Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges in Fairfax's Housing, Infrastructure and Economic Growth

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  Craig Dixon

  Craig Dixon is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of The St. James, the category-creating sports, wellness and active entertainment destination brand in the country. Mr. Dixon leads the strategic vision for The St. James overseeing overall business health and growth, new product launches, as well as major partnerships.

  St. James

  Co-Founder

  Craig Dixon

  Co-Founder

  St. James

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  Charles Sims

  Charles Sims joined APAH in April 2019 as a Project Manager and was promoted to Director of Real Estate Development in January 2022. Charles is responsible for overseeing half of APAH’s development portfolio, including current and pipeline projects. Charles supports several Project Managers, evaluates properties for future development opportunities, and co-leads the real estate development team. Charles contributes to APAH’s regional expansion by supporting projects throughout Maryland and Virginia. Charles has led and supported several notable APAH development projects including: Snowden’s Ridge APAH’s first development in Maryland, the 87-unit re-development of a family community located in Silver Spring Maryland. Ballston Station a mixed-use re-development of the Central United Methodist Church older facility into. 144 units of affordable housing located above a newly developed church and daycare facility, located adjacent to the Ballston Metro Station. Marbella Campus Re-Development is the re development of a 134 unit garden style affordable housing community into 621 units of affordable housing across three development projects involving both preservation and new construction. Previously, Charles worked as a Senior Construction project manager for Office Depot Office Max in Boca Raton, FL and New Urban Development in Miami, FL. Charles managed Multi-Family new construction and re-development projects, Industrial, and Retail development projects working in both high-density urban and suburban environments throughout the South Eastern U.S.

  True Ground Housing Partners

  Director

  Charles Sims

  Director

  True Ground Housing Partners

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  Katie Cristol

  Katie Cristol is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tysons Community Alliance, a nonprofit organization founded to promote economic and social development in the Tysons area of Northern Virginia. The TCA actively works to foster collaboration and partnerships between members of the local business community, local residents, government, and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining the TCA in 2023, Katie served in elected office on the Arlington County Board for eight years, including two years as Chair. During her tenure, she served on numerous boards including the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, which she chaired in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, Katie has held leadership roles in the Virginial Municipal League, the Virginia Railway Express Operations Board and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. She is a strong advocate for affordable housing, racial equity and issues affecting women and families. Katie holds a public policy master’s degree from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.

  Tysons Community Alliance

  CEO

  Katie Cristol

  CEO

  Tysons Community Alliance

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  Gregory Riegle

  Greg is managing partner of the firm's Tysons Corner office and practices commercial real estate law with a concentration in land use, zoning and redevelopment matters. He began his real estate career as a professional urban planner. Prior to joining McGuireWoods, he worked extensively in the public and private sectors. Collectively he has more than 25 years experience in the real estate development industry. He has substantial experience representing major land developers, owners, companies, institutions, lenders and landlords. He works closely with clients to conduct feasibility analysis, analyze applicable development requirements, prepare necessary development-related applications, and present such proposals in meetings and public hearings before decision-making boards and commissions. He has extensive contacts with local government officials, as well as influential community and civic groups, and is able to anticipate, identify and creatively address issues related to the acquisition, development and disposition of real property. He provides clients with the analysis and advice necessary to complete all legislative and administrative approvals associated with the land development processes. His skill in drafting, negotiating and reviewing development agreements, proffers, zoning opinions and easements enables clients to complete the required processes with minimized and accurately qualified risk. The types of developments he has facilitated include office and industrial parks, shopping centers, regional shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, residential subdivisions, master planned communities, and elderly housing uses. He routinely handles the proceedings for necessary rezonings, special exceptions, special permits, variances, Comprehensive Plan Amendments, appeals and Zoning Ordinance Amendments before numerous local government authorities in Northern Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. Much of Greg's work and accomplishments are closely tied to the region's existing and expanding rail transit corridors. He is particularly well versed in the planning, economic and design considerations that are unique to real estate development in transit oriented areas. In addition to representing owner and developers, he has been appointed by local governments to serve as an industry representative on many of the Task Forces and Work Groups charged with redrafting the governing planning and zoning regulations to recognize the opportunities associated with well planned and economically viable transit oriented development.

