Tim Johnston, Vice President, NAI DESCO, O’Fallon
Spotlight on Southwestern Illinois Commercial Real Estate
Tim Johnston, Vice President, NAI DESCO, O’Fallon
By KATE GENO
NAI DESCO has a stronger presence in St. Clair and Madison counties after the addition of Tim Johnston to its O’Fallon office earlier this year.
Johnston’s 27 years of commercial real estate experience enable him to proactively grow the company’s land sales and development and retail and office leasing in Southern Illinois.
Johnston joins NAI DESCO’s local team of 22 brokers and eight support staff to combine their connections, resources, and knowledge of the Metro East market to offer a wider range of opportunities and exposure for clients. Businesses looking to expand have the convenience of working with brokers with experience in both states.
NAI DESCO is the St. Louis regional partner of its umbrella company NAI Global, one of the world’s largest real estate companies with 400 offices worldwide. NAI DESCO’s national and international resources allow Johnston to assist his clients on a greater geographic scale, when necessary.
“We have affiliates in every significant real estate market throughout the country,” says Johnston. “It is important to have that synergy with other NAI DESCO agents to market properties and to assist clients who have real estate needs that extend beyond the Metro East.”
Presently, the area is showing the most growth opportunity for NAI DESCO is in St. Clair County near the future Memorial Hospital-East and the proposed St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
“There is a lot of growth activity along Green Mount Road and Frank Scott Parkway,” says Johnston. “We just sold an office building in that area. There are lucrative opportunities available for medical, restaurant and office developments with such close proximity to the future hospital.”
NAI DESCO also finalized the sale of Keebler Krossing, the 109,379-square-foot retail center located on Belt Line Road in Collinsville. The local buyer, Retail Place, LLC, will most likely renovate the center and fill the retail space in and around the Kmart, according to Johnston.
Currently for lease is a 14,140-square-foot building at 620 Pierce Blvd. in O’Fallon, near Scott Air Force Base. It is a turnkey facility, ideal for a defense contractor. It has facility clearance to support classified work with security systems already in place. There are two computer labs, two closed rooms to meet secret level requirements, a telecom room, and nine separate HVAC systems.
“It is important to us to be selective with the type of listings we market, so our team can devote enough time to marketing each one satisfactorily,” says Johnston.
Horner & Shifrin to update Terminal Railroad yard
ST. LOUIS — Horner & Shifrin has been selected by the Terminal Railroad Association to provide environmental, electrical and structural engineering services for improvements to the service platform area of its rail switching yard in Madison, Ill.
The project will include the replacement of an oil/water separator, trash screen improvements, a heated water boom cabinet for service platform water, track pan replacement and more. The Madison yard is the largest rail switching facility in the region. Work is expected to be completed by January 2015.
Memorial welcomes Magnet program director
BELLEVILLE — Memorial Hospital has welcomed Maria Constantinides to the role of Magnet program director. Constantinides comes to the position from her role as a charge nurse on the One South nursing unit. She has worked at Memorial since 2011 and will assume her new role Sept. 2.
The director role will assist the hospital in maintaining its Magnet status,, a voluntary credentialing program for hospitals recognizing excellence in nursing and the highest honor an organization can receive for professional nursing practice.
Brian C. Loose chosen for Leadership Academy
Brian C. Loose, a CPA at Diel & Forguson, LLC, has been selected to participate in the American Institute of CPAs’ 6th annual Leadership Academy in Durham, N.C.
He is one of only 38 CPAs to be selected nationwide and will attend the Academy this fall to learn strategic planning techniques and management challenges facing the accounting profession.
Loose joined Diel & Forguson, LLC upon earning bachelor of science degree from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville in 2010. He lives in Belleville.
Pair join HeplerBroom as associate attorneys
Two associate attorneys have joined HeplerBroom LLC in the Edwardsville office, focusing on toxic torts, premises liability and product liability.
Alemayehu Ayanaw obtained his J.D. in 2012 from Washington University School of Law. Ayanaw attended University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006, where he obtained his B.A. He is licensed to practice in Illinois and Missouri.
Edward Reilly received his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2012. He graduated with his B.A. from Saint Louis University in 2000. Reilly is licensed to practice law in Missouri.