Q&A with Myron Rivers of USGBC

You were recently appointed was Executive Director for the Cincinnati Regional Chapter of the USGBC. What does your job entail?
In my role as executive director I am primarily responsible for setting and carrying out the strategic plans and policies in conjunction with the board of directors and the membership. In addition to overseeing the daily operation of the organization there are 4 key areas that my job will focus on:

1) Creating a clear vision that is shared with others in order to provide unity within the organization
2) Engaging the community and developing relationships
3) Managing the financial needs of the organization and leading fundraising efforts
4) Supporting the board of directors

What is your background and how will you use that experience in this new role?
I have spent the majority of my professional career working first the African American Chamber as the Director of Sales & Marketing where I was responsible for crafting and protecting the organizations brand as well as responsible for membership development. I then worked for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber as the director of economic inclusion where I helped corporations develop or increase the amount of money spent with minority and women owned businesses. My hope is to bring my knowledge of nonprofit management acumen and community experience to help grow the organization.

What exactly does the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) do? What is it’s purpose?
The USGBC is a non-governmental nonprofit who educates and advocates for the addition to the number of sustainable and LEED certified buildings in our region. Our purpose is to transform the way buildings and communities are planned, designed, built, and operated enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous built and natural environment that improves the quality of life.

What do you hope the USGBC Cincinnati Chapter will achieve in the city in the next 6 months, year and 5 years?
In the short term I hope to increase our outreach and help to educate the average Cincinnatian on the benefits of healthier more sustainable buildings. Also I would like to increase the amount of sustainable buildings and homes available to low-to-moderate income individuals and families. In the long term, I hope this chapter can help to make LEED certification a thing of the past; that sustainable design is fully integrated into the DNA and fabric of the built environment in Cincinnati.

How do view the green movement as progressing and changing?
The Green movement is one of if not the most progressive movements of our time. Not long ago the environmental lobby was thought to be for tree-hugging purist and die-hards; that is no longer the case. My 5-year-old is learning how to recycle as part of the regular curriculum in school. The average consumer has the ability to purchase a wide variety of green cleaning products, that use less packaging in a mass produced market. These changes have occurred within the past 5 years. Not to mention the fact that in almost every construction project in any major city there is discussion of LEED, and almost every fortune 500 company has a sustainability report or policy in place. These are all monumental shifts in the way that we approach the endurance of our natural resources in an attempt to save the planet.

How do you view the tri-state’s progress compared to other chapters in the nation?
We are not in a tier 1 market but this chapter has always been ahead of the curve as it relates to progress. Let me to answer this questions with some little known facts:

• Cincinnati was the 8th USGBC Chapter (created almost 10 years ago
  
• Ohio is home to more LEED certified schools than any other state
  
• Cincinnati (per capita) has more LEED certified buildings and LEED accredited professionals than Chicago and New York City
  
• emersionDesign (located within the Hamilton business development center) is home the first LEED Platinum office in the world
  
• Cincinnati was the first (and perhaps the only) city in the country to offer a 15 year tax abatement for the building a LEED certified home

Coupled with a very progressive corporate community Cincinnati is truly on the cutting edge of sustainable and green buildings.

What have you heard about Neyer Properties with regards to being green?
I know that Neyer Properties has a real commitment towards sustainability and being green, in addition to being a member and sponsor of the USGBC. I look forward to working with Neyer properties in creating a more sustainable Cincinnati.

For more information on the USGBC visit: www.usgbc.org

Q&A with Scott Abernethy of Cassidy Turley

With several of our developments getting underway this summer, we decided to interview one the brokers representing these properties. We have had a long standing relationship with Scott Abernethy and are pleased that he is one of the listing agents for our new development, The Greens at Kenwood, along I-71 and Montgomery Road.
Scott Abernethy is a Senior Vice President at Cassidy Turley, located on Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati. Scott has been with Cassidy Turley since starting his career in the real estate industry in 1998. He is a member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, Cincinnati Board of Realtors, Ohio Association Board of Realtors and the National Association Board of Realtors and a Certified Commercial Investment Member.

