Denholtz Associates’ success as a commercial property developer, investor and manager comes in part from regularly adopting new technology to meet emerging business needs. Most recently, the company enhanced its mobile capabilities, business continuity, tenant services and invoice processing—all with Yardi solutions. Denholtz upgraded its Yardi Voyager® property management and accounting platform to 7S, the newest, fully mobile version of Yardi Voyager. The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) option allows Denholtz to determine when to apply upgrades, new releases and plug-ins. “One of the most attractive features of our upgraded Voyager system is mobile capability that lets us communicate in real time with our staff about work orders and other activities. We can easily monitor what the staff is working on, and their activities are automatically recorded in Voyager. It’s a powerful product in terms of efficiency and tenant service with functionality we didn’t previously have,” said Steve Cassidy (right), president of Denholtz Associates. Superstorm Sandy, which battered the U.S. East Coast in October 2012, underscored the importance of business continuity for the New Jersey firm. “Sandy disrupted our business for 14 days. We couldn’t communicate with tenants, cut checks or process payments. With Voyager SaaS in place, if something similar happened again we would suffer less disruption and financial loss because we could work remotely and know our business data was securely backed up offsite,” Cassidy said. He added, “Voyager SaaS also improves time management for our staff. They spent a lot of time on self-hosting activities, and now it’s more efficient and less costly to use our software without having to also maintain it.” Denholtz uses another new Yardi product, COMMERCIALCafé™, to offer tenants the convenience of online access to statements, maintenance requests, and other services from their desktops or mobile devices. “We can easily...

Storyteller Children’s Center provides preschool education and support services for at-risk children and their families. The organization began in 1988 as a half-day preschool out of Transition House, with a parking lot for a playground. Over 25 years later it is a thriving organization with two locations, a dedicated staff, and a constant waitlist for student enrollment. “We’ve never not had a waitlist,” says Joya Thomas, Development Associate at Storyteller. “Even after opening our second site in 2007 we still have about 80 families on the list at any given time. This shows that the need is really great.” The need is great, indeed. 2013 census data by the American Community Survey reveals that the poverty rate in Santa Barbara County rested at 16.3 percent in 2012, higher than the national overage of 15 percent. According to the Santa Barbara View, there are nearly 1,500 homeless individuals living in the area. Many Storyteller students come from such families that struggle with housing, food security, and access to other basic necessities. Challenging home conditions have an adverse affect on children’s development, often creating lasting obstacles in their path to academic success. “If a child has experienced trauma, like most children at Storyteller have, there are behavioral and emotional effects of this that affect their ability to focus or follow instructions. If a child has never had the opportunity to develop cooperative relationships or skill-building activities in a classroom setting before they enter kindergarten, it’s unlikely that they’ll do well or develop a confident view of their abilities,” Joya explains. “That negative self-image and accompanying academic failure often build on one another throughout grade school and is one of the factors that leads to dropping out of high school, which is the trajectory that these children...

The talents of Jacob Fisher of Pennrose Properties are getting noticed. Fisher recently received Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” distinction. The honor recognizes his business success, community involvement, leadership ability, and influence. “It’s not surprising that Jacob was selected for this terrific award,” says Mark H. Dambly, president of Pennrose Properties, a Yardi client. “From day one, we were impressed by his willingness to take on any challenge and his desire to give back to the community. Jacob exemplifies Pennrose’s commitment to develop communities and homes, not just construct buildings.” Fisher serves as the Senior Developer for Woodrow Wilson Commons, a new community of townhomes and apartments in Long Branch, New Jersey, being developed in partnership with the Long Branch Housing Authority. Generally, constructing a community in flood-prone lowlands is not the best idea. Fisher and his team tackled the topographical challenge with skill and creativity. Woodrow Wilson Commons rests on a 14-acre site that is the low point for nearly 35 acres. This places a heavy burden on storm water infrastructure. To naturally accommodate the flow of water, Fisher’s team constructed a retention basin spanning more than an acre. The community also received a rain garden, the more aesthetic cousin of the retention basin, complete with beautiful water-loving plants. These natural water conduits pace drainage and direct much of the excess water downward rather than pooling near the surface. “It’s a green and forward thinking way to manage storm water on the site,” says Fisher. “We also raised the finished floor levels of all of the buildings above any of the flood elevation, so that in the event that there are catastrophic rains, we have designed the site to keep the units dry.” Over a year of research and planning was needed...

