New York and Boston through acquisitions, construction, and asset management. Stephen's industry fluency is now at work at Davis, where he climbed from Vice President to his current role as Managing Director | Head of Residential Development. He leads a vertically integrated team across residential, industrial, and science and technology projects nationally.Stephen and Rens dig into the multi-layered reality of moving a project from site acquisition through team assembly, financing, permitting, and delivery. Every stage depends on the one before to move successfully.A central theme in Davis' approach to planning: starting with a clear picture of the end goal before the first decision gets made.  As Stephen points out, cohesion across a project lifecycle doesn't happen by accident. It is the result of a clear vision and proactive planning.If you build, develop, or invest in real estate, this one's worth your time. Thank you for joining the Design Development community. Subscribe to capture insight from the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. Our goal is to help people like you identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of industry leaders. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story.  Let's go!Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTubeFind out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Ryan Noone, Principal at EMBARC who steered a small startup into a 65-person firm, shares his journey from hands-on builder to coordinator of complex projects. He discusses the architect’s role shifting to communication, balancing technical depth with broad skills, the benefits of early contractor involvement, and how integrated delivery and career layering fuel better outcomes.