Richmond State of the Market

Loretta Cataldi has joined Divaris Real Estate as Principal and Managing Broker for the Richmond office. Besides her role, she specializes in all aspects of sales and leasing for tenants and landlords throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Loretta has executed over four million square feet of commercial space over her twenty-plus year career. She brings experience in Leasing, Development, Landlord Representation, Land Sales, Tenant Representation, Site Selection, Expansion Strategies to the Retail, Office, and Industrial sectors of commercial real estate. Her previous experience includes Property Management. A sampling of representation includes; Saul Centers, Holladay Properties, Madison Properties, Holland Trust Properties, Whitestar Investment, VEREIT, ShopCore, CIM Group, Clayco, Douglas Development, Regency Centers, Ramco-Gershenson, Café Rio, Anytime Fitness Brands, Stumpy’s Hatchet House, Huddle House Invisible Ink, Bojangles, Earth Fare, Wells Fargo, New York & Company, Growler U, and Meritage Hospitality to name a few. She knows networking is a critical element to building one’s knowledge and relationships within the real estate industry. Loretta is actively involved with multiple organizations such as the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Urban Land Institute (ULI), Commercial Real Estate Women of RVA (CREW), and Greater Richmond Area Commercial Real Estate (GRACRE). Loretta is a licensed broker in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

As the Director of Business Development for ARCO Design/Build, Wes Patterson brings over 10 years of experience in the construction industry. With expertise in construction management and building client relationships, Wes plays a crucial role in driving ARCO’s new business opportunities and helping future clients find solutions to their needs. Wes manages client relationships in the Richmond area and greater Virginia region. Prior to joining ARCO, Wes served as a Project Manager and Owner’s Rep for multiple developers and end users, most recently as a Senior Construction Manager for the Major Projects Division of Whole Foods Market. Wes graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a double major in Economics and German.

Ryn Burns is a registered Architect with a passion for multifamily and mixed-use architecture, adaptive reuse, and sustainable design. Ryn is currently the director of FMGA's Multifamily Studio, working on projects throughout the US with a focus on the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. He works across project teams to conceptualize and deliver effective, impactful, and inventive projects that enhance the communities they inhabit and optimize clients’ goals. Ryn is dedicated to partnering with municipalities to analyze creative opportunities to deliver needed affordable housing and generate innovative solutions for urban infill and adaptive reuse of sites and structures. His focus at FGMA has been on growth, while continuing an exemplary tradition of client service, building long lasting relationships for repeat business. Ryn holds a Master in Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design with a concentration in Critical Conservation and a Master of Architecture from Northeastern University. He also holds a B.A. in Architecture from Princeton University. Ryn’s academic and professional work has centered on the transformative redevelopment of existing building fabric, including adaptive reuse, historic preservation, urban infill, and deep energy retrofits. The studio’s current design work is pushing the envelope of mixed uses to create vibrant, healthy, and inspired urban environments.

John Clarkson is a Managing Director for Greystar Development Services, where he oversees all conventional, student, and active adult housing development activity in the Mid-Atlantic Division, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Before joining Greystar in 2019, John was a Senior Vice President with JBG Smith Properties, where he led mixed-use development projects within the Washington DC metropolitan area. John began his career as an Analyst with the JBG Companies. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Product Council, the National Multihousing Council, and President of the DC Real Estate Group. John received his bachelor’s of arts degree in History and Spanish from Vanderbilt University and his Master’s of Business Administration from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina.

Brandon Wright joined Crescent Communities’ Multifamily team in 2019 as Managing Director of the Washington, DC region. Brandon oversees development and investment supporting the company’s regional growth in the DC metro and the growing submarkets of Virginia and Maryland. Prior to joining Crescent Communities, Brandon served in leadership roles with a variety of notable firms including Greystar, Alliance Residential, HFF, and The Bozzuto Group. Brandon is an active member of ULI, DC Real Estate Group and a LEED Green Associate. He earned his bachelor’s degree in History from Dartmouth College.

Whitson Huffman is responsible for the oversight of investment activity at Capital Square, which includes leadership of the firm’s real estate investments related to its Delaware statutory trust/Section 1031 exchanges, qualified opportunity zone funds and other private placement investment offerings. Since joining the firm in 2018, he has overseen approximately $6 billion in real estate transactions, grown total assets under management by more than $5 billion and established a successful development division that has initiated nine development projects totaling 1,700 apartment units and in excess of $600 million in development cost. Prior to joining Capital Square, Huffman was an associate with JBG SMITH Properties, a real estate investment trust and fund manager listed on the New York Stock Exchange. While at JBG SMITH, Huffman participated in the development of 1,300 residential units and over 210,000 square feet of retail space with a total capitalized value of more than $650 million. He also sought entitlements for over 1,500 residential units and 350,000 square feet of retail, with a projected capitalized value in excess of $400 million. Huffman was previously employed as a consultant in the financial services group of Ernst & Young, working on multifaceted banking and capital markets projects for systemically important financial institutions. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Miami University Farmer School of Business and a Master of Real Estate, finance from Georgetown University. He is active in a number of programs, including the National Multifamily Housing Council, the National Capital Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and the Institute of Portfolio Alternatives (IPA) inaugural Rising Leaders Council. The IPA Rising Leaders Council focuses on introducing professionals to the portfolio diversifying investments industry and helping to create dynamic and engaging conference and educational programming for the IPA.