Student housing is undergoing a total transformation. That drab, boring dorm room you once bunked in? It’s probably being bulldozed as we speak. In its place will be something closer to the amenity-filled new developments that are springing up to feed the desires of Millennial renters, who are getting their ideas about what makes ideal apartment living in the same place they’re getting their higher education – at college. MHN spoke with JoAnn Blaylock, Senior Vice President at Grand Campus Living, a division of Lincoln Property Company. Blaylock has been a leader in the private student housing industry as it has transformed into a vibrant and trend-setting sector of multifamily, and she shared her thoughts on the ongoing evolution. MHN: What are the newest housing features or amenities that you’re adding to student communities today that might not have been common in the past? Blaylock: Students today – Millennials – have very busy schedules, and are accustomed to having things at their fingertips, at any time.  Therefore, amenities that offer 24/7 access allow for the students to maintain their active daily lives without ever having to leave the community.   Fitness centers with on demand fitness classes, TRX workout systems, well programmed interactive study and multipurpose rooms with Smart TVs are just some of the amenities that fulfill the students’ physical and academic needs.  College students are also a very socially active group, making large gathering places, such as H2O decks, infinity pools, and outdoor/club lounge spaces very popular with today’s student, while resident events hosted in the spaces help build a necessary sense of community. MHN: Many of your student properties are in the south and southwest. Do you identify any regional trend lines in the way student housing is developed? Blaylock: The trend...

On a cool October morning, Raleigh community members congregated outside of Angus Barn Restaurant. They weren’t there for the restaurant’s award-winning steak or stellar service. More than 3,800 people gathered to participate in the Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope. As Foundation of Hope’s premiere fundraiser, the organization has raised more than $3.8 million for the research and treatment of mental illness. Yardi Vice President of Client Services Greg Smith recruited a team of 10 representatives from various departments. United by matching gray t-shirts inscribed TKO, the Raleigh office joined Walk for Hope to honor the memory of the late Tim K. Owens. “Tim was one of the nicest guys that you could ever meet,” recalls Greg. “He was easy to be friends with and he had this great, adventuresome spirit: he rode motorcycles, played guitar, and loved to travel to exotic locations.” When Tim wasn’t at enjoying his hobbies, he served Yardi as a manager of Client Services. He was an incredibly hard worker, appreciated by his colleagues and popular with clients. But Tim’s momentum ended too soon. “His battle with depression eventually led him to take his own life,” says Greg. Tim’s untimely death shocked the Raleigh office. Many Walk for Hope participants share similar stories of struggle and loss. It’s a common thread that Shelley Belk would like to see severed. As the Executive Director of Foundation of Hope, Shelley strives to see a community that is united in victory over mental illness. “One of the biggest problems with mental health is that people aren’t getting the help that they need because of the stigma,” Shelley explains. “We need people to understand that just like a heart that’s not working properly, a brain may not be working properly and there...

Yardi client BRG Apartments is the largest owner and operator of rental communities in the region with more than 6,800 apartment homes in 40 communities throughout Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky. The company takes pride in its Midwestern heritage. From the corporate office down to its smallest property, BRG instills the values of hospitality and philanthropy through community service. Jennifer Illanz, Training and Marketing Manager at BRG, believes that community service is integrated into the company’s mission statement. “Volunteerism is important because it helps express our mission statement, ‘and we care,’” she says. “Being locally owned and managed creates a sense of community within the community; we’re setting up in these neighborhoods and we want to show that we don’t just care about the properties, we care about the surrounding communities.” The culture of volunteerism benefits charity recipients as well as BRG employees. “[BRG employees] gain a sense of pride,” explains Illanz. “They see that it’s not just a job that they’re going to everyday. Volunteering with BRG makes them feel like they’re part of a family that is giving back to the community. It’s definitely a positive thing.” BRG begins the philanthropy from within, rallying support amongst its ranks for pressing social issues. In past years, BRG participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies Walk and raised over $20,000. This year, BRG chose to participate in a local event, Walk Ahead for a Brain Tumor Cure. Illanz says, “Three people within our corporate office have been personally affected by a brain tumor. Throughout the preparation for this walk we found out that even more employees were affected. We had over 50 people attend the walk and we raised over $8,000. The walk was a huge success.” BRG also sponsors local...

