Mitigating the Unknown: Planning for Underground Risks during Ground-Up Developments

As Senior Vice President of Trammell Crow Company, Mr. Leatherbee oversees mixed-use, multi-family and condominium projects in the Boston market. Mr. Leatherbee has over twelve years of experience working on large scale development, construction, and finance projects in the Boston area.

As the Senior Director of Development at Greystar, Ms. Copson, with the Boston team, is responsible for all development projects from Boston to New York. Ms. Copson has experience in multifamily, condo, hotel, commercial, industrial and lab life science. She has worked in the African and US market for 13+years. Her prior experience was with Skanska Commercial Development in USA and Redefine Properties and Synergy Income Fund in South Africa. Ms. Copson obtained a Bachelor of Architectural Studies and Master in Science in Real Estate from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Mark Balfe, P.E., is the Real Estate Developers Market Segment Leader at Haley & Aldrich. For the last two decades, Mark has collaborated with public and private clients as a project engineer, project manager, and principal to navigate their geotechnical and environmental challenges of design and construction. His areas of expertise include deep excavations, environmental due diligence, foundation design, and site characterization. Mark has a proven understanding of the entire ecosystem of vertical development project including the many stakeholders involved – whether they are investors, public agencies, or project abutters. He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and a M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering from Tufts University.

Elizabeth Sherwood Krol, National Client Manager for Partner Engineering and Science, Inc. She has more than 20 years of experience in the environmental and engineering consulting industry. Elizabeth provides comprehensive transactional support services for real estate owners, operators, investors, and developers as well as environmental and real estate attorneys and financial services companies nationwide. Her background in environmental science, in addition to her knowledge of current environmental regulations and the real estate industry, allows her to offer comprehensive environmental consulting services for real estate transactions.

When Fast Company selected SGA as one of the Most Innovative Companies in 2018, the publication identified the firm’s capabilities in Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) as a key differentiator in scheduling and cost certainty. Michael played an instrumental role in attaining this honor: He has led the growth and development of the practice since 2014. VDC is an ideal fit for Michael, who loves to discover and invent new technologies that enhance project outcomes. BIM underpins the programs he oversees, but he supplements the virtual world with face-to-face interactions to promote collaboration. At the beginning of every commission, he onboards the project team and hosts an Execution Success Planning session, during which participants determine the most effective methods of delivery. Other pillars of his methodology include co-location of the development, design, and construction partners; bespoke project dashboards; and a variety of teambuilding initiatives. Before joining SGA, Michael served as president, CEO, and principal implementer at BIM Jet INC. in Boston for seven years. In this capacity, he led strategic consulting engagements for C-level BIM technology. Previously Michael held the role of director of design technology at Moshe Safdie and Associates in Somerville, MA, where he established the firm’s vision and future direction of BIM and other technology platforms. Michael received a Master of Design Studies with distinction from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from Montana State University. He often lectures about BIM and integrated design at prominent industry organizations and institutions. In his spare time, Michael enjoys traveling with his wife and their four children.

After graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Brian began his career with Turner as a field engineer in 1982. His subsequent roles in superintending, purchasing, estimating, and project management would lead him to his current position as construction executive. With experience in healthcare, higher education, pharmaceutical and laboratory construction, Brian has developed a comprehensive skill set managing large, complex and logistically challenging projects on active institutional campuses. He understands the intricacies required while working in sensitive environments such as hospitals and state-of-the-art lab facilities. Notable projects in Brian’s construction management portfolio include the Massachusetts General Hospital Lunder Building and Proton, the UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Clinton Hospital and Lakeside Addition, the Newton Wellesley Hospital Expansion, Alexandria Real Estate Equity’s 50+60 Binney Street, and most recently, the Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex. In his personal time, Brian enjoys enjoy playing soccer, skiing and working on projects around his home in Wayland, MA.