Construction is Underway on a Downtown Triple-threat
Apr 15, 2021
There are many ways to think about building a city.
One involves brick and mortar buildings. With the success of Downtown Rising, Salt Lake City has reinvented itself in a dramatic transformation over the past decade. Construction cranes crowd the sky as office buildings, retail spaces, condo complexes and cultural amenities rise up to meet increased demand. These new public and private investments have reinvigorated the economy, reinforcing Salt Lake City’s entrepreneurial spirit and infusing downtown with new capital, optimism and sense of possibility.
A more profound approach is to look towards the people and businesses who make up the fabric of a city.
The soul of any city is made up of the people who love it and are committed to their city’s future. To that end, the commercial real estate industry has played a significant role in bringing dynamic business into the urban center and fostering a downtown that we are proud of today.
The commercial real estate business in Salt Lake City is a competitive, traditionally male dominated industry. However, six of downtown's top commercial real estate professionals, representing significant space in downtown are female. Each of them are quick to point out that gender has little to do with their success. “I do not see myself as a female in a male dominated workforce,” says Dana Baird, Executive Director of Cushman & Wakefield | Commerce. “I see myself as a person who has different traits and I think it’s important to set gender aside from business.”
These women, while competitors, also share common goals in impacting downtown’s rapidly transforming economy. Terese Walton with Gaddis Investments says “there’s two common goals among the six of us- making money and having a lasting positive impact on downtown.” This competition also breeds creativity, according to Lindsay Vieta of InterNet Properties. “Although we are competitors, we all are improving our city. When one of us succeeds it creates new opportunities for the others,” she says.
Another shared commonality between competing commercial real estate companies is the ability to leverage downtown’s assets when making deals. The proximity of natural beauty and recreation, complemented by vibrant work and social environments and robust transportation infrastructure, makes downtown Salt Lake City the ideal place to bring prospective tenants. According to Nadia Letey of CBRE,“mass transit options and connectivity are huge” for clients and their employees. These new downtown tenants, who have relocated either regionally or from out of state, recognize the importance of affordable, convenient transportation in attracting a strong workforce.
Cultural amenities are also an important part of the equation. “There is just so much going on downtown. Whether it’s events and festivals or new developments like the Eccles Theater, we have a great story to tell to prospective tenants,” says Jami Marsh, Vice President of JLL.
As we look towards the coming decades in a dynamic urban landscape, change has already begun. Whether it is relocating international firms to Salt Lake to continually filling new office space with a young and educated workforce, downtown’s family continues to grow. The physical and cultural changes have resulted from the vision and leadership these six professionals have spearheaded. When I think of what, or who is the face of building our city, these six are the answer.
Jami Marsh
JLL
Vice President
Jami Marsh provides tenant representation, landlord agency, investment analysis, cost reduction expertise and strategic planning services in the office sector for JLL. Jami is currently hailed as an emerging leader in the Salt Lake market and is focused on cultivating the business relationships she's developed over the past decade.
Heather Bogden
Coldwell Banker Commercial Advisors
Retail Specialist- Bowler Retail Team
Heather is a commercial real estate agent and retail specialist at Coldwell Banker Commercial- a full service asset and brokerage company. Heather utilizes her skills and focuses specifically on retail tenant representation and leasing.
Dana Baird
Cushman & Wakefield | Commerce
Executive Director - Office Division
Dana brings a truly unique set of institutional commercial real estate brokerage experience and accreditations to her responsibility as Executive Director of the Cushman & Wakefield | Commerce office division. She has been active in the commercial real estate community for the past 19 years and is consistently recognized by her peers as a top producer, averaging more than $50 million and 750,000 SF of annual transaction volume.
Terese Walton
Gaddis Investments
Managing Director, Principal Broker
Terese Walton is the Managing Director and Principal Broker of Gaddis Investments- a company specializing in commercial real estate development, investment sales and leasing. Whether negotiating with tenant and property owners, communicating with governing entities affecting new development or assessing properties for investors looking for sustainable investments, Terese brings a superior level of confidence to her clients.
Nadia Letey
CBRE
Senior Associate- Office Division
Nadia Letey is a Senior Associate with the office services division of CBRE. Nadia seeks to understand the needs of her prospective tenants and then presents them with the right opportunities. Her sales and marketing background helps her not only understand what clients want, but provide input on how to improve the marketability of their properties.
Lindsay Vieta
InterNet Properties
Agent- Commercial
Lindsay is a Commercial Agent with Internet Properties, a full-service real estate firm offering retail, office, industrial and development services. Lindsay brings a relentless attention to detail, background in architecture and design and commitment to providing each client with personal service and care that is above and beyond the ordinary.