1. You are one of the main brokers for our newest development, The Greens at Kenwood. What are you most hopeful for with regards to this development? With all of the negative news surrounding the last large development in Kenwood (Kenwood Towne Place), my hope is that The Greens again proves what a successful office market Kenwood really is. The most challenging aspect of this project is always landing that first, anchor tenant. Once we do, I firmly believe Neyer Properties will experience tremendous success with this project.

2. What other properties have you worked with us on? Our team has been a successful leasing partner for Neyer Properties on several other office projects along the I-71 corridor. These leasing include over 40,000 SF at Blue Ash Corporate Center from 2006 – 2008, and also fully leasing the 20,000 SF office/warehouse property on East Kemper Road. Currently, we continue to lease Blue Ash Corporate Center, Central Pointe on the Lateral, and The Greens.

3. What made you decide to work with Neyer? Easy question: the successful track record that Neyer Properties has put together for its properties makes us want to be their leasing partner whenever the opportunity presents itself.

4. With whom do you work with? I have worked with and continue to work with Dan Neyer, Karman Stahl, Charlie Pond, Jeff Chamot, Amanda Neyer, Eden McDermott, Jared Wendling, and even Bryan Kelly (although that work relates more to betting on the horses at Keeneland).

5. What has been your experience working with Neyer? The Neyer employees are extremely detail-oriented group, very responsive, wonderful marketing, and always professional.

6. How long have you been working with Neyer? Since I got in this business at the end of 1998, I have always been aware of Neyer Properties. I have worked with them as a Tenant Rep starting then, and developed our listing relationship in 2005.
7. What do you like about the relationship? See #5….they make it easier for me to help them lease their properties by responding quickly and appropriately to my requests.

8. Any specific positive experiences? On a personal (fun) level, I enjoy the group at Neyer Properties with the Keeneland outing…3 years in a row, and always a good time. The most recent positive work experience is the marketing we put together for The Greens. This is the best marketing I have seen for any project in my 12 years of working in Commercial Real Estate.

Discussing LEED, Green, & their new headquarters with Paula McIntosh of the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross’s Cincinnati chapter was recently the recipient of the Business Courier’s Green Business Award in Non-Profit Design. As the developer for this project, we opted to interview Paula McIntosh, the Community Presence Officer for the American Red Cross, on what the award means to their organization and what they are continuing to do to keep up that “green mentality.”

1. What is your position at the American Red Cross? I am the Community Presence Officer, responsible for the Health and Safety and Facilities departments. Additionally, I have responsibility for supporting four smaller Red Cross chapters in our 25-county region, which includes territory in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

2. Is the new headquarters LEED certified yet? How far along are you in the process? Our LEED documentation has been submitted and we hope to hear any day that we have met the standards for certification at the Gold level. We will let you know as soon as it happens!

3. What type of maintenance is required for the green features? Our HVAC system uses water-cooled heat pumps with filters that must be changed regularly. However, the system is operating extremely efficiently and has saved us a lot of money over the system in our old building. The landscaping is designed to be low-maintenance; however, in last summer’s drought we did need to water more than we had hoped. If this summer brings more rain, we do not anticipate that watering will be required, especially now that plants are more established.

4. The project was recorded to have been nearly $1 million under budget, were you surprised to find this out? We were thrilled that the entire project came in under budget. This was a result of working closely with our outstanding design and construction team to make the best decisions for the building and for our budget. As one of our team members put it, “There is a lot of value designed into the building.” Many of our contractors worked with us on pricing.

5. What does being a recipient of this year’s Green Business Award in Non-Profit Design mean to the Red Cross? It was very exciting and humbling to be chosen for the award. It recognizes the efforts of many people who helped with planning the building and making important choices along the way. We relied heavily on the expertise of our architects Emersion Design, our developer Neyer Properties, and our general contractor Mark Spaulding Construction Company as we managed this process. We are grateful for their help and the help of many others, and hope that other companies and individuals take inspiration from what our organization has been able to accomplish.

