Stirling Properties Welcomes Mac Bauer to Its Development Team
COVINGTON, LA– October 25, 2012 – Stirling Properties, expands the depth and breadth of its Development Team by announcing the addition of Mac Bauer as a Development Associate.
In this position, Mr. Bauer will work directly with Lewis Stirling and Townsend Underhill. Mac brings to Stirling several opportunities for historic inner-city developments. Mac’s experience includes international asset and investment management, as well as developing and operating New Orleans’ first urban RV Park.
“The industry is seeing an upswing in activity and it is crucial to have the right people in place to capitalize on growth opportunities. This is why we are pleased to be able to bring someone of Mac’s caliber on-board,” said Lewis Stirling. “His previous experiences and expertise will play a significant part in Stirling Properties’ development goals as we continue to expand our services in the Gulf South.”
Louisiana Continues to Leap Forward in All Areas
Leading economic development magazine Area Development has just released its 2012 “Top States for Doing Business” survey of national site selectors, and Louisiana has posted its best showing ever:
- #1 in Cooperative State Government
- #2 in Incentives Programs
- #2 in Economic Recovery
- #3 in Leading Workforce Development Programs
- #3 in Speed of Permitting
- #4 in Overall Business Environment
- #4 in Cost of Doing Business
- #5 in Labor Climate
- #6 Top State for Doing Business
This is a remarkable set of top-10 votes for Louisiana from national economic development consultants; you can see the full report here.
These latest rankings are just another example of what we see happening all around us. Louisiana continues to leap forward in all areas – jobs, economic development, business climate, entrepreneurship, etc. As I tell people around the country the “Louisiana Story”, their reactions are somewhere between amazement and skepticism. I can tell some of them flatly don’t believe a word I am saying.
That is what makes telling the story even more remarkable.
Southeast Super-Region Committee awarded gold medal by IEDC
Just a few short years ago, I was interviewed by a reporter for an article focusing on the extreme divisiveness, dislike and disdain between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. At that time, I even wrote an opinion column, The Feud is Fading, pointing out the futility in this situation and how it was preventing our region from competing nationally and globally.
It was from those roots that discussions began among a small group who had business interests which cross parish lines, from New Orleans and Baton Rouge, to form the Southeast Super- Region Committee. So today it is truly exciting and gratifying to have the Super-Region Committee being recognized for an award for cross collaboration by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
To me, this represents hope for the continued future success of our region.
Click here to see the article released by Greater New Orleans, Inc.
ICSC World Summit – Shanghai, China
I just recently returned from the ICSC World Summit in Shanghai, China, where worldwide trustees gathered for a meeting.
I was asked to take part in one of the panel discussions to talk about Stirling Properties and the risks, challenges, and opportunities of being a private, regionally-focused real estate firm that deals in multiple property types.
In contrast, others on the panel were CEOs of large public REITs and foreign-based development firms who discussed the same issues from their vantage points.
Needless to say, my perspective was starkly different from theirs in many aspects.
Interestingly enough, several other trustees approached me afterwards to say how much they envied our position of being able to grow in our own backyard and carve a unique niche for ourselves.
What was amazing was that these comments came from some of the largest multinational retail developers in the world.
Sometimes going halfway around the world helps us to focus even more clearly on our own backyard.
President’s Message: Optimism and Growth at ICSC
Having recently returned from Las Vegas where I attended my 25th consecutive International Council of Shopping Centers Convention, I am struck by several themes that continued to emerge for me.
The upbeat mood and sense of optimism was widespread and apparent, a stark contrast to the mood two years ago. Convention attendance improved again this year which kept our booth buzzing with retailers, lenders and investors looking to learn more about our properties and services.
The amount of new development activity that we have in progress is incredible. Our colleagues in other regions were amazed to hear about the number of projects we currently have in the pipeline. Our markets are attracting a lot of attention both from new retailers entering for the first time, and from those looking to expand their footprints.
New Orleans, in particular, is in a sweet spot unlike I’ve ever witnessed in my career.
Now, more than ever, the importance of a strong brand is paramount to success in today’s environment. In order to attract capital, gain the confidence of retailers and navigate the complexities of a new development, it is crucial to have a strong track record and a well-respected brand.
I was once again reminded how strong our Stirling brand has become, in every niche we occupy, both locally and nationally.
While there are many uncertainties on the horizon – capital availability and terms, internet sales’ impact on bricks and mortar stores and consumer confidence; I believe we are well situated to weather those uncertainties and continue to experience new growth and prosperity.
Stirling Properties Hires Eugene Schmitt as Hammond Square Property Manager
HAMMOND, LA – April 16, 2012 – Stirling Properties is pleased to announce that Eugene Schmitt is now Property Manager at Hammond Square.
Mr. Schmitt brings a diverse commercial real estate background that includes portfolio asset management oversight, portfolio leasing expertise, direct involvement in over $200 million in ground-up development, and direct day-to-day property management.
Mr. Schmitt started his real estate career as the Retail & Industrial Asset Manager for Washington Real Estate Investment Trust, where he oversaw a 4.3 million square-foot portfolio. In 2005 he joined Atlanta-based Cousins Properties where he served in various development, leasing, and property management capacities. Most recently with Cousins, Eugene served as the Regional Director-Retail where he managed a national portfolio of retail centers that generated over $30 million in annual operating income.
Mr. Schmitt moved to New Orleans in 2011 and founded Waterline Real Estate Consulting, a real estate services company. Waterline projects included project/construction management services for a 27,000 square-foot medical office build-out for LSU’s Health Sciences Center and project management services for a historical renovation/adaptive reuse project in downtown New Orleans.
Prior to starting his real estate career, Mr. Schmitt served as a naval officer aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Ticonderoga and as Assistant Operations Officer at Destroyer Squadron Six. He holds a B.S. in Naval Architecture from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from Tulane University, with concentrations in Finance and Accounting.
Mr. Schmitt lives in New Orleans with his wife, Theresa, and three-year-old son, Keegan.