Yardi clients who have had the pleasure of learning from Guy Brown, a senior consultant in the Professional Services Group, or his wife Deborah, Director of Development, may have caught on that they are interacting with a pretty prestigious power couple. Both Browns have each logged nearly 15 years of service to Yardi, and made notable contributions to the continually improving Voyager reporting process. Deborah currently focuses on the company’s condominium clients and manages the standard Interfaces program, while Guy is involved in writing custom Voyager pages and client training. “We have different styles and different skill sets. But she’s clearly the brains of the operation,” said of his wife, who he met when both happened to be in Israel as teenagers. Deborah, who called California home, was studying at an American high school there, and Guy, a native of England, was visiting a friend whose father was in the British Foreign Service. Fast-forward 44 years, and they’ve made successful lives and careers in Santa Barbara, where they settled in 1980. Their two children, Anna and Shannon, are equally hard-working and innovative. Anna just finished her Ph.D. in chemistry at Portland State University and is involved in nanoparticle research on the chemical element bismuth. Shannon is an environmental scientist who works as a cartographer for a consulting firm in San Diego. “They’re like me – they want to understand the way the world works,” Guy said of the couple’s children. Indeed, his passion and interest in astrophysics, physics, magnetics, materials, geology and more has created diverse opportunities for work and research. Though he studied physics in college, Guy’s first job in Santa Barbara was in computer manufacturing, at a company called InfoMag. He became an engineer, drawing from his magnetics research to develop processes...

Bentall Kennedy will soon celebrate 110 years in real estate.  The organization is distinguished by a century of achievement and uninterrupted financial performance. Building on a solid foundation of integrity and professionalism, the organization has emerged as one of North America’s leading providers of integrated real estate services. Charles Bentall joined Dominion Construction in 1911, and grew the Vancouver-based construction company, which has since evolved to become the largest Canadian-based real estate advisory and services organization. In 2010, Bentall successfully partnered with Kennedy Associates in the US and integrated the two firms to become North America’s largest private real estate investment advisor offering an array of real estate development and management services to clients throughout North America.  Bentall Kennedy is among the most sustainable real estate companies in North America, and has been ranked among the top three in the Americas and global leaders by GRESB, the Global Real Estate and Sustainability Benchmark. It is also the recipient of the Energy Star Partner of the Year for the fifth year in a row. For Bentall Kennedy, success is the result of nurturing the company’s most valuable assets: employees. 93% of employees confirm that Bentall Kennedy is a socially and environmentally responsible company. The company has taken great lengths to assess employee engagement and satisfaction. Bentall Kennedy used a third-party human resources consultant to create a custom employee engagement survey. Survey results were used to spearhead employee-based initiatives focusing on improved communication between senior management and their teams, and growth opportunities for junior employees. The survey also revealed one of the company’s greatest strengths, a unified approach to company culture. Communication To improve communication, Bentall Kennedy added quarterly conference calls and focus groups led by senior management to its repertoire of communication and engagement tools.  ...

Anca Brisan is a woman of many talents. As a cartographer at Yardi’s Cluj office, she spends her time deeply immersed in technical activities, creating parcel-level maps for all of the major cities in the United States. A graduate of Geography and Territorial planning, Anca completed a master’s degree at the Babes – Bolyai University in Cluj with a full scholarship at the University of Glasgow, Scotland – Msc in Geoinformation Technology and Cartography. She has been with Yardi’s PropertyShark for more than three years now and her involvement was instrumental in the rapid development of the firm’s mapping team. Her incredible passion for spatial data, her pragmatic vision and ability to coherently render spatial coordinates have been of real help in consolidating PropertyShark as a must-have research tool for real estate professionals. PropertyShark provides comprehensive property reports for both the commercial and residential sectors, including pre-foreclosure and foreclosure listings, sales comparables, maps, building photos, for sale and lease listings. When zooming in on a property parcel, users get a mini-report that includes property summary, zoning information, building photo, last sale price, air rights and much more. “We do parcel based maps for all the counties where we have property reports, if we have the geometry data representing the parcels,” Anca told us. “We receive our spatial data from our colleagues in NYC, Data Acquisition Team and, using the data processed by the Data Team, we proceed to creating complex maps highlighting different aspects of the real estate market for more than 435 counties in 41 states. We are only five cartographers and we have a total number of 3401 maps, with 230 distinct maps and an average speed of 75 maps/week. Each map is an organized puzzle of small tiled images. We have...

