Latest news with #RyanCompanies
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Development booming for Rochester's neighbors
May 31—ROCHESTER — Just north of Pine Island on the east side of U.S. Highway 52 lies about 400 acres in the township that, if all goes well over the next year or two, should become the future economic engine of the city. In March, the city started the environmental process that would lead to the annexation of that property — now mostly farmland — with the purpose of having a developer — Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies — turn that land into an industrial and technology business park. It's a project that could bring hundreds of jobs — not counting the construction jobs — long-term to the city. How did this happen? As the old saying goes with real estate deals, it's all about location. And in this case, the booming growth of nearby Rochester is one major factor. "The proximity to Rochester is a major factor to us," said Peter Fitzgerald, vice president of real estate development for Ryan Companies. Fitzgerald listed off Pine Island's attributes. In addition to proximity to Rochester there's also a quality workforce, proximity to the Twin Cities, and quick access to major highways such as Interstate 90, Highway 52 and Intestate 35. For Fitzgerald, the idea of developing along Highway 52 between the Twin Cities and Rochester goes back to his days, oddly enough, playing for the Rochester Honkers more than 20 years ago. Back in those days, he often drove between Rochester and the Twin Cities, a drive he felt was closer and quicker than people realized. So when he began working for Ryan Companies, he remembered that drive. "Highway 52 connects the first, second and third largest cities in the state of Minnesota," he said. "It made a ton of sense to pay attention to what's happening along Highway 52." Ryan Companies has been in the development business for 85 years in Minnesota, and has worked on projects around the state. The company has many developed projects in the Twin Cities and along I-35, Fitzgerald said. So, in evaluating Pine Island he saw good infrastructure such as utilities, available land, a strong and skilled workforce, and that access to highways and three major cities. "We had nothing along Highway 52, which we thought was a miss," he said. On the north end of Stewartville, the Schumann Business Park is filling up quickly. Mayor Jimmie-John King said that's because the land is "shovel ready" for development. "When you're putting up a $100 million building — no matter how rich you think people are — people don't want to screw around for 18 months on that borrowed money," King said, referring to the estimated investment in construction by United Therapeutics, a pig-to-human transplant facility. "(United Therapeutics) figures, working with us, they'll be ready to roll a year earlier than they planned on." King said that's a big benefit to companies, having roads, sewer and water and other utilities ready to connect to a site. "That's a huge benefit to these companies that come here," he said. He pointed to Stewartville's other big deal announced this year: Amazon will build a "last mile" delivery hub in Stewartville. With the site ready to build on, he said, a company could go from signing a development deal to beginning construction in as little as 90 days. In fact, real discussions with Amazon began in January, and, if a recent week of rain hadn't occurred, he said, the company would "already be digging in the dirt." United Therapeutics and Amazon are just the latest additions to the business park, first developed in 2003, that already includes Kwik Trip, Schwickert's Construction and FedEx Ground among others. And Schumann's isn't the only area that was built to be builder-ready. Tebay's Industrial Park a few blocks to the south on Highway 63 includes manufacturers Jimmy's Salad Dressings, Halcon Furniture and Geotek Inc. All, King said, have recently expanded or have plans to expand their building footprints, and that means more jobs coming to Stewartville. Elizabeth Howard, Pine Island's city administrator, said while the Ryan Companies development is still in the early stages, site planning would indicate room for 100 to 200 jobs coming to the city. That doesn't include construction jobs for developing the site. Despite the positives of the proposed deal, Howard said she's holding back on any celebrations. Pine Island, she said, has heard it before. "I still hear it in every single meeting I go to," said Howard, referring to the never-realized Elk Run bioscience development proposed by Tower Investments in the late 2000s and early 2010s. "It's at the top of people's minds." Howard said Ryan Companies isn't Tower Investments — which is a good thing — but as this proposal works its way into the environmental review process, she's "being more hesitant that the city is dotting its I's