  McGuire Woods

  Partner

  Moderator

  Gregory Riegle

  Partner

  McGuire Woods

Navigating the Future of Mixed-Use Development in Fairfax County

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  Donna Shafer

  Donna, a founding member of Cityline Partners, is responsible for Cityline’s strategic planning, and for oversight of the company’s day to day execution of its business plan. Prior to Cityline, Donna was affiliated with West*Group for several years, first as the CEO of Park*Crest, and then as Executive Vice President for West*Group. Prior to her tenure at West*Group, she was General Counsel and Vice President of Real Estate for Opus East, and a partner with the law firm of Hazel & Thomas, now known as Reed Smith. Donna serves on the Board and Executive Committee for George Mason University Foundation, and chairs the Foundation’s Real Estate Committee. She is also on the Board of New Hope Housing and a member of the Urban Land Institute Executive Committee, and the Urban Land Institute Trends Committee. Donna earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.

  Cityline Partners

  Managing Director

  Donna Shafer

  Managing Director

  Cityline Partners

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  McLean Quinn

  McLean Quinn is President of EYA, LLC. He oversees corporate management and strategy, investor relations, acquisition and development strategy and project stewardship, and chairs the Partnership Committee. Before being named President in February 2019, McLean served as Vice President of Acquisition and Development, leading acquisition, negotiations, entitlement, underwriting and project stewardship for numerous projects at EYA. McLean is active in ULI and is past participant in the ULI Washington Regional Land Use Leadership Institute and Leadership Montgomery. Before joining EYA, McLean evaluated opportunistic real estate investments for Morgan Stanley's Real Estate Fund (MSREF) in New York and worked in private equity and investment banking at Wells Fargo in Charlotte, North Carolina. He earned a BA in Political Science from Davidson College and an MBA with Distinction from the Kellogg School of Management, where he was an Austin Scholar. McLean lives in Washington D.C. with his wife and two children.

  EYA

  President & CEO

  McLean Quinn

  President & CEO

  EYA

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  Chris Love

  Based in Washington, DC, Chris leads Capital City’s real estate acquisition and development efforts throughout the Mid Atlantic. Prior to joining Capital City, Chris held positions at ZOM Living, UDR and First Capital Realty. Over the course of his career, Chris has sourced, capitalized, and executed on the development of 2,300 multifamily units with a total value of $900M. Chris holds a BS in Business Management, as well as a Minor in Public and Urban Affairs from Virginia Tech. Chris sits on the Industry Advisory Board for the Blackwood Department of Real Estate at Virginia Tech.

  Capital City Real Estate

  Managing Parter

  Chris Love

  Managing Parter

  Capital City Real Estate

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  Robert Brant

  Bob joined the firm in 2015 and works in the firm’s Land Use & Zoning practice group. His practice focuses on securing zoning and land use entitlements including rezonings, special exceptions, special permits and development special use permits in Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax and the Town of Vienna. Prior to joining Walsh Colucci, Bob gained valuable experience representing condominium and homeowners associations throughout Northern Virginia. He and his family currently reside in Fairfax County.

  Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh

  Partner

  Moderator

  Robert Brant

  Partner

  Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh

Remarks at the Podium

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  Eric Morales

  Eric Morales is the Maryland Market President of United Bank, a premier community bank headquartered in Greater Washington, D.C. As Market President, he is responsible for the management and operation of all nine United Bank offices in the Maryland Market, including maintaining client relationships and new business development. Morales has an extensive background in commercial real estate lending, having financed the acquisition and construction of multiple commercial and residential real estate projects in and around the D.C. metro area. He is also active in the local community, notably with United’s financial literacy programs, educating local youth through the Bank’s Teach Children to Save initiative, and volunteering with Junior Achievement Finance Park. He has also served on the board of numerous organizations, most recently with the Catholic Business Network of Montgomery County and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Eric was a proud recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s 40 under 40 awards in 2024. Prior to his time at United Bank, Morales worked as a Financial Manager at TIER REIT, Inc. and a senior associate at EY. Morales holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Accounting degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  United Bank

  Market President

  Eric Morales

  Market President

  United Bank