When it comes to making a splash with corporate philanthropic efforts, Midwestern luxury multifamily owner, developer and manager  Village Green is jumping into the pool feet first. That’s not an analogy, either. Their property managers and associates  at 160 properties in 13 states literally jump into swimming pools to help raise funds for worthwhile local charities. Splash Day, marking the first day of “open pool” season, has been a company institution since 1991 and has raised over $500,000 for local Ronald McDonald House Charities in each of Village Green’s seven regions And that’s just one effort of many they make to support non-profits and  organizations of many kinds. While the history of Village Green dates all the way back to 1919, current CEO Jonathan Holtzman is credited with providing strong leadership. “Jon Holtzman is really into giving back to the communities that we serve,” said Jacqueline Trost, Director of Public Relations for Village Green. “He has spearheaded the initiatives with national organizations we donate to, and there is regional and hyper-local coordination as well.” Village Green has more than 1,250 associates who operate out of seven main regions: Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Dallas, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. Last year, it delivered some exciting news – each employee would annually be allotted 8 hours of paid time to contribute to a charity or volunteer effort of their choosing. That’s just one day out of the year per person, but it can make a huge impact – if every associate takes advantage of the program, Village Green is giving back 10,000 man hours – or 250 full work weeks of donated time. Employees served the hungry at the local rescue missions and soup kitchens, adopted families in need during the holidays, packed food  at various food...

Stuart Tanz has a proven track record of producing impressive results for public investors in shopping center real estate. In 1997, as CEO, Tanz led Pan Pacific Retail Properties in its initial public offering.  In just under a decade’s time, Tanz and team grew the company from approximately $447 million in shopping centers, at its IPO, to over $4 billion in 2006 when the company was sold, generating a total return for IPO investors of over 600%. At his current company, Yardi client Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC), CEO Tanz and his team are well on their way again to producing impressive results.  Starting from scratch in 2009, focusing on grocery and drugstore-anchored shopping centers in coveted West Coast markets, ROIC has already amassed a portfolio of shopping centers totaling $1.4 billion today.  Looking ahead, Tanz and team hope to double the size of the company over the next three years. In a recent interview with CPE, Tanz shared his insights on the landscape for retail shopping centers, his operating philosophy, and more. CPE: What brought you out of retirement? Tanz: After the success we had at building Pan Pacific into the largest shopping center REIT on the West Coast, I was approached by the board of ROIC about transforming the company into a shopping center REIT.  At the time, ROIC did not own any real estate, but they did have roughly $400 million in cash to invest.  Needless to say, I was excited about the opportunity to build another successful REIT.  When we started at ROIC in 2009, th ere were a large number of undercapitalized shopping center owners in our core markets, as a result of the recession, with very few bonafide buyers in the marketplace.  We saw this as an...

Small Paws® Rescue Inc. is a celebrity among animal rescue organizations, sort of like a small breed’s version of Pit Bulls and Parolees Villalobos Rescue Center. With two features on Animal Planet and several spots on the local news, the bichon rescue organization has made headlines for its heartfelt efforts throughout the country. Small Paws® Rescue Inc is the largest breed rescue in the country, specializing in the rescue and rehabilitation of Bishons. Small Paws is to the rescue, whether they receive a phone call from an owner who can no longer take care of their pet or they must venture into puppy mills, shelters, and abandoned homes.  More than 800 volunteers dedicate their time, efforts, and resources to the wellbeing of the pint-sized pups. Yardi Department of Operations Manager Doug Ressler is one such volunteer. He came to know the organization through fellow Bichon owners in his Scottsdale, AZ community. “We came in contact with many Bichon owners and volunteers who introduced us to the Small Paws® Rescue Inc. organization and they exposed us to the great number of pets in need and distress,” says Doug. Soon after, Doug and his wife Jane began donating and volunteering. They have transported dogs, assisted in pet wellness activities, fostered and adopted pets in need. One such adoption provided Doug and Jane with a blend of bittersweet humor. They adopted Missy in 2010. She had been abandoned by her previous owners. The Bichon Frise took up residence beneath her old home and was eventually discovered by Small Paws® Rescue Inc. volunteer Derek Phelps. As a result of her neglect, Missy suffered from many health issues including canine PTSD. Doug elected to provide a home for Missy and discovered an interesting tendency on their first trip home:...