6. Besides the green features of your building, as an organization, how are you continuing to “be green”? We routinely recycle paper and plastic and are also participating in a recycling program for printer cartridges. Every month we send our staff tips on how to live green in their own lives, as well as at the workplace. Most recently, we have begun to work with a master gardener from Northern Kentucky University to construct a compost bin for clippings from our trees and bushes. We have also established a Green Facilities Committee comprised of experienced facilities managers and people with construction expertise to help us maintain the high standards we have set.

7. Do you have a favorite thing you like about your new headquarters? What is it? I love the many windows in the office spaces—they let in so much light and the view of our neighborhood. We get to see the houses of Evanston, the newly re-designed Evanston Park, Keystone Parke, and the expressway. It helps us stay connected to our community and the people we serve.

8. Has working in a green building helped you incorporate any “green” aspects into your lifestyle? How so? I’m making more of an effort to save water at home and not being so quick to throw away things that may be old but still have a useful life.

Dan Neyer & Neyer Employees Blogging (Part 3 of 3)

For the final part of our three part series, we decided to see what our fellow employees' favorite projects were. There were several similarities between employees but each had a different reason why it is their favorite.

What has your favorite project been thus far? Why?

The Red Cross building because I’ve been able to see it go up every day since it is right outside of our office at Keystone Parke.

-Eden McDermott

Keystone Parke. Being part of a team that built the first “green campus” in the area was very rewarding. I was also very involved in many of the office selections for the Neyer Properties tenant finish.

-Tracy Russell

The Thanksgiving Food from the Heart Drive [with St. Vincent De Paul]. Because of its success last year, Neyer put two food barrels out this year, one at Red Bank Crossing and one Keystone Parke I. Thanks to our tenants and Neyer employees we filled both barrels. It was touching to see everyone working together to help out people in need. I have been told by several professionals that Dan has a good head on his shoulders and a big heart as well.

-Sally Hauser

I love the glass façade of the Beechmont Racquet Club. The owner wanted not only a “racquet” club but there are additional office spaces for tenants. The Design Center is additionally a unique building with colors of red, yellow and blue incorporated in the outside design. It’s very colorful exterior is easy to see off of I-71. Another is the redevelopment of the Working In Neighborhood office in South Cumminsville. An older Catholic Church converted to office space without destroying the integrity and character of the interior; beautiful painted glass windows, the thick massive woodwork, and the overhead Rosetta window.

-Nancy McCune

The purchase of Ross and Section [Central Pointe on the Lateral]. It is our first Clean Ohio project and therefore has been a great learning experience for me. Another part of this project I enjoy is the future planning of the additional acreage to the south. It is exciting to see all of the moving parts come together.

-Jared Wendling

Keystone Parke because although it is a big, complicated and often difficult project to move forward it has the biggest potential impact on the community of all projects I have worked on.

-Jeff Chamot

I have enjoyed the development of the American Red Cross Headquarters and Disaster Operations center the most, since it is such a unique facility and a unique challenging site. It has served as many stakeholders as any project that we have completed (all of which had differing interests and needs), it is on target for LEED Gold, and it is for an incredible organization.

-Charlie Pond

Dan Neyer & Neyer Employees Blogging (Part 1 of 3)

This month we decided to turn the table back onto those whom we know the best, our fellow employees at Neyer Properties. We asked each employee the same set of questions and ended up with a wide range of responses. This is the first part of a three part series. It is interesting to see everyone’s different perspectives.

What are you looking forward to in the coming year?

I see the coming year as having great opportunities for investment in commercial real estate. I also look forward to continuing our effort to help transform the real estate in our community with our continued emphasis on creating value to the overall community, using real estate as one of the vehicles to help improve the lives and efficiencies of others.

-Dan Neyer, President & CEO

What I am looking forward to in the coming year is Neyer Properties continued success in being a development company that is aggressive in acquisitions and secure financially that both lenders and peers see as a leader in our industry.

-Kathy Hennel, Controller

I’m looking forward to getting a large retail project off the ground that we have been working on for most of 2010. I’m also optimistic about a few other opportunities that involve new development at properties we currently own. Finally, seeing as much of our growth in the near future will come from acquisitions, I’m eager to see what we will come across in 2011. Acquisitions require some-out-of-the-box solutions as we reposition property – and it’s very interesting to be part of that process.

