VanTrust industrial development VT 303 in Glendale, Arizona. (Copyright 2022 photo by Kyle Zirkus)
By Rose Law Group Reporter
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 21, 2023) – NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has selected VanTrust Real Estate, LLC (VanTrust) as its 2023 Developer of the Year – the association’s highest honor. The award will be presented during NAIOP’s CRE.Converge conference in Seattle in October.
“We at VanTrust are extremely proud to be recognized by NAIOP as the Developer of the Year for 2023, and we would like to thank NAIOP for this honor. This award is a testament to the commitment of our employees, who consistently strive to exceed expectations through a strong set of guiding values and a commitment to the communities we serve. This, we believe, is what distinguishes VanTrust and enables us to develop with a difference,” said Dave Harrison, president, VanTrust.
Established in 2010 as a full-service real estate development firm with a regional focus and a national reach, VanTrust has grown to become one of the nation’s largest privately held commercial real estate companies. VanTrust primarily develops for the Van Tuyl family, as well as select relationship-based partnerships and select fee-based development services for clients.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, with offices in Dallas; Phoenix; Columbus, Ohio; and Jacksonville, Florida, the company offers a wide range of services, including acquisitions, development, asset enhancement, and design and construction oversight.
“This award is a great honor for our entire VanTrust team. Our company is highly collaborative, so each individual across our five offices plays a significant role in helping us achieve incredible results,” said Executive Vice President Keith Earnest, who oversees the Southwest regional office in Phoenix.
The company has experienced rapid growth since its inception. VanTrust has developed more than 61 million square feet of office, industrial, multifamily, mixed-used, science + technology, and hospitality projects nationwide. Through the strong leadership of the Van Tuyl Companies, VanTrust has developed more than $6 billion worth of product. The company’s project starts in 2022 surpassed $1.3 billion.
Since entering the Arizona market in 2014, VanTrust has completed 2.4 million square feet of development in Arizona, including office, industrial and multifamily projects. VanTrust received the NAIOP Arizona 2021 Industrial Owner/Developer of the Year Award, having developed 1.8 million square feet of industrial space in five Arizona cities (Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Tucson, and Marana) in 2021. Some of the company’s notable Arizona developments include VT 303, Peoria Logistics Park, and Chandler Corporate Center.
Among VanTrust’s core priorities is to serve as responsible stewards of the communities in which it operates, focusing efforts on building stronger, healthier communities and delivering developments that form an integral part of these communities. Through its charitable contributions, VanTrust helps improve areas of community revitalization, education, infrastructure, economic impact, financial literacy, community health and human services, and the arts.
“We believe that supporting our communities both financially and with our time and energy improves the quality of life for our clients, business associates, our employees and those living and working around us. Contributing to those in need is consistent with our company values, makes sense for our business, and is the right thing to do,” Harrison said.
From land acquisition to development and operations management, VanTrust is dedicated to working with its clients to identify measures that reduce environmental impact. Team members and clients incorporate sustainable strategies across their portfolio through innovation and adaptation.
“On behalf of NAIOP, we are honored to recognize the tremendous achievements of VanTrust as our 2023 Developer of the Year. The company has been incredibly successful and effectively navigated challenges by adapting to the market and leading with an entrepreneurial and nimble approach,” said Marc Selvitelli, CAE, NAIOP president and CEO. “The company’s commitment to its employees, clients and communities is impressive.”
VanTrust and its employees are active in NAIOP across several association chapters, including NAIOP Arizona, NAIOP Central Ohio, NAIOP Northeast Florida, NAIOP North Texas and NAIOP Southern Nevada.
Since 1979, the NAIOP Developer of the Year award has been presented to a development company that best exemplifies leadership and innovation in the commercial real estate industry. VanTrust was selected from an impressive slate of nominees and was evaluated by a team of seasoned developers on the following criteria: outstanding quality of projects and services; active support of the industry through NAIOP; financial consistency and stability; ability to adapt to market conditions; and support of the local community.
