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Urban Catalyst team

ABOUT US

  • Proven Track Record
  • Fund I Success
  • Fund II
  • DST

Urban Catalyst is a leading real estate firm specializing in private equity placement into existing income-producing properties and ground-up development projects. Our fund portfolio includes tax-advantaged Opportunity Zone funds and Delaware Statutory Trust (1031 like kind exchange) funds.

The company’s Opportunity Zone, focused on downtown San Jose, California, ranked among the top 5% of all 2021 tracked Opportunity Zone fund sponsors according to the research firm Novogradac, and was named a top ten Opportunity Zone fund by Forbes. Urban Catalyst’s home market, San Jose, was recently named the #1 city in the U.S. for attracting innovation-oriented industries by the real estate services firm JLL and has been recognized as the #1 region in the country poised for post-pandemic recovery by Bloomberg.

The company’s first DST allows investors to invest in an industrial property in Dallas, Texas. Industrial Fund I owns a single-tenant, 44,765-square-foot industrial building seven miles from downtown Dallas.

The company is both a fund manager and developer and its Partners have a substantial background in ground-up development:

  • $5.0 Billion + in development projects

  • $5.2 Billion + in real estate asset acquisitions

  • 200+ real estate properties developed across a variety of asset classes

  • Over 2,000 residential units that are now located in opportunity zones

Urban Catalyst Opportunity Fund I, LLC (“Fund I”) closed on December 30, 2020, raising a total of $131 million from a diverse investor base. We are proud of our success in Fund I - a multi-asset real estate fund focused on ground-up developments consisting of office, mixed-use, student housing, senior housing and a hotel, which we had acquired by the time we closed our offering.

Urban Catalyst Opportunity Zone Fund II, LLC ("Fund II") was launched in 2021, and it has completed a successful first year of fundraising and is currently open to investors. Fund II projects include nearly 400 residential units and approximately 500,000 square feet of office located across the street from City Hall and a block away from San Jose State University. In June 2022 Fund II surpassed $100 million in fundraising. This is an important milestone as Fund II reached it a full 40% faster than Fund I.

Urban Catalyst Industrial I, DST was launched in 2023, and is strategically located less than seven miles from the heart of downtown Dallas and houses the Automotive Processing Facility for Drive Casa. Dallas - Fort Worth is the 2nd largest industrial market in the US and the tenant, Drive Casa, has a long-term lease that includes contractual escalations.

THE URBAN CATALYST TEAM

Founded in 2018 in response to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation creating Opportunity Zones and Opportunity Funds, Urban Catalyst is transforming opportunity into impact. Our partners have significant experience acquiring and managing properties and performing ground-up development. With a team of real estate experts holding strong relationships with local property owners, developers, and financial institutions, Urban Catalyst is able to successfully specialize in multiple product types including multifamily, office, warehouse, industrial, mixed use, and masterplans.

  • Leadership
  • Development
  • Investor Relations
  • Administration
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Kelly McRitchie Senior Director of Capital Markets
Kelly McRitchie Senior Director of Capital Markets
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Jonathan Fishpaw Director of Finance
Jonathan Fishpaw Director of Finance
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Peter Solar Senior Project Development Manager
Peter Solar Senior Project Development Manager
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Mike Walsh Project Director
Mike Walsh Project Director
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Matt Bernardis Project Manager
Matt Bernardis Project Manager
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Jeff Zuckerberg MANAGING DIRECTOR, CAPITAL MARKETS
Jeff Zuckerberg MANAGING DIRECTOR, CAPITAL MARKETS
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Tom Holt Senior Development Manager
Tom Holt Senior Development Manager
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Michael Charney Development Manager
Michael Charney Development Manager
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Dominic Giacalone Development Manager
Dominic Giacalone Development Manager
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Alex Sinunu Development Manager
Alex Sinunu Development Manager
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Mallory Menne Assistant Project Manager
Mallory Menne Assistant Project Manager
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Brittany Bramblett Project Finance Administrator
Brittany Bramblett Project Finance Administrator
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Elizabeth Niemczyk Director Of Investor Relations
Elizabeth Niemczyk Director Of Investor Relations
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Michael Trapani Head Of Investor Success
Michael Trapani Head Of Investor Success
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Morgan Bernardis Head of Marketing and Communications
Morgan Bernardis Head of Marketing and Communications
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Mohammad K. Obeid Senior Investor Relations Associate
Mohammad K. Obeid Senior Investor Relations Associate
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Valarie Klopping Creative Manager
Valarie Klopping Creative Manager
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Samantha Gutierrez Events Manager
Samantha Gutierrez Events Manager
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Matt Brading Marketing Manager
Matt Brading Marketing Manager
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Alex Chavez Investor Relations Associate
Alex Chavez Investor Relations Associate
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Matt Niksa Marketing Associate
Matt Niksa Marketing Associate
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Nicole Park Senior Director of Tax & Accounting
Nicole Park Senior Director of Tax & Accounting
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Michaella Hutchens Administrative Manager
Michaella Hutchens Administrative Manager
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Diane Hoang Administrative Associate
Diane Hoang Administrative Associate
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Ashley Bruni Office Administrator
Ashley Bruni Office Administrator
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Brande Bruni Office Administrative Assistant
Brande Bruni Office Administrative Assistant

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