-Seth Pirie, Development Project Manager

Seeing more development and construction activity!

-Jeff Chamot, Land Development Manager

I am looking forward to seeing the results of some of the projects which have been in early phases to date, and for which we have been laying the groundwork to truly partner with end-users, with the hope of beginning construction next year – including The Greens at Kenwood, Central Pointe on the Lateral, Gateway 75, Ridge Pointe, Harrison Greene, Middletown Mall, and others.

-Charlie Pond, Director of Building Development

Q & A with Dan Neyer, president/CEO of Neyer Properties

Dan Neyer, president and CEO of Neyer Properties, has had the benefit of being involved in each and every aspect of real estate and land development, design, construction and financing over the approximately 30 years he has been in the real estate business full time. In 1995, after 14 years with the family business Dan decided to branch out on his own to pursue his own dream with his own vision. With this year being the 15th anniversary of Neyer Properties we sat down with Dan to reflect on the company he has created as well as to discuss the lessons he has learned along the way.

What has made Neyer Properties successful in the current economic status?

We have narrowed our focus and have changed our business model to react to and reflect the changing environment of commercial real estate. While we are still pursuing developments with specific end users in mind, our main focus is in purchasing existing properties and renovating or redeveloping these properties to a higher and better use. Fortunately we had seen the writing on the wall relative to the financial constraints we are all faced with today and stayed true to our form by being fiscally conservative. This has allowed us to obtain loans where others are unable to obtain and pursue opportunities that occurs cannot at this time.

Why have you chosen to make the commitment to be ‘green’?

Being “green” is simply the right thing to do. It reduces operating expenses for tenants, improves the air that we breathe, increases the efficiency in the workplace, reduces sick days within our buildings and also reduces our dependency and costs for energy. Having been involved with 11 LEED projects and being the recognized leader in our industry for this technology incorporated into commercial buildings, we are very familiar and know firsthand the benefits that this provides.

What values are significant to Neyer Properties as a company?

Integrity and ethics, even more now than ever, are the most important values. We are a results driven, community-minded organization that prides itself on being creative, persistent, team-focused and having an environment that is rooted in being empowered to take measured risks while putting a strong emphasis on learning and growing. In addition to this it is important to have an environment that promotes having fun in our various activities.

Most rewarding project thus far? Why?

Keystone Parke is the most rewarding (and also the most difficult) project to date. We invested nearly 10 years of effort to assemble all the property necessary for this project and we have worked closely with the surrounding community. This project has culminated into being the first LEED certified office campus in the Tri-state region with a strong emphasis in design and technology. We are looking to grow this overall development into a five building 450,000 square foot office campus which will demonstrate the right way to develop property within the community in which we live, work and play in.

What have you learned since owning your own company?

The only limitation of any organization is the limits it puts on itself and the people within. Having the right people within our company has allowed us the opportunity to do some great things in commercial real estate arena. Following your passion, as I have, for our business is the key driving force between trying to run a business and succeeding in a business. The ability to change the way you approach business is a must in order to be able to respond to the ever changing market conditions, as the rate of change is moving faster year by year.

Has Neyer Properties changed in any unexpected ways?

In running a business it is hard to gauge if we have changed in unexpected ways as all businesses must change to be successful, which is to be expected. We have grown to be a larger organization (assets wise) than I originally anticipated and the quality/dedication of our people is much greater than I could have ever hoped and dreamed for.

Future plans? Hopes for the future?

The future, I think, in these uncertain times is as good if not better than it has ever been. When there is uncertainty and turmoil there is great opportunity for the people not afraid to take action. We are implementing a plan that will allow us to grow at a rate that is faster than we have ever grown in our past by pursuing the opportunities that will allow us to create significant value for years to follow. Stay tuned and you shall see….


Neyer Properties is a full-service commercial real estate developer specializing in sustainable land development, construction management, investment, and redevelopment. The firm celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and invites friends and stakeholders to join its green building community at facebook.com/neyerproperties.

