Office Activity in Culver City

Taking A Pulse on Culver's Office Tenants

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  Kent Handleman

  Kent Handleman oversees all leasing activity for LPC West Los Angeles. With over 28 years of transactional experience encompassing over 10 million square feet of space, he manages a portfolio with 4+ million square feet of office projects, and represents ownerships that include LPC West partnerships, associated capital partners, and third-party owners throughout the South Bay, Playa Vista, Culver City, Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles, Tri-Cities, and the San Fernando Valley. Prior to joining LPC West, Kent led leasing efforts for Thomas Properties Group in Southern California. This included City National Plaza, a 2.6-million square foot premier office complex in downtown Los Angeles, where he successfully leased approximately 2 million square feet as the project was repositioned in the market. Prior to this, Kent worked at CBRE where he represented tenants and landlords in the leasing, disposition and/or marketing of commercial office property. Kent’s tenure in the industry began in real estate acquisitions and financial analysis for a pension fund advisor. After completing his MBA at the USC Marshall School of Business, he joined MetLife Real Estate Investments and, in addition to hotel and multi-family projects, he oversaw leasing and asset management for a 3.5-million square foot office building portfolio, with 2.5 million square feet in downtown Los Angeles. In his capacity as an asset manager, Kent also directed property management, and was responsible for business/investment decisions regarding these office, hotel, and multi-family projects as owner’s representative.

  LPC West

  SVP

  Kent Handleman

  SVP

  LPC West

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  Ryan Burton

  Ryan K. Burton is a Senior Vice President of Development for the Lendlease Los Angeles office. His current duties include leading the 3401 S La Cienega mixed-use development at the La Cienega Metro Stop which will be comprised of 260 apartment units, 250,000 sf of office and a pedestrian plaza. Ryan has nearly two decades of real estate investment and development experience, most recently at Lowe overseeing the Ivy Station mixed-use project, a $400 million development project including 200 apartments, a 148-key hotel, 240,000 sf of office and 47,000 sf of retail adjacent to the Culver City Metro Stop. Ryan had a leadership role in setting the strategy and execution of the project entitlements, design, financing, marketing, leasing and operations. Prior to Lowe, Ryan was a Development Manager at Clarett West Development, primarily developing Eastown, a $230 million mixed-use project with 535 apartments, 74,000 sf of retail and 4 supergraphic signs on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, including financing, construction, marketing, lease-up and operations. Ryan completed his MBA/MRED Degrees from USC and Undergrad from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

  Lendlease

  SVP, Development

  Ryan Burton

  SVP, Development

  Lendlease

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  Jackson Brissette

  Jackson Brissette serves as Senior Director, Investments for BARDAS Investment Group, where he is responsible for sourcing new acquisitions, investment strategy, joint venture partner interactions, financial modeling, market research, and relationship management within the Southern California market. Mr. Brissette currently serves as the Plum Committee Chair and is an active Board Member of the Hollywood Media Business Improvement District. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

  BARDAS Investment Group

  Senior Director- Investments

  Jackson Brissette

  Senior Director- Investments

  BARDAS Investment Group

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  Michelle Esquivel-Hall

  Since joining CBRE in 1999, Michelle Esquivel-Hall has provided her clients with strategic real estate solutions completing sale and lease transactions valued at nearly $1 Billion on over 5 million square feet of space. Michelle’s unique background - a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California, emphasis in Pre-Med, and a top producer in construction sales prior to CBRE - along with her knowledge of activity throughout the marketplace, allows her to successfully understand her clients’ needs and customize solutions to achieve their goals. Her commitment to her clients, her attention to detail and her passion for the real estate business has earned her strong relationships with leaders in the market.