Kevin Thompson, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Greensboro, N.C.-based Bell Partners,  a Yardi client, has been known to say that when it comes to multifamily, residents literally “live in our box of Tide.” It’s an intriguing analogy from the experienced consumer product marketing executive, whose diversified experience includes stints at AvalonBay Communities, Iams, Fruit of the Loom and Promus Hotel Cos. At Bell, Thompson has pushed for creative marketing approaches that get realistic about how to connect with residents, and takes the time to listen to their feedback and concerns. While an apartment residence might not typically be thought of as a tactile product, the Tide analogy melds the residents’ living experience with the marketing of a successful multifamily brand. “Our consumers actually live in our product (the apartment home), as thus live in our brand, too,” Thompson explained.    “And because our customers do live in our box of Tide, any flaws or inconsistencies in delivering the brand and service promise are magnified.  Conversely, any positive experiences are also memorialized.  We need to be constantly aware of the intimate connection between our products and our consumers.  Only with this realization do we get the right sense of the importance of our brands.” MHN:  Bell recently introduced a new marketing campaign centered around the concept of “Hassle Free Living.” Tell us what you did differently and how it worked? Thompson:  Well, we wanted to get beyond the usual providing superior customer service mantra, so we started thinking about a residential living environment that would be characterized by the elimination of problems and issues before they happen.  Ergo, Hassle-Free Living®.  We began with a series of resident focus groups, to hear what our existing customers had to say about the concept.  The most interesting aspect...

Colleen Gray admits that when a frigid ice storm struck her hometown of Toronto, Ontario a few days before Christmas, she wasn’t prepared. “I had no flashlight, candles, tasty emergency food,” said the Business Applications Leader for Real Estate Management Services, a Yardi client. Her apartment lost power on Dec. 21 around 10 p.m. Nor did she realize that power was going to be out for more than three full days. The storm knocked out electricity and other services to 300,000 Toronto residents, and a few hundred were still without power as of this writing on Dec. 30. Anxious to have the most up-to-date information on weather conditions, expectations for the next few days how friends, family and colleagues were doing, Colleen was glued to her iPhone, which she hadn’t charged the night the power went out. “I was trying to get information from web sites, while at the same time rationing data access as I knew it drained the battery pretty fast,” she told us in an email. But Sunday morning, she was already below 50 percent of her battery and had no idea how much longer it would be out – service wasn’t restored until 6 p.m. on Dec. 24. Then she remembered – a tiny, battery powered iPhone charger was included in a gift for clients delivered at Yardi’s recent Canadian client appreciation dinner. “Brilliant!  This gave me enough juice to get through the day and evening. The next day I went to the office and was able to charge up both my iPhone and Portable charger to get me through another night.   It was a tremendous comfort knowing that I wasn’t going to run out of power when the only thing connecting me to information and friends and family was...

As 2013 wound to a close, natural disasters both abroad and at home were devastating for the Philippines – where Typhoon Haiyan killed nearly 6,000 people – and in Illinois, where tornadoes destroyed more than 400 homes. Both events occurred in November and were fast-moving and unexpected, leaving tremendous destruction behind. Yardi Systems has a long track record of providing financial assistance to disaster victims, and that tradition continued after these catastrophic events. Typhoon Haiyan To reach families who lost their homes and were without access to clean water following the typhoon, Yardi contributed to ShelterBox USA, a disaster support non-profit that is rooted in Rotary volunteerism. Based in Florida, ShelterBox committed to send 6,000 ShelterBox kits, which include a tent, water purification system, and other supplies to help people who have been left with nothing after a disaster.  More than 2,100 families have already received their ShelterBoxes. The organization will spend more than $2 million on the effort. Yardi contributed $100,000. Volunteers accompany the boxes to the disaster site and train the recipients on how to use the water system and set up the temporary shelter, where they can stay while they get back on their feet. The tents can house an extended family, accommodating up to eight people. “We’re trying to find the more remote, hard-to-reach areas, places where international aid organizations might not be able to access,” said Erin Holdgate, ShelterBox Donor Relations and Communications Coordinator. The non-profit has 24 volunteers on the ground in the Philippines, based in Manila, Bantayan Island, Cebu City, Leyte Island and Bohol.  Holdgate said that they have reported profound gratitude on the part of the typhoon survivors, who can’t imagine that people from far away who have never met them would want to help. Listen...