In 2006, Andrew joined Drucker + Falk as a Regional Property Manager, where he quickly developed a reputation for strong bottom-line NOI performance that has led to explosive growth for Drucker + Falk in the Richmond metro market, where he now serves as Director of Multifamily Management. Andrew brings over 30 years of multifamily and hospitality management experience to Drucker + Falk and has worked for such notable firms as Thalhimer, Trammel Crow Residential, Centergate Residential (a former division of Pritzker Realty), and Marriott Corporation. A strategic thinker and change agent, Andrew directs the operation of a highly diverse portfolio valued at over $2 Billion, comprised of 11,000 apartments at 65 communities. With assets located throughout Central, Western, Northern Virginia, and Maryland, his management portfolio includes market-rate A, B, and C stabilized assets, as well as value-add, repositioned properties, student housing, affordable/workforce housing, historic renovation, and new construction/ lease-up communities. Directing a team of 125+ associates at all levels of management, Andrew has been instrumental in providing consultative expertise for the underwriting and performance of real estate assets for multiple clients with varied investment criteria and performance goals. He is broadly recognized as the go-to resource on local new- development and re-development projects. A Blacksburg, VA native, Andrew started his multifamily career as a teenager, performing general maintenance at small family-owned communities that surround the nearby university. Andrew’s professional career in Multifamily Management started with his enrollment in the Residential Property Management program at Virginia Tech. Andrew also briefly attended the University of Virginia where he participated in the Spanish emersion program. A 20+ year resident of Richmond VA., Andrew, his wife Jen, and their two children can often be found on the soccer field or basketball court. He also enjoys the outdoors, boating, fishing, and traveling with his family.

An experienced commercial real estate attorney, Matt’s practice focuses on land use and zoning entitlements, real estate transactions, public utilities and local government law. Matt represents a variety of clients in land use and zoning, solar, public utility and site plan and subdivision matters throughout Virginia, primarily in Northern Virginia and Central Virginia. He routinely appears before local governments and planning commissions on behalf of developers and property owners to prosecute rezoning, special exception, and similar entitlement matters. He has successfully secured zoning permits and entitlements and land use plan changes for mixed-use projects, residential, office, industrial developments, and solar farms. Matt also regularly represents clients during the site plan and subdivision process, particularly in the drafting and negotiation of subdivision and easement agreements. In addition to his land use and zoning practice, Matt regularly assists clients with their real estate transactional needs, including the purchase and sale of real estate and easement and development agreement negotiations. Matt has extensive experience in the area of administrative, local government and municipal law. He has served as deputy general counsel to a Northern Virginia water and waste authority. Prior to joining Hirschler, Matt was a partner with Bean Kinney & Korman. Additionally, he served as a law clerk in multiple local government offices, including the Fairfax County Attorney’s Office and the City of Alexandria Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Smith currently serves as Regional President of United Bank in Southern Virginia.  Prior to United Bank’s acquisition of Essex Bank in 2021,Mr. Smith was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Essex Bank since September 2010. From April 2009 to August 2010, he served as the Bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. From 2007 to 2009, he was the Central Virginia President for Gateway Bank and Trust and, from 2000 to 2007, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of The Bank of Richmond. Prior to that Mr. Smith held Executive positions at Guaranty Bank in Charlottesville Virginia and with Central Fidelity Bank in Richmond, Virginia. He has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Richmond where he was an Honors Member of Beta Gamma. He is a published author on many banking topics such as; branch banking, transfer pricing methodologies and retail profitability analysis in the American Banker, ABA Marketing Journal and, the Community Banker. Mr. Smith formally served on the Boards of the March of Dimes and Children’s Hospital of Richmond. He is currently a Board member of Bankers Insurance, LLC.

As the Director of Leasing, JP oversees the day-to-day leasing activities for the Matan Companies’ current portfolio, including all office, lab, and industrial properties throughout the Washington DC metro area. With over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, JP applies his knowledge, expertise, and client relationship skills to the continued growth and success of Matan Companies. JP holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Fordham University. As a native of Washington DC and graduate of Gonzaga College High School, JP continues to give back to his local community and utilize his knowledge of the DC-metro region to enhance the presence of Matan.

Louis J. Rogers is the founder and chief executive officer of Capital Square and its related entities He is also the founder and chief executive officer of Rogers Realty Advisors, LLC. Prior to founding Capital Square, he served as managing director of private programs at a national real estate sponsor and was the former chief executive officer of its FINRA-licensed broker-dealer. Rogers was a founding member of a national real estate investment sponsor in 1998, where he ultimately served as president and on the board of directors until 2007. Under his leadership, the company became the nation’s largest tenant-in-common (TIC) sponsor, which syndicated in excess of $5 billion of real estate in over 100 offerings, including TICs, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate funds. Prior to 2004, Rogers was an influential tax, securities, and real estate attorney. He was a partner with the Hirschler Fleischer law firm in Richmond, Virginia (1987-2004), where he founded and led the firm’s Real Estate Securities Practice Group. Rogers was responsible for billions of dollars of TIC, REIT and fund offerings as an attorney and executive officer. In 2017, Rogers was a finalist for the 2017 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Mid-Atlantic. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, he was listed as one of the most powerful and influential leaders on the Virginia 500 Power List by Virginia Business and was also awarded Real Estate Forum’s Best Bosses 2020 by GlobeSt. In September 2022, Rogers will be honored by the Richmond chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for his significant impact on the Richmond community. Rogers earned a Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University in 1979 (with highest honors), a Bachelor of Arts (with honors) in 1981 and Master of Arts in 1985 in Jurisprudence from Oxford University, and a Juris Doctor degree in 1984 from University of Virginia School of Law. He is a former Adjunct Professor of Law at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary and lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law.