Beyond the Skyline

In this episode, Johnny Opara, the founder of JO Companies, and Don Bernards, a partner in Baker Tilly’s real estate group, talk to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Together, Opara and Bernards are working on projects that create housing for working-class families, while bringing more diversity to the local development community.

In this episode Dan Hylton, research manager at HousingLink, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Hylton discusses his job and the roadblocks for creating more affordable housing in Minnesota.

In this episode Monte Hilleman, vice president of environmental resiliency, compliance & investment at Sustainable Investment Group, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Hilleman talks about his work with SIG, green financing and past projects with the Saint Paul Port Authority.

In this episode, St. Paul Planning Director Luis Pereira, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about the process of preparing for the city’s new zoning ordinance and what kinds of changes to expect in the capital’s housing stock.

In this episode, Peter McLaughlin, executive director of Twin Cities LISC, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. McLaughlin discusses the mission of LISC, its work with developers of color and other topics.

In this episode, Jim Damiani, managing executive director of Newmark’s Twin Cities office, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Damiani discusses the development and uses of Newmark’s Tenant/User Experience Survey.

In this episode United Properties ESG manager Janelle MacLean talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. MacLean discusses her duties at United Properties, her work on diversity, equity and inclusion and environmental initiatives and how she broke into the business.

In this episode, Forte Real Estate Partners co-founder Steve Brown talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Brown discusses trends, opportunities and challenges in health care real estate.

In this episode F&C reporter Brian Johnson takes a deep dive into design and development trends around regional malls with Damon Farber President Tom Whitlock and Principal Jeff McMenimen.

In this episode, Polly Friendshuh, Dunwoody College’s academic dean of construction technology and business management, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Friendshuh discusses her construction and teaching journeys, what attracted her to the construction industry, and the outlook for construction employment. She also discusses a recently completed $10 million exterior renovation at Dunwoody’s 19...

In this episode, Randal Dietrich, executive director of the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Dietrich goes in depth about the new museum project underway at Camp Ripley north of Little Falls.

In this episode Cody Fischer, founder of Footprint Development, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Fischer says he sees residential construction through the lens of a regular citizen with a concern for the environment. He discusses that development philosophy and weighs in on the drama surrounding the Minneapolis 2040 plan.

In this episode, Kristine Williams, the director of real estate at the Saint Paul Port Authority, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Williams discusses her real estate career path, what brought her to the Port Authority, and talks about some of the Port’s current initiatives, including The Heights in St. Paul.

In this episode, Ozzie Nelson, chairman and CEO of Nelson Worldwide, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Nelson discusses his company and design trends in building repositions.

In this episode, Capital Partners co-founder Peter Mork talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Mork talks about his commercial real estate path, the current state of industrial development in the Twin Cities and the challenging debt market.

In this episode, Tamika Baskin, the new director of Aeon’s property management team, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Baskin talks about her personal and professional housing experiences and the ongoing challenge of providing affordable housing.

In this episode, William Lively, CEO of EXtrance, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. EXtrance uses AI and machine learning to help investors. Lively talks about how those tools will have an impact on the commercial real estate market.

In this episode, D’Angelos Svenkeson, CEO of NEOO Partners Inc., talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Svenkeson talks about his real estate journey, as well as challenges and opportunities in the larger Minneapolis-St. Paul real estate market.

In this episode, Vishal Dutt of AVIC Development talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Dutt talks about his real estate journey, the state of the local market, and the challenges of making deals pencil out.

In this episode, Bob Gardner, founder and CEO of Gardner Builders, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Gardner talks about his company’s history and philosophy and about the outlook for the Twin Cities construction market.

In this episode, Tim Nichols, founder and CEO of Lifestyle Communities, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. As a lender, developer or master developer, Nichols has worked on more than $2 billion worth of projects in the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

In this episode, Abbey Bryduck, executive director of the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Bryduck does a postmortem on the legislative session and talks about sustainability trends in asphalt paving, as well as consolidation in the asphalt pavement industry.

In this episode, Craig Waldron, a consultant and a public administration professor at Hamline University, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Waldron draws on his decades of experience in city governance in the following conversation about community development challenges and opportunities.

In this episode, Ryan Moore, the new president of Ironmark Building Company, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Moore discusses his new duties, the company’s expansion into Arizona and other markets, and the outlook for the Twin Cities construction market.

In this episode, Tom Streitz, a co-founder and interim executive director of Land Bank Twin Cities, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Streitz discusses the early days of the land bank and the ambitious vision he has for the organization.