Seattle’s Office Revolution and the Rise of the Tech Sector

Over the past six decades, Martin Selig has turned his two person company into a billion dollar enterprise. He’s built his business (and much of the city) from the ground up, and he’s not stopping anytime soon. So what’s his secret to doing business? Martin won’t tell, but some might say it’s the structure of his company: everything comes back to him. Where some developers have boards, partners, and commissions, Martin and Martin alone is at the helm of his ship. This enables him to make quick decisions and never keep people waiting. His advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs? Do it how he did: Jump in the deep and and see if you can swim. While most people are either creative types or number gurus, Martin is an anomaly: he’s a creative spirit with billionaire business sense. His door is always open, and if his team needs anything, they need only enter his corner office with glass walls and a bird’s eye view of the city he’s built. Compared to other commercial real estate companies, he adds, his team has a lot more fun. Martin’s favorite project is always his current project, and he’s happiest when there’s a hole in the ground, on its way to becoming the next addition to Seattle’s skyline. He’s also an artist and art connoisseur. He’s made many contributions to Seattle’s art scene, from the giant popsicle statue outside his property on 4th and Blanchard, to “Adam” by Fernando Botero outside the old Federal Reserve Building, to the John Henry “Songbird” Sculpture at 5th and Yesler, to the Barbara Hepworth “Three Obliques” at 645 Elliott, and the list goes on. Martin got into the real estate business in 1958 because “he didn’t trust the stock market.” His team likens him to The Wizard of Oz and Walt Disney: someone with unparalleled imagination who’s unafraid to think outside the box. If he has a goal, he won’t stop until he’s achieved it. They say the reason for the company’s success is easy: it’s Martin. There’s only one Martin Selig. Though Martin has called the Emerald City home for his entire life, he wasn’t born here: he and his family escaped Nazi Germany in 1940 by sneaking onto the Trans Siberian Railroad. They travelled through Europe and Asia by train, then boarded a boat bound for San Francisco from Japan. When their ship entered Elliott Bay the mountains were out and the sun was shining, so on a whim, his family ended their journey in Seattle. This place is Martin’s home, and he’s been here ever since. In his spare time, he enjoys riding motorcycles, skiing, and painting.

Dina’s team promotes sustainable advancement in design, construction and operations of the built environment through the planning and implementation of green strategy across building portfolios and organizations. Dina is responsible for elevating real estate owners’ portfolios through effective sustainability strategies that are result-driven and have measurable impact. As a director, she leads business development, strategic planning, program development and change management spanning markets from commercial real estate to retail and hospitality. With twenty years of experience in the development and hospitality industry, Dina has focused her career on pushing the envelope for sustainable development and operations for an impressive list of hotel properties throughout the US. Dina has served in development and sustainability leadership roles within prominent hotel brands, including Marriott International, Wyndham Worldwide and The Peabody Hotel Group. Most recently Belon has worked in the sustainable supply space and as principal of RUSH Hospitality, a sustainability design and construction company. Dina graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. She is a Licensed Interior Designer in the State of Florida and a LEED Accredited Professional with an ID&C specialty. An accomplished speaker, she has led numerous panels and educational sessions at a variety of hospitality focused conferences, forums and expos.

MJ is an expert at translating brands into impactful customer moments. She has spent her career studying consumers and the drivers that impact their decisions. MJ creates a center of gravity on each project, leading teams, and clients through an innovative process that blends brand stories, business goals, and consumer insights into memorable experiences. At her core, she is a listener, opportunity-seeker, and choreographer crafting ideas into environments that delight. She has collaborated with some of the world’s most notable brands, including Nordstrom, Harrods, Anthropologie, and Hyatt, to name a few.

Wende Miller is a Managing Director for Talon Private Capital (TPC). Wende joined TPC in 2012. During her time at TPC, Wende has overseen asset management and leasing for TPC’s portfolio, including partner properties. She has completed over 4.5 million square feet of new, pre-leased, and renewal leases while overseeing property management, project management and brokerage teams in multiple markets. Wende has spent the majority of her 27 year real estate career as a broker specializing is significant transactions for owners, major law firms, corporations, financial institutions and professional and technical firms in the Puget Sound Region. She has implemented much of what she learned as a broker into her daily interactions now as an owner, while leaning on her vast industry relationships to ensure the most advantageous results for TPC properties, their investors and partners. Wende attended Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina where she was a member of the cross country and track teams. Wende is a member and has been actively involved in several industry related organizations such as Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), CoreNet, National Association for Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and was recently recognized as a Power Woman in Commercial Real Estate by Bisnow. She is also committed to giving back to her community having served as a board member for the Hope Heart Institute, Bishop Blanchet Boosters, Camp Fire USA and a member of the Jubilee Women’s Center Steering Committee where they were successful in raising $5 million in a capital campaign. Additionally, Wende has enjoyed coaching track & field, basketball and soccer for her children’s teams over the years but is now adjusting to the empty nest life since the last of her five children has gone to college.

Joe leads the firm’s acquisition and capital development efforts. Utilizing his background in brokerage and land use economics, Joe combines a clear market vision with strong transaction instincts to guide clients and partners in creating effective real estate investment opportunities. His ability to analyze market fundamentals and build financial models appropriate to a wide variety of product types allows him to successfully lead risk assessment and negotiate deal structures beneficial to LUP and our partners.

SeaPac is one of the premier retail brokerage and consulting firms in the Puget Sound/WA Market. Since 1978 SeaPac has specialized in retail services for retailers, property owners, landlords and developers. We are the state of Washington member for Chainlinks Retail Advisors, the nation’s leading retail network. Jeff Rosen is a partner and works as a retail real estate broker.