Mobius CRE founder and principal, Michael J. Gion, becomes Brookwood Group's Senior Manager in the Southwestern United States.

June 15, 2010

Mike Gion (left) and Shepherd Heery (right) have announced the merger of Mobius CRE and Brookwood Group.

With a solid track record of helping corporate business clients assure that their workplaces are strategic and sustainable assets, Mike Gion has recently merged his successful Mobius CRE consulting practice into Brookwood Group.

In announcing the merger, Brookwood's San Francisco based President and CEO, Shepherd Heery said "Mike returns to our organization as Brookwood's senior executive in Southern California. He adds significant capabilities to our practice. We have worked together over many years, and it is great to have Mike as an integral member of Brookwood's national leadership team."

Mike Gion had previously been with Brookwood, and was part of a project management business unit that was sold to LaSalle Partners by Brookwood in 1998. More recently, Mobius CRE and Brookwood Group have collaborated on a number of client service assignments.

Mike Gion was Intuit's Development Manager for its 470,000 square foot, LEED-CI Gold certified San Diego campus.

Shep added, "Brookwood Group and Mobius CRE are firms whose principals share a common history and similar business and client-service philosophies. The combination of the firms broadens and strengthens Brookwood Group's regional and multi-disciplinary services platforms, while increasing our utility and value to clients throughout the United States and abroad."

Mike founded Mobius CRE in the San Diego area in 2008 and has provided a range of professional corporate real estate services to clients including MedImpact and SAIC. He brings proven leadership and a depth of experience in the creative and effective utilization of real estate.

Through his career, Mike has assisted many corporations with strategic real estate and facilities needs. These corporations have included: Intuit, Sun Microsystems, Chart House Enterprises, GTE Mobilnet, Chase Manhattan Mortgage, Waterhouse Securities, Ameriquest Mortgage, Union Bank of California, California Federal Bank, Imperial Corporation of America and Central Capital Development Corporation.

Mike may be reached at

February 1, 2010

Centennial Towers, South San Francisco, a project of Myers Development Company and Stockbridge Real Estate Funds, designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill. Shepherd Heery served as Senior Vice President for Myers and Alan Katz served as Senior Vice President of Development for Stockbridge.

Brookwood’s President, S. Shepherd Heery, returned to the role of CEO effective January 1, 2010. As described within this article, Shep previously served as the firm’s CEO from 1989 through 1997. He is based in the firm’s San Francisco office.

In mid-January, Brookwood announced the appointments of the W. Ennis Parker, Jr. as Vice Chairman and manager of Brookwood’s Atlanta office and Alan M. Katz as Senior Vice President and manager of the company’s San Francisco office. Brookwood also announced the promotion of Brinton E. Smith, Jr. to Executive Vice President and the promotion of Linda C. Simon to Senior Vice President/Controller. George T. Heery continues as Chairman of the Board.

Before assuming the newly created role as Vice Chairman, Ennis was most recently CEO of Facility Group, Inc. Prior to that position, he was a principal in KPS Group, Architects; President of the Architectural and Engineering Division of Rosser International; and President of Heery International. Ennis brings more than 40 years experience managing large, complex projects in the public and private sectors. He has directed design and construction efforts for more than $2 billion in public sector capital projects.

While Atlanta principal of the architecture firm KPS Group, Inc., Ennis Parker was Principal-in-Charge for the design of Turner Broadcasting's 1.8 million square foot Network Operations Complex in Atlanta, Georgia. (Brookwood Group served as Master Planner)

Before joining Brookwood Group, Alan was Senior Vice President of Development for Stockbridge Real Estate Funds in San Francisco; and he had previously served as Director of Development for Equity Office Properties on the West Coast. Alan has extensive experience in property development, investment, urban design, architecture, corporate real estate and facilities management.

“We are delighted that Ennis Parker and Alan Katz have joined our firm’s senior leadership team” said Brookwood President/CEO, Shepherd Heery. “As we progress into our company’s third decade, these appointments further strengthen our experienced management team and help us effectively advance and serve the interests of our clients.”

With more than 30 years of collaboration with George Heery, Brint Smith has unsurpassed expertise with Bridging method of project delivery. Brint and Linda are based in Atlanta, and serve on the firm’s Operations Committee.

