News
Senior Associate Broker Scott McKinney Appointed to Lead Religious, Educational & Not-for-Profit Efforts in Region, Continues to Serve Retail Clients
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 15, 2019) – The commercial real estate industry as a whole tends to conjure visions of high-rise business towers, urban apartment dwellings and large-scale shopping centers. But for Foundry Commercial, the multi-city commercial real estate firm with offices across the Southeast, Southern California, and Texas, churches, non-profits and schools are also an area of focus and importance. Foundry Commercial has always felt called to work with this underserved segment of the market that operates quite differently than what might be expected from traditional commercial real estate transactions.
Headquartered in Orlando, Fla., Foundry Commercial’s Religious, Educational & Not-for-Profit Group has strategic offices in other regions such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth and Southern California. Continuing to solidify the group’s presence in the southeastern U.S., this expansion into Nashville was a natural fit. Nashville – with its continued explosive growth – is a key area of focus for the firm. Last October, Foundry nearly doubled its presence in the greater Nashville area when it acquired the leasing and brokerage business of OakPoint Advisors’ Nashville office. Foundry had first entered the Nashville market in 2014 when the real estate and investment firm acquired the services business of Crescent Communities, which had a presence in many cities throughout the southeastern United States, including Nashville.
“Often referred to as the ‘buckle’ in the Bible belt, Nashville is an area of explosive growth right now, in just about every real estate facet imaginable,” stated Matt Messier, Principal of Foundry Commercial’s Religious, Educational & Not-for-Profit Group. “While we’ve had transactions occurring here for quite a while, it has become clear that it’s time to dedicate a specific broker to the region, one who is familiar with the area, the niche, and Foundry’s deep desire to help those organizations better steward their real estate.”
Foundry Commercial recently appointed Senior Associate Broker Scott McKinney, who joined the company as part of the OakPoint acquisition last year, as a member of the Religious, Educational & Not-for-Profit Group. Based in Nashville and continuing to serve existing retail clients, McKinney will be helping to launch this service line in Tennessee and neighboring markets. His background as an experienced and motivated broker in the area – combined with his time working within the Young Life non-profit faith-based organization – made him a natural fit for the role.
“There’s a discernment process involved in helping churches, educational facilities and non-profits buy, sell or reposition property. As the greater Nashville area continues to grow, Foundry is positioned to help more of these clients steward the real estate they have been entrusted with,” said McKinney. “I’m proud to be a part of an organization that offers expertise, careful consideration, and the understanding of a higher calling among our services.”
Prior to operating the faith-based, non-profit, and educational facility service line for Foundry, McKinney served as a generalist working on a broad range of commercial projects, negotiating over $41 million and 350,000 square feet worth of transactions in his first three years as a commercial real estate advisor in Nashville. He has executed a wide range of assignments, from multimarket tenant representation, property acquisition/disposition, adaptive reuse development, and land sales across the country.
Nearly 50 years ago, this religious division of what is now Foundry Commercial started when Richard Messier, a commercial real estate broker – used to the traditional means of helping clients buy and sell properties – volunteered to help his congregation sell its facility in Michigan. It didn’t take long to realize that commercial real estate in the religious sector was a whole different ballgame. Since that time, Foundry Commercial has helped religious, educational and not-for-profit groups evaluate their long-term needs and resources, identify preferred neighborhoods and facilities, negotiate transactions and, finally, successfully relocate their members. Foundry Commercial’s Religious, Educational & Not-for-Profit Group provides brokerage services, as well as facilities management and project management.
At this time, Foundry Commercial’s Religious, Educational & Non-Profit Group is actively working with religious clients throughout Tennessee, including properties located in Memphis, Petersburg, Nashville and Leoma. Beyond the representation of religious clients, the group also works closely with not-for-profits and educational entities, having recently facilitated the sale of the United Way of Central Carolinas’ property in uptown Charlotte as well as the sale of Concordia College in Selma, Ala.
“With varied experience across many sectors – including industrial, retail, office, and land, Foundry Commercial is able to bring a level of expertise to our clients that enhances their transactions,” added Messier. “Scott is a tremendous asset to this team. He’s been successful in so many other focus areas of the company, and we’re excited to watch him translate those skills to clients of the Religious, Educational & Non-Profit Group.”
McKinney is a graduate of Florida State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and was involved in Florida State’s Real Estate Society. After graduation, McKinney spent time working for the Berry Rainsberger Group as well as Sperry Van Ness. Prior to moving to Nashville, he took a brief stint away from commercial real estate to work full-time with the non-profit Young Life, serving on their property staff at Windy Gap in western North Carolina. He is still very involved as a volunteer with Young Life Capernaum, a division of the non-profit specifically focused on serving young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
He is a member of both NAIOP and ICSC, as well as the Nashville Fashion Alliance, Southeastern Climbers Coalition, and Midtown Fellowship.
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Photo Attached: Scott McKinney recently joined Foundry Commercial’s Religious, Educational & Not-for-Profit Group as Senior Associate Broker, based in Nashville, Tenn.
About Foundry Commercial
Foundry Commercial is a full-service real estate services and investment company with over 330 employees and more than 50 million square feet of management and leasing across the Southeast and Texas. Since 2007, Foundry has provided leasing, brokerage, building management, corporate services and project management services, and is the largest real estate service provider to religious and not-for-profit organizations in the country. Foundry also includes a development and investment platform that is fully integrated into its services business, leveraging its local market expertise to control more than one billion in advantaged investment opportunities with their JV partners. For more information, visit www.foundrycommercial.com.
Media Contact:
Lauren Leetun, APR
lleetun@findsomewinmore.com
(407) 592-7923