  CBRE

  EVP

  Moderator

  Michelle Esquivel-Hall

  EVP

  CBRE

Developing in Culver City, Palms & West LA

Analyzing Major Multifamily, Retail, Hospitality & Mixed-Use Developments

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  Matt Walker

  Matt Walker is Executive Vice President of Lowe and is responsible for overseeing the Company’s hotel and resort development and value add investment activities. Recently completed development and renovation projects under Mr. Walker’s oversight include: Shay Hotel at Ivy Station in Culver City, Sweetgrass Inn at Wild Dunes Resort in South Carolina, Town and Country Resort in San Diego and Miramonte Resort in Indian Wells. Current active projects include the Cooper Hotel in Charleston, Woodlands Resort in Houston and Suncadia Resort in Central Washington. Mr. Walker joined Lowe in 2000 and is a shareholder with the firm. Prior to Lowe, Mr. Walker was an architect in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Mr. Walker received his Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and his MBA from UCLA. He has taught an MBA real estate development course at UCLA and is actively involved in the Urban Land Institute and is the past Chair of the Recreation Development Council. Mr. Walker is an Assistant Scoutmaster in Boy Scout Troop 223 and a resident of Pacific Palisades, California where he lives with his wife and four children.

  Lowe Enterprises

  EVP

  Matt Walker

  EVP

  Lowe Enterprises

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  Ari Kahan

  Ari Kahan began his career at Fortress Investment Group where he was responsible for underwriting and financial analysis across a wide range of asset classes. In 2012, Ari joined California Landmark as a consultant in the acquisitions and development departments, focusing on deal origination and the entitlement of several developments. In 2015, he launched the restaurant group Mainland Poke Shop, reinventing and popularizing the Hawaiian concept of Poke on a global scale, where he was recognized by Zagat in their 30 under 30 program for his efforts in this new restaurant field. Ari rejoined CLG full time in 2017 and has been instrumental in the company’s growth strategy since then. Today, Ari oversees the Acquisitions group and co leads the Development Group. He also serves on the firm’s IMC (Investment and Management Committee), helping guide the company into the 21st century. An LA native, Ari graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a BBA in Real Estate Finance. A pension for charity drives Ari to give back by serving on the boards of a charter school, a private Jewish high school and variety of food related charitable ventures. When not working, Ari enjoys both playing and watching hockey, skiing, cooking, traveling and spending time with friends and family.

  California Landmark Group

  Principal

  Ari Kahan

  Principal

  California Landmark Group

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  Jim Suhr

  Jim Suhr, principal of James Suhr & Associates LLC, has focused on urban infill development of all product types throughout his career in Southern California real estate. His 35+ years in the field encompass experience in acquisitions, entitlements, development and asset management of a wide range of land uses. Jim has been involved in developing a number of transit-oriented mixed-use projects, including Washington National Station in Culver City and Wilshire Vermont Station in Koreatown, as well as industrial, office, apartment, condominium, hotel and historic rehab projects in markets across Southern California. Jim has provided development management and economic advisory services to a range of public and private sector clients, including Hackman Capital Partners, Hilton Universal City, Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, the State Bar of California, the Port of Los Angeles, and many others. Prior to forming JSA, he held positions with BRE Properties, Newhall Land & Farming, Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros., and The Ratkovich Company. He is a graduate of UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and School of Urban Planning.

  James Suhr & Associates

  President

  Jim Suhr

  President

  James Suhr & Associates

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  Michael Lowinger

  As Managing Partner and founder of both Geneva Street Partners and Geneva Street Capital Partners, Michael Lowinger is responsible for the strategic direction of Geneva and its affiliates, including acquisitions, development, investment decisions, investor relationships, and operating policy. The company’s primary focus is apartment development and repositioning, and currently owns and is developing in excess of 200 apartment units in four separate projects in the Culver City area: as well as a 228 unit elderly care facility in Encino. Throughout his career Lowinger has been involved in the development and acquisition of over $1 billion of real estate. Prior to and then simultaneous with the formation of Geneva, Lowinger was Managing Director of Hanover Financial, LLC for 19 years, where he identified and oversaw all investments, partner and investor relationships, and asset management. Before Hanover, Lowinger was Executive Vice President – Western Regional Director for Heller Financial, an affiliate of Fuji Bank of Japan (Heller was acquired by G.E. Capital in 2001) that provided bridge debt, mezzanine, and preferred equity capital, as well as joint venture equity. Lowinger is a Los Angeles area native. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Real Estate Finance and Accounting from San Diego State University and a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He serves as a member of the Real Estate Principals Organization of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and the Real Estate Division of National Jewish Fund. Lowinger and his wife of 37 years, Cynthia, have five children and four toddler grandchildren, and divide their time between homes in Los Angeles and Denver, Colorado.

