Friday, December 22, 2023

Unispace Group Announces New Leadership to Empower Growth of Expanded Service Offerings


 Rose Williams 


NEW YORK, NY – As a partnership of brands bringing together the best professionals across design and construction to create spaces for workplace, life sciences, and brand-led environments, Unispace Group is announcing several key leadership updates going into the new year.

 The Group has expanded significantly over the past two years, from a focus on corporate interiors at Unispace to now include the Unispace Life Sciences (highly regulated sectors) and Downstream (brand-led experiential environments) brands.


This week, Unispace Group announces the appointment of James Bruce in the new role of Group President. In this position, Bruce will drive operational excellence and efficiencies across the Group’s portfolio of brands to enable best practice delivery globally and implement proven strategies for continued scale and profitable growth.

 He was most recently CEO of the built environment and engineering consultancy Buro Happold, where he oversaw substantial growth in revenue and profitability, and executed/integrated a series of acquisitions.

 

James Bruce 

Unispace’s Rose Williams has been promoted to the new role of Managing Director Corporate Interiors, Americas, where she will report to the Global CEO. Previously serving as the Head of Client Solutions, Americas, Williams will now be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of Unispace’s corporate workplace interiors offering for clients across the strategy, design and construction lifecycle in the US.

 

 Since joining Unispace in 2017 as Principal, Pre-construction in New Zealand, Williams has quickly risen into a leadership role across the Americas, bringing a unique understanding of the project lifecycle to how she leads a multi-disciplinary team to ensure clients’ objectives are clearly identified and successfully achieved.


 John Capobianco

Williams’ first appointment as Head of Corporate Interiors, Americas is John Capobianco, who has joined the firm as Creative Director, Americas and Senior Principal – Client Solutions, after a long tenure as Design Director and Principal at IA Interior Architects.

 

 An award-winning design professional with 25 years in the industry, Capobianco has worked with major brands like Uber, RBC, Yext, Google, Capital One and American Express.

 

 Capobianco will leverage his strategic design innovation mindset in his new role at Unispace, providing clients with creative solutions that drive strategy and meet their needs and aspirations.

 

“I’ve long admired Unispace’s ability to disrupt and evolve the strategy, design and construction industries through service integration and creativity,” said Capobianco. “It’s a delight to be joining such a talented and dynamic team. I look forward to helping Unispace clients drive innovation and ignite passion in the workplace.”



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Jamie Geddes

Jamie Geddes has also joined the firm as Director, Strategic Accounts for Downstream where she will be responsible for client attraction and retention in the Corporate and Institutional markets.

 She will also focus on increasing Downstream’s reach among key decision makers in target markets and adding value to key New York area clients with strategic relationship management.

 

As Unispace Group more broadly, and Downstream specifically, continues to grow its client base in New York City, the Group is also growing its New York Studio, where Geddes will be based.

 

With over seven years of consultative sales experience, and a proven track record in driving business growth through strategy and relationship management, Geddes joins following four years at WeWork, where she was most recently Enterprise Account Director.

 

“We are excited to be growing the Unispace service offering, expanding our workforce, and developing new skills and experiences to better serve our global suite of clients,” said Steve Quick, Unispace Group CEO.

 

 “I am very happy to welcome James, Jamie and John to the team and to watch Rose step into this new leadership role for the Americas, a key market for our business growth.”

 

 Contact:


David Ebeling

Ebeling Communications

949.861.8351

949.278.7851 (Cell)

david@ebelingcomm.com

Member of the National Association

of Real Estate Editors (NAREE)

“PR Strategist for the Commercial Real Estate Industry:  I do what I love and love what I do.”

 

 

JLL Capital Markets arranges construction financing for the 338-unit Lirica East Austin apartments located at 5211 E. 7th Street in Austin, TX

 

Samantha Jay

AUSTIN, TEXAS – JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has arranged the construction financing for Lirica East Austin, a unique, five-story, 338-unit, Class A multi-housing development located in Central East Austin.

 

Doug Opalka



Located at 5211 E. 7th St.,

 the property is positioned just three miles east of downtown Austin. 


JLL worked on behalf of the borrower, Central Southwest Texas Development, LLC DBA CSW Development, and the equity partner, Blueprint Local, to secure the loan.

 

The JLL Capital Markets Debt Advisory team representing the borrower was led by Senior Managing Director Doug Opalka, Senior Director CW Sheehan and Associates Scott Dickey and Samantha Jay.

 

“Our team has worked diligently to secure permits necessary to start construction, so we are excited to be able to break ground at a time where high-quality construction trades are readily available due to the challenging capital market environment,” said Kevin Hunter, CFO and COO of CSW Development.


 CW Sheehan

“With a considerable amount of growth happening in East Austin, from Tesla’s headquarters, numerous new local food and entrainment venues, major roadway improvements and the Austin airport expansion, we see the housing demand only increasing in this area as development activity progresses.”

 

With an anticipated completion of Q1 2026, the property will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units with an average size of 799 square feet.

 

Community amenities will include a swimming pool and cabanas, a club room and deck arena, a two-story fitness center, a leasing center, a coworking space, a fifth-floor sky lounge overlooking the Austin Downtown skyline, an outdoor courtyard and a dog park area.


Scott Dickey 
Lirica East Austin will also offer a 496-space parking garage and a 0.25-acre pocket park.

 

 Contact:


Jenna Sharp

JLL, Public Relations

Dallas, Texas

M +1 214 394 3356

Jenna.Sharp@jll.com