and crossing T's with the developer." Still, there is optimism in town. In April, the city hosted a town hall meeting where the public could come and ask questions about the proposal. "It went well," said Howard. "It was positive. The crowd was mainly people living around the project, more township folks than city folks. The developer and engineer were able to answer their questions and concerns." One question has been why Pine Island? In addition to the reasons listed by Fitzgerald, Howard said the power substation on the north end of town was a plus since data centers or technology businesses are envisioned as potential tenants. Right now, Fitzgerald said, Ryan Companies isn't thinking about end users as much as it is thinking about the environmental review — which should take most of the rest of 2025 — and pre-construction issues such as permitting and zoning. "It's looking at the magnitude of this development and taking a look at what mitigations should be in place to allow for this development," he said. Once all the pre-construction work is done, then Ryan Companies will start lining up tenants for the site. Fitzgerald said all that will take time. Development of the 400-plus acres will likely take a decade in total as more businesses buy up lots within the tech park on what will become the north end of Pine Island. "You do need an anchor tenant," he said. "We'll look for that anchor tenant who will kick off that development." Ron Zeigler, CEO of Community and Economic Development Associates, the economic development arm behind many communities in Southeast Minnesota, said, "Rochester needs a strong surrounding area, and the area needs a strong Rochester." What's happening in Stewartville and Pine Island, he said, is happening to some degree in just about every community near Rochester. "Every town is doing things to make themselves ready for housing development, business development," he said. Howard said Ryan Companies first approached Pine Island about 18 months ago. After some initial inquiries, she heard nothing for a few months. "I was cautious," she said. After all, the city and it's economic development team talk to developers often. But eventually, things started to fall into place. Howard said she got the right people talking to one another: decision makers, state agencies and the city. With so many hoops to jump through for even the most motivated city and developer, as city administrator she didn't want to "put the cart before the horse." "Don't spend taxpayer dollars inappropriately," she said. That means don't get overextended on roads or utilities. Talk to the school district and keep them in the loop. Have a plan for housing. That last one can be worked on no matter what. Both Olmsted County and Goodhue County have done studies showing the need for more housing — apartments, single-family, affordable, senior housing — enough so that she's not worried about pushing too far on that front. The city is already working on quality of life issues such as parks. And Pine Island has joined with neighboring towns — Zumbrota, Goodhue and Wanamingo — to develop a regional wastewater treatment cooperative. Stewartville City Administrator Bill Schimmel said his city — just with it's two newest development announcements, Amazon and United Therapeutics — that the city is looking at somewhere between 100 and 130 new permanent jobs. That doesn't include existing businesses — Halcon, Jimmy's and Geotek — that have or will be adding new jobs. Mayor King said that even on manufacturing lines, those jobs take skills which means those are good-paying jobs. Schimmel said the city is always looking to extend current development opportunities, whether that be residential or commercial/industrial. Apartments have been built in recent years, and roughly three dozen single-family home lots are available. As for business opportunities, there's still room for Schumann's Business Park to expand, but the city is also talking to landowners — including one on the north side of Interstate 90 — for new areas of development. After all, Stewartville is something of a business hotspot. "What seems to have happened, once some of these names are on our map, there seems to be inquiries," Schimmel said. Added King: "I think what we're going to see, and we're already seeing some of it, is the secondary-type business: truck repair shops, the support network. We're starting to hear from some of those type of people. There's a lot of opportunities that way." Opening up a shop that has oil filters and other routine maintenance parts for all those Amazon trucks, he said, would be a smart plan. For Pine Island, the payoff is a little farther down the road, but Howard said she sees it coming. And, like Stewartville has discovered, success can breed more success. "I hope that this is just the tip of the iceberg," Howard said. "I hope this is our new and improved Pine Island."