Working for Neyer Properties: Director of Building Development and LEED AP, Charlie Pond

Busy with various tenant improvements, the new main entrance and I-71 ramp improvement at Keystone Parke, and the new American Red Cross Headquarters, Charlie Pond still takes time out for family and his community. As Director of Building Development, Charlie has been with Neyer Properties for 3 years now. We sat down with Charlie to ask him some questions for the 2010 Northern Kentucky Chamber, Next Generation Leader Award which he was nominated for.

What are your two greatest professional achievements?

One great professional achievement was the management of the design and construction of Neyer Properties’ new corporate officefirst local LEED Gold interiors project in the first building of a LEED Silver private office campus within Keystone Parke, a $100 million development located at I-71 and Dana Ave. The entire building and interior office construction was completed on time, under budget, and has truly been a living testament to our company’s dedication to green development from this point on.

Another significant professional achievement was my role in the completion of negotiations and the full design and construction of the new American Red Cross headquarters and disaster operations center. Through my design and bid management oversight, as well as value engineering efforts throughout design, we successfully developed this project with more than $1M savings or over 16% on the construction budget. The project involved an assemblage of excess State property along with six residential properties, land swaps from the local Park board and construction of new roads for this new facility.

What attributes, qualities and achievements have enabled you to advance professionally?

I have always strived to exceed expectations and rise to the next level, not waiting for others to give me direction before I try to reach a new level. I began my professional career at the end of high school in an architectural firm, then working through college at engineering and construction firms. I still was able to graduate with both a Bachelor and Master program in engineering within a period of only five years, through long hours coupled with dedication and drive. My consistent professional efforts to exceed management expectations have resulted in continuous promotions through varying levels of the construction and development industries.

I also have a never ending quest for knowledge. In all of my endeavors, I have never reached a point where I feel that I “know my job completely” because I constantly draw from others’ knowledge and experience and strive to learn new information in the development and construction industry. In my current role at Neyer Properties, I am able to use all information previously obtained in the architectural, engineering, and construction fields to efficiently manage these industries for complete land and building developments.

What attributes, qualities and characteristics have enabled you to inspire others?

I find that employees, consultants and vendors truly appreciate my ability to work with them “in the trenches” and demonstrate my dedication to them by my commitment to deadlines, quality, and excellence through my own actions. I also intentionally strive to provide a positive influence at our office and in all other professional environments, including positive comments and reinforcement to staff and other entities that work for and around me.

While praising accomplishments and successes, I feel that it is important for others to continue to grow in their own professional lives and continue to reach the next level. I try to detect the best way to interact with and motivate varying personalities, but with one continuous pattern – each year we set multiple goals that will push them outside their comfort zone and into more knowledge, experience, and responsibility. I strongly avoid micromanagement and negativity, empowering all to carry out their responsibilities and reviewing progress as needed.

How have you made an impact on your community in your personal life?

I have positively impacted my community through my level of volunteerism and contribution in both my professional and personal life. In my personal life, I have significant involvement in in a variety of organizations including the Saving Lives Society, American Red Cross, Shoulder to Shoulder, and the Isaiah Project.

Also I have jointly led the “green” revitalization of at least three houses for the needy in conjunction with Working in Neighborhoods, and have contributed assistance to multiple houses constructed for the needy by Habitat for Humanity. In the immediate vicinity of our office, I have joined with a large group of volunteers and the City of Cincinnati Park Board to lead the renovation of the Evanston Park and to perform a regular cleanup of all areas of Dana Avenue from this park to the interstate 71 interchange.

What have been your greatest obstacles and how have you overcome these?

One of my greatest obstacles has been what I perceive as a lack of time and resources to pursue everything that I would like to. In order to meet this obstacle, I have grown to be diligent about organization of my time and my information, focusing on a much greater prioritization of my study, business development, and professional priorities. Through greater familiarity and use of software, technology, and simple organization of my space, I have been able to take each major priority in large chunks one step at a time while integrating lower priorities in smaller periods to ensure that they are not passed by. I have also learned to delegate so that I rarely am performing a certain task that someone else can be trained to handle.

Neyer Properties a full-service commercial real estate developer specializing in sustainable land development, construction management, investment, and redevelopment. The firm celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and invites friends and stakeholders to join its green building community at facebook.com/neyerproperties.