REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

The Commercial Alliance Las Vegas (CALV) honored local real estate industry leader Susy Vasquez this week as its CALV Member of the Year.

Vasquez, who has served for several years as executive director of the Nevada State Apartment Association, was honored during CALV’s 15th annual CALV Educational Symposium held Sept. 21 at The Orleans.

CALV President Angelina Scarcelli, a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and Certified Property Manager (CPM®), said Vasquez “has been an incredibly active, generous and productive member of CALV. Her expertise has been invaluable for our organization.”

The symposium featured a keynote presentation on cyber security by fraud prevention expert Frank Abagnale, who was the inspiration for the hit film “Catch Me If You Can.”

It also included a panel discussion on cyber security issues featuring experts Cynthia Long, of Old Republic Title Co., Shawn Santerre, of XIT Solutions and Dennis D. Stephens, of Meadows Bank.

Sarah Alwine, supervisory special agent for the FBI Las Vegas Cyber detail, spoke during the luncheon portion of the event. The symposium concluded with an afternoon class on “Cyber Security for Real Estate” taught by Deanne Rymarowicz, former legal counsel for Las Vegas Realtors (LVR) and now legal counsel for the National Association of Realtors(NAR).

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Contractors Board’s Sam Palmer named Code Official of the Year

The Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) congratulates Deputy Executive Officer Sam Palmer on receiving the 2022 International Code Council – Gerald H. Jones, Code Official of the Year Award. Palmer was recognized by the ICC earlier this month during its 2022 Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We commend Deputy Executive Officer Sam Palmer on this well-deserved honor,” said Nevada State Contractors Board Executive Officer Margi Grein. “In his brief time with the board, Mr. Palmer has demonstrated his leadership and shared his extensive knowledge of building laws and construction practices in support of our mission.”

The International Code Council (ICC) is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions that include product evaluation, accreditation, technology, training and certification. During the conference, ICC honored several outstanding individuals and organizations for their accomplishments and contributions to building safety and resiliency in their communities. The Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award is awarded based on contributions to advance the code enforcement profession and the Code Council’s mission.

Palmer is a registered professional engineer with more than 35 years in the building and construction industry in Nevada. Most recently, he was assistant director of the Clark County Building Department.

Additionally, he serves as a member of the International Accreditation Service Board of Directors, chairs the Code Council’s Major Jurisdiction Committee, and serves as the immediate past president of ICC Region 1 representing the states of California, Hawaii and Nevada. Palmer also works with University of Nevada, Las Vegas and both the West and Northwest Technical Career High School Academies to advance their technical training programs, where he mentors future and aspiring code professionals, contractors and engineers.

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Nevada Realtors announce officers

Nevada Realtors (NVR) announced its newly elected officers who will lead the statewide association in 2023, led by incoming President Tom Blanchard and President-elect Trevor Smith.

Blanchard, a former president of Las Vegas Realtors (LVR), served as NVR’s president-elect for 2022.

Smith, a past president of the Incline Village Realtors (IVR) based in the Lake Tahoe area, served as NVR vice president in 2022. He will become NVR’s president in 2024.

Brandon Roberts was elected to serve as NVR vice president in 2023. He is the 2022 president of LVR and a longtime Realtor based in Southern Nevada. He is now in line to become NVR president in 2025.

Marcella Syme, a past president of the Elko County Association of Realtors (ECAR), will serve as NVR treasurer in 2023, as she did in 2022.

NVR 2022 President Doug McIntyre, a longtime Realtor based in Reno, will serve as immediate past president in 2023. He is also a past president of the Reno-Sparks Association of Realtors (RSAR).

Longtime Reno Realtor Gary MacDonald, another past president of RSAR, will serve as state director.

Nevada Realtors, formerly known as the Nevada Association of Realtors (NVAR), is a professional trade association with more than 20,400 members committed to protecting, promoting and preserving our communities. Visit nevadarealtors.org.

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Dermody Properties hires new VP

Dermody Properties, a national private equity real estate investment, development and management company focused exclusively on the logistics real estate sector, has hired Pearce Dermody as vice president and investment manager in Nevada.

Dermody brings a breadth of experience in the federal funds allocation process, land use policy and cost structures — all critical in working with federal agencies, stakeholders and investors. He will be responsible for the sourcing and management of acquisitions and the development of logistics products all across Nevada. Dermody will support and work closely with John Ramous, partner in Nevada.