Business Journals
30-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Building together: How strategic partnerships strengthen housing solutions
In communities across the country, the need for housing continues to grow. No single developer, nonprofit, or public agency can meet this demand alone. Today's most effective housing solutions go beyond construction — they rely on collaboration to meet the various needs of the holistic population. At Ryan Companies, we've seen how strategic partnerships between private developers and mission-driven organizations lead to more inclusive, meaningful results. These partnerships combine capacity with local insight and help unlock opportunities that wouldn't be possible otherwise. Highland Bridge in Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers a strong example. This 122-acre redevelopment of a former Ford plant is evolving into a vibrant neighborhood that will include 3,800 residences, 20 percent of which are affordable. Achieving that level of affordability was possible only through intentional collaboration with affordable housing developers. These organizations brought deep experience in affordable housing finance and community engagement. Ryan provided complementary expertise, including site development, infrastructure delivery, financial modeling, and vertical construction. Together, the team pursued funding opportunities and built a shared vision focused on long-term community value. For larger firms like ours, working alongside an Affordable Housing Developer with local expertise brings more than project feasibility. It broadens our understanding, strengthens our approach, and deepens our commitment to community impact. Partnerships like these also support long-term affordability and integration, helping to ensure that housing is connected to schools, parks, jobs, and transit. These collaborations also benefit our peers. Shawn Wilson, founder and president of Blue Sky Communities, a Florida-based affordable housing developer, explains: 'Most affordable housing gets built as a one-off standalone property in a marginal (or even blighted) area. We want to move toward grander collaborations with cities and large developers where we can integrate our residents more fully into the surrounding neighborhood.' Blue Sky's work across Florida demonstrates the power of these relationships. The Adderley in Tampa, for example, delivers 128 affordable homes for families in a high-opportunity area. The project, backed by local and federal funding, addresses a critical housing gap while contributing to the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood. Cross-sector partnerships like these open new avenues for investment and creativity. By combining funding sources, land access, design capabilities, and community knowledge, projects become more financially and socially sustainable. When each partner brings a specific strength to the table, the results are more impactful and better aligned with community needs. This model also helps address a frequent challenge in affordable housing: true integration. When developers and nonprofits collaborate from the start, it leads to thoughtful site planning, a higher standard of design, and better alignment with the surrounding community. For Ryan, seeking out partnerships is not just a business strategy but a reflection of our values. We are committed to working with community-based organizations and developers led by women and people of color. These relationships promote equity in both process and outcome, ensuring that new development reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. expand Ryan Companies photo As the conversation around affordability continues, the role of public-private-nonprofit collaboration is more important than ever. Whether through mixed-income developments, housing integrated with services, or neighborhoods planned with long-term affordability in mind, partnerships provide a more resilient foundation. The real estate industry has an opportunity to do more than produce housing units. Through thoughtful collaboration, we can help create places that are inclusive, stable, and full of opportunity — for everyone. Let's connect to discuss how Ryan can create lasting value for your business. Founded in 1938, Ryan Companies is a national real estate firm offering development, design, construction, capital markets and management services across sectors like health care, industrial, office and multifamily. With 1,700+ team members in 17 offices, Ryan delivers integrity-driven projects nationwide. Jon Paul Bacariza is the corporate leader of Ryan in the Florida office, providing direction to our development, design, construction, real estate management and capital markets teams throughout the region. Bacariza draws on strengths of leaders on his team while developing and executing a plan to source new opportunities and continue building Ryan's success throughout his region. He provides strategic vision in earning projects that best align with Ryan's expertise and future goals.
