Paul Robertson: Impacting Quality of Life with Each Development

“Very few careers are as impactful on the quality of life in a community as real estate development," said Paul Robertson, Senior Director of Real Estate Development.

With more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience, Paul certainly understands the role developers have in our communities.

Paul joined Opus in 2019. As Senior Director of Real Estate Development his responsibilities include identifying and executing market-rate multifamily and senior living developments in Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. Specifically, Paul specializes in finding transit-oriented sites in mature markets that support market-leading amenities, finishes and services.

The Making of a Real Estate Developer

Paul's passion for real estate development started at a young age, watching and learning everything he could from his father, who worked in residential real estate.

“Those were formative years," he said. “Then while I was in college, I had a summer job as a carpenter for a construction company. We worked on commercial projects, like apartment buildings. That's when l first became interested in commercial real estate. I saw first-hand how buildings fit together and the purposes they serve. I learned a great deal from one person in particular – the President of the construction company."

He became an important mentor to Paul.

“He would tell me about the deal side of the projects we constructed," he said. “He keyed me into things like why the site was chosen, how new buildings fit with neighboring buildings, and what stakeholders were involved. That piqued my interest."

Recognizing Paul's potential, his mentor encouraged him to enroll in an introduction to real estate course when he returned to the University of Wisconsin in the fall.

With the completion of that course, the deal was sealed.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Investment and Banking, Paul went on to achieve a Master of Science in Business Real Estate Appraisal and Investment Analysis, also from the University of Wisconsin.

Positively Impacting Communities

Paul's career began in asset management. He learned a great deal managing a national portfolio with diverse project types – multifamily, retail, office, land and mixed-use. This gave him an appreciation for the various fundamentals and nuances of each asset type.

“I enjoyed working on properties that had a significant value-add component," he said. “Those properties that allowed me to reposition and refine the asset to meet the needs of the market interested me the most."

That led him into development, and then to Opus.

“It's really satisfying to identify the highest and best use for a parcel," he said. “And then to envision, design and build the right project for the market – from the ground up."

“There's much more to development than the bottom line," he said. “It's about contributing to the tax base and economic vitality of a community. It's about making a positive impact on people's lives. It's about creating places for people to live, learn, worship, shop and work."

“In the short time Paul has been with Opus, he has proven himself time and time again as a valuable and versatile team member," said Mike Yungerman, Senior Vice President & General Manager. “He's a well-respected veteran in our industry and is a pleasure to work with. His 'roll-up-your-sleeves' collaborative approach fits perfectly with our culture at Opus."

Social by Nature

A career in development requires people skills, and Paul has that down.

“I've always been a very social person, so this is my perfect job," he said. “As developers, we work with many stakeholders like brokers, land sellers and -municipal leaders. It's interpersonally heavy, which I love. Hardly a day goes by that I don't learn some new, interesting kernel of knowledge from someone in my network."

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Paul is a member of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Organization, and volunteers at the Center for Enriched Living, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities achieve personal success and a higher quality of life.

In his free time, he enjoys camping, cooking and spending time with his family. And, if you're curious about the “fermentation arts," talk to Paul – he dabbles in making kombucha and hard ciders!

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