  Geneva Street Partners

  Co-Founder & Managing Principal

  Michael Lowinger

  Co-Founder & Managing Principal

  Geneva Street Partners

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  Craig Bailey

  Craig Bailey is a Project Executive at Layton Construction, specializing in commercial construction throughout Los Angeles County. He is currently leading the Mission Studios project which is an East End Capital development in Boyle Heights. With experience on both the builder and developer sides, he previously worked with Combined Properties, as a development manager on the Culver Steps project—now home to Amazon Studios—in partnership with Hudson Pacific. Over his career, he has managed nearly $4 billion in real estate development and construction. He was recently honored as one of ENR’s 2024 Western Region 40 Under 40. He holds an engineering degree from Arizona State University and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.

  Layton Construction

  Project Executive

  Craig Bailey

  Project Executive

  Layton Construction

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  Jonathan Watts

  Jonathan Watts, AIA is a partner at KFA Architecture in Culver City. He has worked closely with Lowe Enterprises and the City of Culver City for the past six years to create, design, and lead the development of Ivy Station, one of the most significant TOD mixed-use projects in Southern California. Culver City has been a collaborative partner in the design process which has resulted in an important fit between the project and the City. Jonathan has a strong relationship with City leadership and staff, a deep understanding of how the City works in terms of its urban design and is currently working on studies for other interesting sites within Culver City. He has been practicing architecture and land-use planning since moving from the UK to Los Angeles 33 years ago. His passion for great design and livable communities has led to work in many cities and on myriad building types including mixed-use urban infill, multi-family housing, hotel, office, retail, and entertainment. Jonathan has served as Chair of two Urban Land Institute committees; he is the immediate past Chair of the ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative, which is an effort to use the ULI’s global networks to improve community health through shaping projects and places.

  KFA Architecture

  Partner

  Jonathan Watts

  Partner

  KFA Architecture

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  Kitty Wallace

  Kitty joined Colliers International as Executive Vice President in January 2010. She was named “Los Angeles County's Number One Multifamily Agent” by Pierce-Eislen. For 15 years, Kitty has delivered impactful solutions for her clients, servicing every facet of their multifamily real estate needs – from the sale of apartment buildings and residential land developments to condominium conversions, student housing, affordable housing and special assets. Her transactions have spanned throughout Southern California and the West Coast, with a heavy focus on West Los Angeles. Upon entering the commercial real estate field in 1997, Kitty quickly became an expert in her market and has since consistently set and exceeded performance goals within her organizations and the industry as a whole. During her tenure with Sperry Van Ness, she ranked as the company’s #2 agent in the nation for seven years in a row. Kitty now serves as Executive Vice President for Colliers International, where she has ranked #1 in the Greater Los Angeles region since joining the company 2010.

  Colliers International

  Executive Vice President

  Moderator

  Kitty Wallace

  Executive Vice President

  Colliers International

Remarks from the Podium

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  Benji Shin

  Benji Shin is the CEO of Zenerate offering building design AI solutions for real estate development. His focus is to integrate AI and real estate development for profit maximization. Previously, he participated in a few largest mixed-use projects in LA as an architectural designer. He’s been a speaker at AIA 2020, BILT ASIA 20, BILT NA 2019 and holds a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard.

  Zenerate

  Co-founder & CEO

  Benji Shin

  Co-founder & CEO

  Zenerate