Jon & Stephen Davis - The Davis Companies

Good Dirt: Conversations with Leaders in Real Estate & Beyond

Episode #04 features Jonathan Davis, CEO & Founder of The Davis Companies, and Stephen Davis, the firm’s President. Without a doubt, Boston-based Davis is regarded as one of the country’s savviest real estate investment groups, active across the asset class spectrum, the country, and the capital stack. Investing for its own account and on behalf of private and institutional investors, Davis has successfully navigated six distinct market cycles, finding in each instance new opportunities to create value. The numbers are impressive: over $11.4 billion invested in gross asset value, including 35 million+ SF of commercial space and 12,500+ residential units, 240+ separate investments, and $1.9 billion raised across its first four value-add funds.

Jonathan Davis, a bona fide legend in the industry, has over 45 years of CRE experience. He plays a central role in setting company strategy and in the identification and evaluation of new opportunities. Jon is an acclaimed leader in the civic and non-profit arena, serving on the board of The Boys & Girls Club of Boston, where he is also the former board chair, in addition to the boards of public broadcasting station WBUR and the Pension Real Estate Association Foundation. As Davis’ President, Stephen oversees management and execution of all aspects of Davis’ Investments, Development and Asset Management activities. Stephen is also a member of Davis’ Investment Committee, an area of the firm’s process and execution which we dig into with him in this episode. An attorney by training, Stephen was a member of Davis’ development group where he was involved in all facets of Davis’ broad array of ground-up and redevelopment projects, and before that, as a member of the firm’s legal team. Stephen received his JD from Georgetown University and Masters in Real Estate Development from MIT. In keeping with the family tradition of civic leadership, Stephen is the current chair of the board of directors of Heading Home the largest family homelessness services provider in Massachusetts.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone in the real estate business, and we cover everything from Jon’s early deals including the Brimmer Street Garage (the first ever parking garage condo conversion in the US), the firm’s expansion into the fund management business, the development of the Omni Boston Hotel in the Seaport (Boston’s largest since 1984), and much more. We also go into the Davis family’s engrained belief in tikkun olam, Judaism’s concept of “repairing the world” and finish up, appropriately, with some chatter about Chris Stapleton, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. This is a duo that has achieved spectacular success on behalf of the firm and its investors, matched only by their commitment to giving back to the communities around them. It was our pleasure to sit down with Jonathan and Stephen and we look forward to Round 2. For more info of The Davis Companies, visit www.thedaviscompanies.com and be sure to check out the Omni next time you’re in the Seaport!

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Mike Greeley

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Tom Greeley

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