Continuous Leadership

Brookwood Group was established in 1989 by siblings Shepherd and Laura Heery, together with their father, George Heery. Prior to co-founding the firm, Shep was with Hines Interests in San Francisco, Laura was with Johnson/Burgee in New York and George was Chairman/CEO of Heery International in Atlanta.

Today, George Heery remains Chairman of Brookwood’s board of directors and is based in the firm’s Atlanta office. Laura Heery Prozes is a Senior Consultant to Brookwood. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia and Greenwich, Connecticut.

As CEO Shepherd Heery negotiated the sale of several business units to LaSalle Partners in late 1997. That transaction closed in January 1998, at which time Shep resigned from Brookwood and joined LaSalle (later known as Jones Lang LaSalle). From 1998-2008, Shep served as an advisor and occasional consultant to Brookwood. He also served on Brookwood’s Board of Directors. During this period, he continued to be based in San Francisco, with Jones Lang LaSalle (1998-2000), Tishman Speyer (2000-2001) and Myers Development Company (2002-2009).

LEFT: As Director of Development for Tishman Speyer, Shep managed the planning, design and entitlement process for 555 Mission in San Francisco, an office project designed by Kohn Pederson Fox & Heller Manus. CENTER: As Director of Development for Tishman Speyer, Shep managed the initial environmental review process for 201 Folsom in San Francisco, a residential project designed by Heller Manus. RIGHT: AFLAC Square, Chofu, Japan, developed by Mitsubishi Real Estate. Shepherd Heery was Brookwood's principal-in-charge for owner representative services to AFLAC.

In February 2009, after more than six years as Senior Vice President with Myers, Shep resigned from Myers to re-join Brookwood as its President. Shep re-established Brookwood’s San Francisco office and took on leadership responsibilities for the firm’s Western Region. He continues to serve on the company’s Board of Directors and now has companywide management and leadership responsibilities.

LEFT: As Project Manager for Hines Interests, Shep was involved from the Design Development Phase through the completion, lease-up and occupancy of 1800 Harrison, Oakland, designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill. RIGHT: As Project Manager for Hines Interests, Shep was involved in the environment and planning approvals, all design phases, and construction contacting phases fro 343 Sansome, San Francisco, a project of, designed by Phillip Johnson and John Burgee.

As Brookwood’s Chairman, George Heery continues to be active full time, with a focus on client services. He also continues his work developing and refining innovative construction program management procedures and methods. He leads professional seminars on various subjects, including the Bridging method of project delivery, for which he is the leading developer.

Brookwood advises and consults with clients on strategic issues relating to design, development and construction program delivery. The firm manages many such programs as a representative and agent of its clients. Clients include charter schools and public school systems, such as the Atlanta Public Schools, Monongalia Public Schools (in Morgantown, West Virginia) and Cobb County (Georgia) School District.

Brookwood also works with governmental agencies to manage the design, construction and/or renovation of local, state and federal facilities.

Another area in which the firm is active is higher education. Current and recent clients include: The California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo; Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College, all part of the Atlanta University Center; Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia; and Georgia State University in Atlanta.

The firm also has represented corporate clients, including AFLAC, Wells Fargo Bank, Pacific Gas & Electric, CNN, Turner Broadcasting and The Coca-Cola Company.

Brookwood has recently been selected by the Redevelopment Agency of the City of South San Francisco to serve as the Development Manager for a mixed-use project that is central to the revitalization of that city’s Linden Street corridor.

January 15, 2009

The Plaza at Poly Canyon Village provides residents with services, retail and franchise restaurants.

Carried out by the Bridging project delivery method, Cal Poly’s new Poly Canyon Village at San Luis Obispo is completed, furnished and occupied. In keeping with the school colors of green and gold, the Project was recently awarded a LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

As seen from the air, it’s clear to see why Poly Canyon Village is regarded as the largest student housing complex undertaken by an American university to date in a single construction program.

Located in San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the project sits at the base of picturesque Poly Canyon. This project is believed to include the largest student housing complex undertaken by an American university to date in a single construction project.

Much more than student housing, the project consists of four and five story apartment buildings comprising 2,676 beds for students in a variety of suite and apartments plans.

The village center has food vendors and retail shops and provides students outdoor recreation areas including a swimming pool as well as study rooms, a knowledge center, and a Post Office. On opposite sides of the village are two 950-car parking decks.

