Utilizing Technology in Construction and Development

Chris Tourtellotte serves as a Managing Director of LaTerra. Chris is responsible for overseeing the Development group, sourcing and closing new acquisitions, sourcing debt and equity for LaTerra’s projects, and growing LaTerra’s apartment and mixed use development platform, which currently includes over 3,000 apartment units either under construction or in the pipeline. Prior to joining LaTerra, Mr. Tourtellotte spent 7 years at Prudential Global Investment Management (PGIM), a global real estate private equity investment fund manager with over $50 billion of gross assets under management. Most recently at PGIM, Mr. Tourtellotte held the position of Director, overseeing all development activity west of the Mississippi River with over 20 development deals at a total cost basis greater than $1 billion. Prior to Mr. Tourtellotte’s role overseeing West Coast development, he spent 5 years on the West Coast acquisitions team where he worked on closing over $1 billion in acquisitions across all property types (multifamily, office, retail, industrial, and hotels) and all layers of the capital stack (senior debt, subordinate debt, preferred equity and equity). Chris co-founded SnowGlobe Music Festival, which was ultimately acquired by MTV. SnowGlobe is a world-renowned annual music festival (featuring the largest musical acts in the world) drawing over 50,000 attendees over the three day event. Mr. Tourtellotte was responsible for raising the capital, and structuring and negotiating the investment documents prior to the inaugural 2011 festival. Mr. Tourtellotte was selected for Real Estate forum’s 50 under 40 list. Mr. Tourtellotte holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (Cum Laude) with a double concentration (Finance & Accounting) and a minor in Real Property Development from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Danielle O’Connell serves as Director for the emerging technology team at Skanska USA Building, a leading construction firm in the U.S. She focuses on the integration of new technologies into design and construction processes, planning and implementing BIM throughout the project lifecycle, applying reality capture tools and developing BIM4FM deliverables. Partnering with clients, Danielle also provides consulting for BIM standards, deliverable quality control and training for technology application. With over 12 years in the AEC industry, Danielle’s experience in both BIM/VDC and project and program Management, provide a wealth of knowledge surrounding building system constructability and serviceability requirements. Prior to joining Skanska, she served as manager of the Design Technologies Integration Group at the Massachusetts Port Authority and held roles at Bluebeam, Gilbane Building Company and Consigli Construction.

Mr. Skowvron joined Gruen Associates in 2018 and became an Associate of the firm in 2020. His primary responsibility involves working with project teams to strategize, maintain and employ effective BIM strategies, tasks, and workflows through the life of the project. Trained in the architectural practice, Mr. Skowvron was determined to develop solutions to improve efficiencies by using technology. Previously employed by an Autodesk reseller, he has implemented workflows for many elite firms across the nation including Disney, RAMSA and now across all departments at Gruen—architecture, planning, interiors and landscape. He is constantly seeking more efficiency in workflows, leveraging the power of Dynamo for smoother transitions and interoperability between software. Mr. Skowvron is driven by challenge and innovation as evidenced by his initiative to push the industry forward, producing a 57-acre project in Revit with the landscape department. His current work includes Metro’s Airport Metro Connector Station at LAX, the new Audrey Irmas Pavilion event space for the historic Wilshire Boulevard Temple, an adaptive re-use to the 1927 Tower Theatre in downtown Los Angeles’ Broadway Theater District, the Otay Mesa Land Port of Entry renovation and expansion in San Diego, the Pershing Square Re-Design, the 3545 Wilshire mixed-use high rise development and the Cheval Blanc Hotel in Beverly Hills.