News
In the dynamic commercial real estate industry, adaptation and expansion are paramount for companies to thrive. Foundry Commercial stands as a shining example of this ethos, navigating the ever-evolving landscape with strategic acquisitions and the launch of new business line verticals. Bolstered by its long-standing commitment to excellence, Foundry continues to redefine industry standards, offering a diverse array of services to cater to the multifaceted needs of its clientele.
Foundry Investment Management: Pioneering New Frontiers
Late last year, Foundry Commercial made waves by introducing its investment management business line, a testament to its forward-thinking approach. Spearheading this initiative is Executive Managing Director Austin Maddux, whose illustrious tenure at American Realty Advisors lends invaluable expertise to the venture. Prior to joining Foundry, Maddux led ARA’s $8.5 billion core fund, showcasing a track record of success in the industry.
We’re thrilled to bring on Austin in this new capacity to launch Foundry’s investment management business within our overall platform.
Pryse Elam, Chief Investment Officer and President of Development & Investments
“To support our growth plans, Austin will focus on enhancing value for Foundry’s investor clients, customers, associates, and the communities in which we operate by building our investment management business in a complementary fashion to our current joint venture acquisition and development, and third-party property services businesses.”
As Foundry expands its investment portfolio, synergies emerge, bolstering its service business and propelling mutual growth. With a keen eye for strategic opportunities, Foundry Investment Management is poised to navigate the complexities of the market, delivering exceptional value to clients and stakeholders alike.
Capital Markets: Navigating Market Dynamics
Last year, economic inconsistencies, influenced by the Federal Reserve’s tightening measures, plagued real estate markets. Despite a generally strong economy, the situation was challenging, and ripple effects were felt through every facet of Foundry’s operations. As 2024 kicked off, regions like the Southeast and Texas have a demonstrated ability to outperform national averages, and thus, Foundry remains optimistic in advising clients toward achieving their real estate investment goals.
Foundry’s Investment Advisory Group (IAG) is keeping a close watch on several key trends this year, including looming loan maturities leading to more distressed property sales, lenders attempting to exit troubled loan positions through note sales, mission-critical properties like data centers, labs, and medical properties becoming more mainstream, and the bid-ask spread starting to narrow.
Navigating the turbulent waters of capital markets requires finesse, a challenge that Foundry embraces with gusto. The IAG group’s addition of Beth Lambert, a powerhouse in the field, underscores Foundry’s commitment to client-centric solutions. Lambert’s multifaceted role bridges investment sales, debt origination, and equity raising, ensuring unparalleled service across diverse asset classes.
As market dynamics evolve, Lambert’s expertise proves invaluable, offering real-time solutions tailored to client needs. Her appointment as Executive Vice President solidifies Foundry’s position as a leader in capital markets, poised to capitalize on emerging opportunities and deliver optimal outcomes for clients nationwide.
Coupled with IAG’s market expertise is Foundry’s Debt & Structured Finance (DSF) group, which provides depth of experience in all real estate asset classes.
Coupled with IAG’s market expertise is Foundry’s Debt & Structured Finance (DSF) group, which provides depth of experience in all real estate asset classes with nationwide execution and has deep institutional relationships that span beyond debt markets, providing a level of knowledge unparalleled in mortgage banking. The DSF group’s benefit to Foundry clients is three-fold: to understand client objectives and develop appropriate financing strategies; to produce institutional-quality financing memorandums; to activate longstanding capital relationships that provide optimal financing solutions.
In recent months, DSF has had success in sourcing debt for both existing and to-be-built properties. Navigating the current capital markets climate is significantly more challenging than 12 months ago, which has allowed Foundry DSF to set themselves apart from competition by helping clients to think through more complicated transactions and leverage deep market intelligence from longstanding relationships to problem solve for clients. They are finding there is capital available for the right transactions, sponsors, and expectations.
Land Advisory: Fostering Strategic Growth
Amidst a shifting landscape, Foundry’s strategic vision remains unwavering, as evidenced by its recent hire, Mark Lindenbaum. Tasked with leading the Atlanta office’s Land Advisory group, Lindenbaum’s appointment augments Foundry’s capital markets prowess. His extensive experience in the commercial real estate space, spanning over 20 years, positions him as a trusted advisor in land advisory services.
Lindenbaum’s hiring comes on the heels of several additional wins and key hires within Foundry’s Land Advisory platform, which has spearheaded over $3 billion in transactions, 400+ total land deals, and 13,800+ total acres across North America.
The team has come together to bring to market 3171 Peachtree, a retail and future mixed-use development site in Buckhead, long known as one of Atlanta’s most vibrant urban centers. The opportunity offers redevelopment potential on a 0.93-acre parcel that currently has a 12,000-square-foot two-story building and a rooftop V-shaped billboard. The redevelopment play will allow an owner/operator or investor buyer to utilize existing buildings until redevelopment occurs, at which point zoning allows for multifamily development.
With a focus on innovation and client-centric solutions, Foundry remains at the forefront of land advisory services, driving strategic growth and maximizing value for clients.
Real Estate Solutions: Driving Innovation
In a major success for Foundry Commercial’s Real Estate Solutions group, TruGreen® recently selected hired Foundry to partner with them to provide an enterprise approach to maximizing real estate operations and cost control.
One of the main reasons Foundry won the TruGreen pitch and unseated a larger competitor was due to the analytics derived from Foundry’s interactive data visualization software.
One of the main reasons Foundry won the pitch and unseated a larger competitor was due to the analytics derived from Foundry’s interactive data visualization software, which the company has been using to court more and more clients and customers as an example of an innovative approach and competitive advantage. Through this proprietary software, Foundry offers unparalleled insights, empowering clients to navigate complex real estate decisions with confidence.
TruGreen’s decision to partner with Foundry underscores the company’s reputation for excellence and innovation in real estate solutions. By harnessing the power of advanced analytics and industry expertise, Foundry delivers tailored strategies to drive growth and maximize returns for clients across diverse sectors.
Foundry’s focus on serving clients across their broad spectrum of needs is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment to excellence. From land advisory to real estate solutions, from capital markets advisory to investment management, and just about every area in between, each facet of Foundry’s operations contributes to a full spectrum offering, tailored to meet the unique needs of clients. As the company continues to attract entrepreneurial talent and visionary clients, its position as an industry leader remains unassailable. With a steadfast focus on innovation and client-centricity, Foundry charts a course towards continued success in the ever-evolving world of commercial real estate.