As the largest LEED™ certified project in the California University System, Poly Canyon Village is redefining what can be achieved by a university when employing full Program Management services from pre-design through construction.

The $299 million campus expansion construction program also includes extensive roadway and utilities installations as well as new facilities for the College of Agriculture, built on another site several miles away, replacing those facilities that were previously located on the Poly Canyon Village site.

Brookwood Group provided full Program Management services for the project from the pre-design planning phase through construction. By employing the Bridging project delivery method the project experienced very cost effective original construction bids within the original budget. The project has had only 5 contractor initiated Change Orders, totaling less than 0.002% of the construction contract price.

Design began in August 2004 with McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Inc., Architects as the Owner’s Design Consultant (“Bridging Architect”). The Bridging type design-build construction contract was awarded to Clark Design/Build of California as a result of competitive proposals. Niles Bolton Associates served as the Contractor’s Architect and Engineers.

Poly Canyon Village is LEED Gold. This certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. Some of the specific items for which Poly Canyon Village will earn certification points include a new storm water system and a 30% water use reduction. The facilities have operable windows and natural ventilation and will recycle 75% of its construction waste. 10% of the total value of the materials in the project will be recycled with 20% of the materials having been manufactured regionally. The structures will use low emitting sealants, paint, carpet and composite wood products. 90% of the regularly occupied spaces will provide daylight and most of the 3,500 windows in the project will have views of the surrounding area. Care was taken in the project’s planning to reduce the number of buildings in the project as well as their footprints, while at the same time retaining the initial requirements of the program.

August 18, 2009

Spelman’s handsome new facility was designed and built using the Bridging project delivery method.

The curved window "columns" at the ends of the building are common study areas located at the end of the hall on every floor.

“The Suites” is Spelman College’s newest facility. At the opening ceremonies, Spelman College’s president, Dr. Beverly Tatum, stressed the importance of colleges and universities designing and building “green” facilities. She made sure that Spelman was leading the way in this respect, building the first LEED "Silver" certified facility on a Historically Black College or University campus. 

This high quality and handsome new facility has 300 beds, mostly in single occupancy rooms within suites, a dining hall with a seating capacity of 175, several guest apartments for visiting faculty and trustees, and a structured underground parking garage which accommodates 100 vehicles.

Brookwood Group served as Spelman’s Program Manager for the project from pre-design planning through construction and furnishing. Under Brookwood’s guidance, the project has been designed for LEED Silver certification with Brookwood adding this requirement for the Design Architect for this Bridging method project as well as in the Bridging Contract Documents for the Design-Build Contractor and its Architectural/Engineering subcontractor. It will be the first LEED certified building on the campus as well as the first LEED certified building on a Historically Black College or University campus.

The Owner’s Design Consultant was Sizemore Group of Atlanta. The Bridging Design-Build Contractor was New South Construction Company of Atlanta. The Contractor’s AE was the architectural and engineering division of The Facility Group of Cobb County, Georgia.

While COO of Facility Design Group, Inc., Ennis Parker served as Principal in Charge for the architectural and engineering design of Spelman College's new student residential building

July 17, 2009

A major part of Brookwood Group’s professional practice includes serving education clients in both the public and private sectors, providing construction program management (“program management”), design consulting and planning services. Atlanta Public Schools ("APS") is one of the “K-12” systems for which Brookwood is currently providing services, so it is with great pleasure we note that Atlanta Public Schools were recently in the headlines when the system’s superintendent, Dr. Beverly Hall, was named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year at the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education.

The present construction program of the Atlanta Public Schools (a separate governmental body from the City of Atlanta) includes the remodeling, expansion and “greening” of existing schools, as well as the construction of new schools, along with services related to some school closings as the system continues to respond to changing neighborhood needs.

Brookwood project managers, Danny Gutlay and Al Scenna are two members of the Brookwood professional staff who are assigned full time to the Atlanta Public Schools; usually working from the system’s new headquarters in downtown Atlanta.Brookwood Group is in a joint venture with the firm A. L. Johnson & Associates, project managers, costing consultants and construction schedulers on this program.

May 3, 2009

Brookwood Group has provided a series of full program management and advisory services to the Monongalia County Board of Education at Morgantown, West Virginia, since early 2005.