Domonique Dozier’s skills at guiding clients through troubleshooting on their Yardi PopCard product have been compared to an Air Traffic Controller working from the tower. “It is so much fun to watch Domonique work when she navigates through her three screens, it is like she is landing an airplane! She has complete control of property remote sessions, guiding each manager through their calls for assistance,” said her colleague Stephen Hennessey in Yardi’s Orange County office. In fact, Dozier’s true professional background is as a licensed vocational nurse. Dozier finished her nursing credential in 2011, the same year she took a position with Lead Tracking Solutions. Yardi acquired LTS in 2012. What do nursing and technical support have in common? Well, it turns out that someone with a caring and nurturing personality can be very good at both of them, and grace under pressure is another vital crossover skill. “Domonique is calm, cool and always assisting with the politest voice over the phone. Each tech call is assisted with confidence,” Hennessey said. “She is truly amazing at her job, and it shows.” Domonique readily admits that she loves taking care of people, from her PopCard clients to her patients to her little sister, who she watched over while growing up. She is also active in her family’s karaoke business. Another one of her secret skills is hula hooping – she recently won a contest at the Yardi office. Dozier fell into the real estate technology world quite by accident. While supporting herself during nursing school, she took a job working for a real estate investment firm that acquired and rehabilitated properties around the U.S. She found that the real estate industry truly interested her – so much so that she would like to become the...

Michael Johnson is a veteran of the affordable housing industry. In 33 years at ALCO Management, he’s held “just about every job from Accounting Manager to CFO to COO to CAO,” he told me at Yardi’s Fall Advanced Solutions Conference in Anaheim, Calif. But Michael loves his work, and in his current position as Chief Administrative Officer, he has the opportunity to help chart ALCO’s path to long term growth through strategic planning. Not that that’s easy. “It’s a huge challenge,” he admitted “Some days I can’t figure out where we should be tomorrow, much less think about five years from now and how technology is going to change.” But with a positive attitude and the willingness to seek the right tools to help his staff succeed, Johnson has thus far been gifted an anticipating the future. ALCO’s culture empowers property managers, site personnel and support staff to serve others and  celebrate teamwork.  The company places a property management team on every site – not always the practice in the affordable arena – to make sure residents get the best possible service. Michael provided further insight on trends in technology and his role at ALCO: What’s the current focus for ALCO Management? We’re focused on growing our company slowly. We’re continuing to grow in the tax credit arena. We manage both conventional and affordable properties; however, the majority of our properties are affordable properties.. Right now, the way to grow in affordable housing is mainly with tax credits. We’re also doing more management of public housing units. We’re finding public housing authorities are starting to contract that out more, or there are mixed use deals where some of the units are public housing units. We’re finding a growing trend in doing more public housing...

Detroit refuses to settle for the status of a has-been city. Tough economic times have certainly taken a toll. But rather than losing hope, city leaders are seizing the opportunity to recreate The Motor City as a metropolitan hub valued for its cultural offerings. Yardi client Bedrock is leading the way in the resurgence of one of America’s most iconic cities. Dan Mullen, Vice President of Development at Bedrock, has never doubted that Detroit was worth the fight. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be in Detroit,” he says. “An urban location provides this indescribable energy: being surrounded by industry, historic architecture, a place where everything is walkable, where you can work and play. As a company, having the opportunity to purchase and redevelop historic buildings and impact the outcome of one of the great American cities is something that we take pride in.” Bedrock leverages its position as the real estate services branch of Quicken Loans to purchase and redevelop properties in the downtown district. Bedrock works with affiliate companies to then “tie the thread,” or work together in the redevelopment process to ensure that local companies reap the benefits of the city’s growth. It’s truly a team effort that aims to pull everyone forward together. Mullen values the collaborative process, “We work closely with the city, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, other developers and local businesses. We’re all one big team to help revitalize all of downtown Detroit. Bedrock definitely plays a role in [the resurgence] but we also have a lot of amazing partners.” The partnerships have helped Bedrock develop 8 million square feet of commercial space. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Demand for quality office space is rising downtown. Bedrock has responded by purchasing historic buildings, giving them a...