Lendlease Wins Multiple Industry Awards Recognizing Corporate and Individual Achievements

Lendlease, (ASX: LLC), a leading global real estate group, has been named a 2021 Influencer in Multifamily Real Estate by GlobeSt., while Ted Weldon, Executive General Manager – Development in Chicago, was acknowledged with a separate award for his stewardship of the company’s multifamily projects in the Chicago market. In addition, Caleigh Raymer, Vice President and Director of Operations in Los Angeles, and Christie Walker, a Senior Acquisitions Manager based out of New York, were each named to GlobeSt.’s annual 50 Under 40 list, which recognizes young professionals under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to their company and the broader real estate industry.

Winning the corporate-level award was due, in part, to the numerous milestones that Lendlease has hit over the course of the past three years. In Chicago alone, Lendlease began construction on or delivered projects totaling approximately 2,300 residential units. In Boston, Lendlease has completed the majority of the mixed-use Clippership Wharf development that, when completed, will feature 478 residences as well as 10,000 square feet of dining and retail. 

Lendlease has excelled in recent years at bringing new life to underused or distressed areas as part of its urban regeneration strategy. Clippership Wharf introduced a master-planned community to an underutilized area of the East Boston waterfront. In Chicago, the 7-acre Southbank master plan along the South Branch of the Chicago River includes The Cooper, completed in 2018, and a second residential tower, The Reed, broke ground in September. The former industrial site, which sat vacant for decades under prior ownership, has been reimagined as a new waterfront community that’s centered around 2 acres of public green space, known as Southbank Park, and an adjacent riverwalk – both of which were privately developed by Lendlease as amenities for residents and neighbors throughout the South Loop.

Another key to the company’s win was its leadership in sustainable development. In March 2021, in partnership with Aware Super, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, Lendlease announced that its multifamily portfolio was verified as “net zero carbon.” By going above and beyond typical asset management commitments, Lendlease offsets 100% of the operational carbon emissions of these buildings, including the carbon footprints created by residents from day-to-day living in their homes. This endeavor is part of Lendlease’s broader Mission Zero initiative, with the goal of being absolute zero by 2040.

Lendlease’s pipeline of U.S. multifamily projects includes 1 Java Street, a mixed-use development with nearly 800 rental units – approximately 30% of which will be set aside as affordable – on the Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn, N.Y., that is scheduled for completion in 2026. In San Francisco, Lendlease is developing, 30 Van Ness, a 47-story mixed-use community with luxury condos, office and retail space that will deliver in 2025, marking the firm’s first all-electric building. At the other end of the Bay, Lendlease is developing a 100% affordable project in San Jose. Scheduled to deliver in 2024, McEvoy Apartments will feature more than 360 units in two 12-story towers. Lendlease has also proposed a mixed-use, transit-oriented development at 3401 S. La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles, as well as an academic and residential building, Claremont Hall, in New York’s Morningside Heights neighborhood that will provide 165 condominium residences in addition to approximately 54,000 square feet of classrooms, academic offices and faculty-designated apartments.

Individual recognitions included:

Ted Weldon – GlobeSt. Multifamily Influencer for 2021



A 30-year veteran of the real estate industry, Weldon joined Lendlease in 2015 and was named Executive General Manager – Development in Chicago in 2019. During this time, he has been instrumental in growing Lendlease’s Chicago development business, helping to expand the company’s scope beyond general contracting to fully integrated development.

Weldon oversaw development at Southbank, including completion of The Cooper and construction of Southbank Park, ahead of the recent groundbreaking of The Reed. He also provided oversight for the development of Cirrus and Cascade in Lakeshore East, two towers that will deliver more than 850 residences combined at the intersection of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Porte, recently named Multifamily Development of the Year by REjournals, also delivered during his tenure.  

Caleigh Raymer – GlobeSt. 50 Under 40 for 2021



Overseeing all construction operations in Los Angeles, Raymer has managed more than $20 billion worth of construction projects across California alone. Since taking the helm as Vice President and Director of Operations in Los Angeles, Raymer worked with her team to put together a business plan that would not only be feasible, but also would lay the foundation for growth. As a result, the business was awarded the high-profile La Cienega office and multifamily development in downtown LA. 

Despite the challenges posed in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic, Raymer took a very proactive, hands-on approach to growing the business. In addition to actively pursuing clients, she strengthened morale by explaining the vision and encouraging employee participation through innovation. Raymer has earned the respect of her peers by instilling a “winning” attitude, celebrating the successes and contributions of individual team members, and advocating for women in the construction industry, with a focus on the next generation of female leaders.

Christie Walker – GlobeSt. 50 Under 40 for 2021



As Senior Acquisitions Manager and a subject matter expert for acquisitions and deal structuring at Lendlease, Walker oversees acquisition activity for ground-up, large-scale residential and commercial development projects in New York. Over the course of her career, she has been responsible for the origination and pre-development of over 3,500 residential units in the New York metro, with project costs of approximately $2.5 billion. Recently, she led the sourcing, negotiation, underwriting, due diligence and acquisition of 1 Java, which involved a $110 million land purchase of a 2.6-acre site spanning a full city block. 

A resilient and entrepreneurial strategist, Walker has demonstrated a strong aptitude for unearthing unusual opportunities and underutilized assets. Several years ago, she developed CribRater, an app to connect landlords with prospective renters. As an expert on New York-area submarkets, she has proven to be an invaluable asset to the Lendlease team. 

About Lendlease:
Lendlease is a leading global real estate group with operations in Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our purpose is to create value through places where communities thrive. 

Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, Lendlease has approximately 10,800 employees internationally.  

Our core capabilities are reflected in our operating segments of Development, Construction and Investments. The combination of these three segments provides us with a sustainable competitive advantage and allows us to provide innovative integrated solutions for our customers. Our integrated approach means we harness the expertise in infrastructure, design, development, investments and management to deliver a project from conception to completion.  

In the US, Lendlease Development brings over 60 years of global experience to bear in urbanization, communities and infrastructure development. Leveraging our placemaking expertise and integrated business model, we are committed to delivering transformational urbanization projects and investments in gateway cities that generate social, environmental and economic value. For more information, visit www.lendlease.com. 


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CONTACTS: Matt Baker, mbaker@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4512
Abe Tekippe, atekippe@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4528

Editors:
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Matt Baker, mbaker@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4512; or Abe Tekippe, atekippe@taylorjohnson.com, (312) 267-4528. 

Image captions:
Caleigh Raymer: Caleigh Raymer, Director of Operations and Vice President in Los Angeles. 
Christie Walker: Christie Walker, Senior Acquisitions Manager, based in New York.
Ted Weldon: Ted Weldon, Executive General Manager, Development in Chicago.