Business Journals
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
SRP's new construction program encourages sustainability and cost savings
Booming development throughout Phoenix makes having a partnership that encourages sustainability and lowering costs a major advantage for construction companies. Knowing this, Salt River Project (SRP) created the New Construction Solutions Program to ensure project teams have the support needed to complete energy-efficient, sustainable and cost-effective buildings. Ryan Companies partners with SRP Ryan Companies, a full-service real estate company, recently shared their experience with SRP's new construction program and the benefits yielded from their partnership. 'Our goal is to build impactful projects for people to live, work and play in,' says Molly Carson, executive vice president and market leader of Ryan Companies' Southwest Region. SRP's construction-tailored initiative aligns with Ryan Companies' goal to create desirable and cost-effective projects, ultimately making them energy-efficient for their clients as well. 'SRP walked us through the rebate program, the process and benefits,' Carson explains. To maximize overall cost savings, the SRP new construction program unites key stakeholders — building architects, engineers and building owners, as examples — early in the project design stage. 'Our developers, property managers, accountants — everyone — got to hear the same thing at the same time, which makes things a lot easier and more streamlined on our side.' Carson says that having a dedicated SRP strategic energy manager (SEM) added to the ease of the process, from learning about eligibility to rebate implementation. 'The availability of a human being is key — just being able to talk to someone if we had any questions was fantastic,' she says. Rebate pathways and plus-sides SRP's new construction program offers several rebates to encourage energy saving measures. Members of the EDA service team can receive up to $50,000 at $0.08/kWh of verified savings. Design team rebates, ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 based on building size, help off-set the costs of involving essential project members like owners, architects, contractors and engineers. Ryan Companies recently worked with SRP for the Confluence project in Mesa, completing the last three of a nine-building project, taking advantage of the new construction rebate program. 'Who doesn't love a rebate or trying to do the right thing working towards energy efficiency?' Carson asks, adding that rebate opportunities save the company thousands of dollars. Builders to business owners: Everyone saves Carson and her Ryan Companies team acknowledge how by SRP's construction program passing on energy savings, property managers can offer more competitive lease rates, benefiting tenants and attracting quality businesses. Carson explains that this lifecycle enables Ryan Companies to 'attract great businesses and be as competitive as possible.' As for future demand of energy-efficient, cost-saving solutions such as SRP's new construction program, Carson closes with this: 'I think it will only continue to grow. Together we encourage, push and challenge each other to continue to rise up to these occasions in a manner where we can continue to attract great businesses and be as competitive as possible.' For more information on how your project can benefit from SRP's New Construction Solutions Program (including eligibility and participation information), contact your strategic energy manager or our new construction administrator, Humayun Kabir, at 480-768-3905 or hkabir@ Erin Thorburn is an accomplished writer, journalist, photographer and illustrator with over 20 years of experience covering business travel and lifestyle trends in the Southwest. She is the founder and editor of The Best of the Southwest. Additionally, she contributes to publications like AZ Business, AZ Business Leaders, AZRE and Experience AZ magazines.
Business Journals
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Robert Wehner, LEED AP BD+C
Commercial Real Estate | Promotion Robert Wehner, LEED AP BD+C Promoted to Executive Vice President, Mission Critical at Ryan Companies Robert Wehner, LEED AP, has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Mission Critical at Ryan Companies US, Inc. With decades of commercial construction and business leadership experience, Wehner leads national growth in the mission critical sector. He brings strategic insight, operational expertise, and a people-first approach to every project—driving results, inspiring teams, and delivering high-impact solutions for clients in this fast-evolving space.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Repairs underway after broken window at Downtown JEA building fell to the sidewalk
Repairs are now underway on a window that shattered at the JEA building, raining glass down on a street in Downtown Jacksonville. Alex Jubin walks by the building just about every day and he said he saw the broken glass all over the sidewalk. 'I saw all the debris and stuff from it, and it caused a big scene for sure,' said Jubin. 'It's a big window. It was all over the place.' Action News Jax learned from Ryan Companies, which serves as the property manager for JEA headquarters, that a double-paned window sustained exterior damage during construction. This caused falling debris. Ryan Companies sent Action News Jax a statement: 'Repair efforts for the window are currently underway. Safety remains our highest priority and we appreciate the swift action of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, which confirmed there were no injuries and assisted with street cleanup, reopening the sidewalk to pedestrians. Ryan serves as the property manager for the JEA headquarters, following the completed construction in 2022.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
