ClarkDevelops

A re-intro, as I’m excited to meet everyone at @ReconveneLA in a few weeks Started my career as a Geotechnical/Structural Engineer 2007-2014 Left engineering after getting my PE license to work on a small RE development team, funded by a publicly traded REIT 2014-2023. Our small team (4-7 people) built hotels, townhomes, condos and retail, including a live music venue within a Redevelopment Zone. In 2023, we spun out on our own, and are under construction on a 200 unit multifamily project, with more in the pipeline. I also started my own Owners Rep consulting business - Clark Development Services - in 2023 and took on a few clients who were first time developers. When I’m not entitling, estimating, building or asset managing - I’m golfing or with the wife and kids (7 & 10). Looking forward to sharing more of my experiences on here and meeting others on the path.

Everyone please wish me luck on tonight’s planning commission

@iononrecourse One time, they stole the pea gravel too 🤷‍♂️

A lesson learned about investing in rough neighborhoods: Installed a modest $25k of plants and flowers only to find the $25k of plants and flowers neatly removed.

@anymanfitness Justin Verlander pitched against my college team. He was hitting 99 in the 9th inning.

When I was in high school, I played against Austin Kearns. He had just been selected #7 in the MLB draft but was still playing summer ball with his amateur team. He was - by FAR - the best player I’ve ever seen. He looked like an alien the way he hit and fielded the ball. As a pro, he was a journeyman, a career .240 hitter. He wasn’t even “good” by pro standards. Professionals are on another level.

@SimpleCRE Also, when I see a fresh markout… Who called that in 🧐

You know you are a real estate person if you see one of these and then spend the next several hours trying to figure out why it’s there.

@DonovanBuilds I’m so old I remember buying a meatball sub and a Snapple with a $5 bill.

I measure inflation by the price of a meatball sub it’s not looking good

You want some strong opinions Put a bunch of developers in a room and ask them who the worst elevator company is

@acquisizioni Naturally

@ClarkDevelops 😂 classic Did he make a comment like why tf did we just pay you for this ?

Naming multifamily buildings: I respect the strategy of hiring a branding agency. It’s kinda fun having them dig through the site’s history, neighborhood, former uses, and come up with a story. One project I did in NJ was on old horse stable (way before the contaminated industrial bldg of course) and we named it Canter Green. The interior designer was allowed one horse tchotchke… couldn’t get crazy with it. On the other hand - with AI spitting out 500 options in 10 seconds, most building names being variations of one another, why spend that time and money? What’s the point? Who else has opinions on this? How much did you pay to name your building a version of its address?

@twallyweb Tough thing about THs with pitched roofs - Where are the AC condensers going to land?

This is a site we’re going to planning commission on in a few weeks. We’re half as dense as the previous proposal, for sale, and signing a development agreement for exterior materials. My goal when talking to neighbors about a potential development is not to get them to like me or really the project, it’s to get them to a point where they say “I wish it was half acre lots, but I appreciate you caring, calling, and doing the best you could”

@bhargreaves High land prices

Genuine question: why is there ~no build-to-rent development in the NYC metro area?

@donkeyDdevelops Sorry - thought you would just use septic tanks 🤷‍♂️

Been looking at a lot of entitled ground-up opportunities lately and my general message to owners and their brokers is the following: Your site is not market-ready. Not even close. Just because you managed to entitle your site with a bunch of cheap, cut-rate consultants does not mean your land is worth a kajillion dollars now. Securing entitlements is just one part of the de-risking process. If you want to be paid for de-risking a site then you need to finish the job. I swear to god some of this stuff is just garbage.

Most of my projects have been on the Coastal Plain of NJ. Our sand here is intermixed with coarse to fine gravel, so it compacts well. From time to time, we have to add water to achieve compaction. For higher loads, the sand is great for friction and end bearing piles. From a stormwater management standpoint - it’s a dream for infiltration.

Beach sand is generally useless (unsuitable) for most construction purposes. Beach sand has rounded grains and doesn’t interlock well, so the sand shifts and settles under load. This leads to uneven settlement and potential structural issues. The high salt content retains moisture and promotes corrosion in concrete foundations and steel buildings. Beach sand is also unstable with moisture changes can lose strength when wet, causing instability or washout. The properties make beach sand feel great between your toes, but unsuitable for construction.

@twallyweb I challenge him to a duel

@ClarkDevelops Last time I posted about asphalt, someone yelled at me saying it’s “laying” idk what to believe anymore

Laying asphalt next week (it was supposed to be today)

@acquisizioni I was on my Planning Board for 6 years. I kept the board in line and reminded them what we could and could not comment on.

Had the final Architectural Review Committee interview yesterday with the P&Z board. Most questions standard but favorite was: “Being a developer there any ulterior motives you haven’t shared with us? I’m surprised you want to do this it’s really just an unpaid time suck.”

@acquisizioni You didn’t get the building logo on the dumbbells???

How to best differentiate your multifamily fitness center from the comps? Dumbbells to 100lbs

@twallyweb They missed half the scope

For the first time in a long time (ever?), I had a bid come in under my initial budget 🤩

@_specofdirt Plus - you know you have a solid concrete sub from the 2nd day on the job. Not a 🤡 that straps 2x4s to the rebar and sprays some orange paint on it.

The orange “mushroom caps” seen sticking out of rebar play an important role in worker safety. Bare rebar ends are sharp and can cause serious impalement injuries if someone falls on them. The plastic caps reduce this hazard by providing a blunt surface. The bright orange color makes them easy to see on a jobsite, helping increase visibility and prevent accidental contact. OSHA Compliance also requires rebar protection on job sites where workers are at risk, mandating sharp end protections.

@groundupgrind Paid *in full* too 😂

@spencertbarber Always maximize ROV (Return on Vibes) potential 🤙

When I bought this property two years ago. One reason I purchased it was I fell in love with the giant trees and the jungle vibe. My goal has been to keep as many of these trees as possible. We’ve spent over 100,000 to try to work around each one. We took the time to shape the road around the trees that we were worth keeping. We believe that this investment was worth it to keep the vibes of this property. I'm filming updates every day.