Prior to his role at Dermody Properties, Dermody was vice president at Atalyst Financial Group where he served on the executive team originating, engineering and executing investment banking transactions, as well as transactions related to securities, mortgage brokerage and real estate brokerage.

“We are thrilled to welcome Pearce to Dermody Properties,” said John Ramous, partner in Nevada at Dermody Properties. “His experience in managing relationships with stakeholders and investors will be a great asset to our company and for our customers in Nevada.”

Dermody holds a master’s degree in real estate from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. He also holds a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from Cornell University.

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Downtown Las Vegas building sells office condos

Miltson Consulting recently completed the sale of the first office condo at The Office, a two-story, newly remodeled building downtown on Las Vegas Boulevard North and Gass Avenue. Originally developed for Nevada National Bank and built in 1963, the historic building’s classic architecture is hard to find in Las Vegas.

Gallian Welker &Associates, a full-service law firm with emphasis on veterans’ disability appeals, personal injury, family law, business and commercial law, and civil rights, purchased more than 2,900 square feet in the building that now houses The Office. The transaction amount was $1,179,870. The new law firm office will officially open to the public on Oct. 1.

According to Travis Barrick, a Gallian Welker &Associates partner, the firm benefits from owning its own office. It will stabilize expenses, especially on its physical space, while making long-term forecasting easier and less likely to induce cash-flow issues, all while building equity.

The 40,000-square-foot building is perfect for law firms, professionals and other businesses that want their unique space. It’s within walking distance of Southern Nevada’s local, state and federal courthouses and other government buildings. Office suites range from 2,700 square feet to 4,500 square feet, with ample free surface parking available.

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Matter Real Estate Group hires manager

Matter Real Estate Group, a community-minded development firm, has announced the addition of Kaytlin Knudson as the company’s development construction manager.

“Kaytlin not only brings a wealth of professional experience in commercial project management, but she is passionate about developing sustainable real estate with health and wellness at the forefront of the project,” said Jim Stuart, Matter Real Estate Group partner. “We’re confident that she will continue to propel Matter’s vision of implementing sustainable approaches, such as WELL Certifications, into future developments.”

With nearly a decade of experience in industrial and commercial project management with a strong focus in real estate development, Knudson will be responsible for managing the construction of properties within Matter’s development portfolio including UnCommons, the company’s new, $400 million urban campus in southwest Las Vegas. Knudson will aim to increase the efficiency of Matter’s construction projects with sustainable practices and health-conscious concepts. Her previous development role also included overseeing multiple phases of commercial and mixed-use properties such as Local Bounti and Terrible Herbst as well as overseeing the development of a 1 million-square-foot automated distribution in the Netherlands while working with Arrow Electronics.

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Local architect designs new Nevada SPCA Shelter

Nevada SPCA has moved into its new home at 5375 S. Procyon St., Suite 108. The new 21,814-square-foot facility offers a healthy place for dogs, cats and small animals. The new facility, designed by local architect Brandon Sprague, AIA of Aptus, features a reception area, kennels designed to reduce dog stress and anxiety, unique cat community spaces, isolation rooms for treating animals with special medical needs, meet-and-greet socialization areas and a pet food pantry. The facility also includes efficient plumbing systems, easy-to-clean surfaces to prevent the spread of disease and state-of-the-art indoor air conditioning and heating to maintain optimum temperature levels for the animals year-round. The project was designed and constructed during the pandemic on schedule with a $2 million budget.

Lori Heeren is the executive director of Nevada SPCA, who brought this vision to life with the support of the community, Aptus, and Boyd Martin Construction. “It was a very scary experience for me facing a construction project during a pandemic,” Heeren said. “Brandon assured me that he would be beside me through the entire process, which took the fear away, and I really appreciated that.”

The design is unique in that it is located within a warehouse and has industrial features but isn’t sterile. Using materials such as corrugated metal, reclaimed wood, pops of color, and modern furniture, finishes and fixtures, the final space is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, unlike any other shelter in Las Vegas. Nevada SPCA’s daily capacity is 250 animals and will intake 2,500 animals a year, making it the second largest shelter in Las Vegas. Nevada SPCA is the original no-kill shelter and never euthanizes animals.