David Nelson is working on one of south downtown’s most catalytic projects.
The executive vice president at Atlanta developer Carter has helped lead the Summerhill project, the redevelopment of the former Turner Field area.
That includes bringing back to life a forgotten commercial district along Georgia Avenue. The street is now home to hip tenants, from Halfway Crook Beer, Wood’s Chapel BBQ and Little Tart Bakeshop.
What led you to your career? I was in graduate school in search of a career that gave me the opportunity to work in a high-energy, competitive environment that combined my strengths in problem-solving, strategy and finance with a role that allowed me to build relationships with people. I wanted to work in an industry with tangible assets, on projects that allowed me to bet on the team I was working with and where the reward was worth the risk. I had the opportunity to introduce a guest speaker who was a commercial real estate developer. Based on my research leading up to the presentation, I knew that development was exactly what I wanted to do. With my father working as an architect and my grandfather having owned a construction company, it seemed like a natural fit.
Written by Amy Wenk, Staff Writer, Atlanta Business Chronicle
Portrait photo by Joann Vitelli