I work in the acquisitions group at a national institutional real estate investor based in NYC. My favorite deals to work on are development deals, which we usually do in a joint venture format with a development partner. Our partners range from local/regional multifamily groups to national developers like Hines/Related. Our job is to invest equity into the deal while our partner manages the day to day and actual development.
My goal is to transition to a development shop but I don't want to be just a "deal guy" tasked with acquiring land and negotiating JVs/ debt financing, completely cut out of the project management phase. I am looking to learn more about architecture and construction to help round out my knowledge base. I assume you need to know these things to ever become a competent development manager after all.
My question to you is, what do you recommend as the most effective and efficient means of doing so?
Would you think doing a masters in real estate development would provide sufficient background (like Columbia MSRED) or are there any more design- or construction management-oriented courses/graduate programs worth considering? Maybe join the local chapter of AIA and go to tons or workshops and events?
I think I could probably move to this sort of role without formal education in this area, but I would love to be able to have some credibility and honestly am very interested in the finer details about how buildings are designed and built. I want to be able to add value to the process when working with the architect and GC and be able to do more than just keep up with the conversation.
Sorry for the long-winded post and thanks in advance.
Don't think anyone here interested in doing cookie cutter work. Lots of business / finance people take the approach of just doing a quick, easy (smooth) and profitable job that is based on the mentality of "we pay you, you deliver us the final product without headaches or interference." The polished creative process is not one that yields a polished product from an exchange of funds for services. This is true in prototypical projects, but not in ones that actually have any architectural value.
I am saying this because whatever school you decide to go to, don't take the approach of just looking at architecture as a real estate or financial asset. It is much more than that, and if you don'5 care about creating that kind of value in the world, I don't think you should have any business studying architecfure or wanting to be an architect.
usually it's the other way around on this site, architects who want to know more about development, refreshing!
I assume that you work on fairly large projects with established architects and contractors. It also sounds like you want to be more involved in the day to day work that your partner(s) do?
Unfortunately the learning curve for architects is pretty long. A common complaint is that architecture grads don't know anything useful! I don't know much about columbia's MSRED course, but I've been watching Nova University's MSRED lecture online, I don't recall there being much architectural content.
I don't think going back to school is likely to be very useful to you. Are there specific aspects of the design process that are most interesting to you? What aspects of design do your partners focus on? I think it's unlikely that you'll ever be as knowledgeable as your consultants unless you really focus your knowledge of a specific area.
Perhaps you can ask to be more involved in the PM work?
Oct 24, 16 12:46 pm ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Learning design/construction with RE investment background
I work in the acquisitions group at a national institutional real estate investor based in NYC. My favorite deals to work on are development deals, which we usually do in a joint venture format with a development partner. Our partners range from local/regional multifamily groups to national developers like Hines/Related. Our job is to invest equity into the deal while our partner manages the day to day and actual development.
My goal is to transition to a development shop but I don't want to be just a "deal guy" tasked with acquiring land and negotiating JVs/ debt financing, completely cut out of the project management phase. I am looking to learn more about architecture and construction to help round out my knowledge base. I assume you need to know these things to ever become a competent development manager after all.
My question to you is, what do you recommend as the most effective and efficient means of doing so?
Would you think doing a masters in real estate development would provide sufficient background (like Columbia MSRED) or are there any more design- or construction management-oriented courses/graduate programs worth considering? Maybe join the local chapter of AIA and go to tons or workshops and events?
I think I could probably move to this sort of role without formal education in this area, but I would love to be able to have some credibility and honestly am very interested in the finer details about how buildings are designed and built. I want to be able to add value to the process when working with the architect and GC and be able to do more than just keep up with the conversation.
Sorry for the long-winded post and thanks in advance.
just hire us
Don't think anyone here interested in doing cookie cutter work. Lots of business / finance people take the approach of just doing a quick, easy (smooth) and profitable job that is based on the mentality of "we pay you, you deliver us the final product without headaches or interference." The polished creative process is not one that yields a polished product from an exchange of funds for services. This is true in prototypical projects, but not in ones that actually have any architectural value.
I am saying this because whatever school you decide to go to, don't take the approach of just looking at architecture as a real estate or financial asset. It is much more than that, and if you don'5 care about creating that kind of value in the world, I don't think you should have any business studying architecfure or wanting to be an architect.
usually it's the other way around on this site, architects who want to know more about development, refreshing!
I assume that you work on fairly large projects with established architects and contractors. It also sounds like you want to be more involved in the day to day work that your partner(s) do?
Unfortunately the learning curve for architects is pretty long. A common complaint is that architecture grads don't know anything useful! I don't know much about columbia's MSRED course, but I've been watching Nova University's MSRED lecture online, I don't recall there being much architectural content.
I don't think going back to school is likely to be very useful to you. Are there specific aspects of the design process that are most interesting to you? What aspects of design do your partners focus on? I think it's unlikely that you'll ever be as knowledgeable as your consultants unless you really focus your knowledge of a specific area.
Perhaps you can ask to be more involved in the PM work?
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.