The six-project school building program included three new schools, Skyview Elementary, Mylan Park Elementary, and Mason Dixon Elementary, and three school expansion projects. Morgantown Senior High received additions including a media center, a distance learning lab, a new lobby and administration offices. Brookwood also provided program management services for the new 217,330 square foot University High School complex. Renovations and additions to Clay-Battelle Middle/High School rounded out the program for the Monongalia County Board of Education.

Monongalia County Board of Education Superintendent, Frank Devono, had this to say about Brookwood Group: “Brookwood’s attention to detail in the management of the pre-design, design, construction, and closeout phases of all six of the Monongalia County School facilities has been exemplary. The Board, administration, school principals, students, and the community have all been extremely pleased with the results.”

April 5, 2008

The new Peachtree “Boulevard” and some of the recent and in-progress new high rise office, retail, hotel and condo projects.

Completion of Phase One of the Peachtree Boulevard transformation, carried out as result of the efforts of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, was celebrated in October 2008 with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Shirley Franklin and other community officials. The Peachtree Road transformation is the major enhancement of a section of Peachtree Road in Buckhead into a more livable, walkable, bikeable and drivable avenue.

In the past twenty years the population of the Atlanta metropolitan area has doubled and the resultant increase in vehicular traffic has created problem spots around the city, on roadways that were never intended or designed to accomodate this increase in volume. As the traffic around the city grew, so too grew the market for high-end, high rise, in-town, multi-family residences, especially along the Buckhead corridor of Peachtree Road. While the increased population density in Buckhead reduced traffic elsewhere, it meant a more constant flow of traffic along Peachtree during the day, and at peak hours the volume became overwhelming.

The idea of developing the street into a destination, not just a thoroughfare, was originally envisioned by Sam Friedman, Chairman of the Buckhead Coalition. The Buckhead Coalition is a group formed by former Mayor Sam Massell and is made up of property owners and others interested in improving the urban development of Buckhead and the well being of the area.

One of Brookwood’s original design studies along the new “boulevard” in the vicinity of Lenox Square.

The Wakefield luxury cooperative at Peachtree Road and West Wesley Road, designed and developed by Brookwood.

As a member of the Buckhead Coalition, architect George Heery, Brookwood’s Chairman, contributed preliminary ideas in the form of a study and design concepts for transforming the Peachtree Road corridor into a handsome and more convenient boulevard. This conceptual design, which was based on Sam Friedman’s vision, covered the entire length of Peachtree within the greater Buckhead area, from the Peachtree Street overpass at I-85 at Brookwood Station running northward through the old original Buckhead area to the City Limits on the north.

Later a number of property owners who were associated with the Buckhead Coalition formed the Buckhead Community Improvement District with David Allman of Regent Partners as Chairman of the Board of BCID and with Scotty Green as BCID’s Executive Director.

Brookwood Group was subsequently retained by the Buckhead Community Improvement District to develop more details of a design for a portion of the Peachtree corridor from just south of the Peachtree-Piedmont intersection to a point north of Phipps Plaza.

Architect Laura Heery, then a member of the Brookwood management team, with her father, George and other members of the Brookwood firm, developed the original concept for the new Peachtree Boulevard. In the development of the concept Laura Heery and the Brookwood team worked closely with David Allman and Scotty Green, both of whom continue to provide guidance and leadership to the BCID and other developments of the Buckhead area.

In the mid 1990s, Brookwood Group, as both designer and development manager for George and Shepherd Heery as development principals, broke ground on the highest quality high-rise multi-family project built to date in Atlanta, The Wakefield. The Wakefield is a luxury cooperative located on the Northwest corner of Peachtree Road and West Wesley Road, NW. The building permit for The Wakefield was the first private sector high rise building permit issued within the City of Atlanta in over two years at the time it was issued and the building was sold out shortly after its completion.

It is evident today to those in the real estate development field that The Wakefield set in motion the raising of design and construction quality standards of mid to high rise multi-family housing projects. The Wakefield also sparked the acceptance in the Atlanta market of the idea that very high quality homes could be located in high rise structures with settings that allowed easier access to work, shopping, places of worship and community activities.

June 15, 2010

Brookwood Group has developed and maintains a free access informational website about the Bridging method of construction project delivery. The site, BridgingMethod.com, provides owners, other professional service providers, attorneys, and members of the construction industry full access to details of the Bridging method.