Real Estate Development & Community Investment Across the Southeast

Johnson & Wilson Development Company helps landowners, investors, businesses, nonprofit organizations, institutions, and municipalities evaluate, entitle, capitalize, and execute complex real estate projects.

Headquartered in South Carolina and serving select markets throughout the Southeast, we bring together real estate development strategy, community investment, capital-stack coordination, construction oversight, brokerage, and asset management. Our integrated approach helps move opportunities from initial evaluation through approvals, financing, development, stabilization, and disposition.

Transforming Real Estate Potential Into Lasting Value

A successful development begins long before construction starts. It requires a clear understanding of the property, the market, the regulatory environment, the capital requirements, the community, and the risks that could affect execution.

Johnson & Wilson works with clients to identify a property’s highest and best use, determine whether a proposed concept is financially and operationally viable, and establish a practical path from opportunity to completion.

Our role may begin with a single parcel, an underutilized building, a redevelopment concept, a business expansion, or a community need. We then help assemble the information, professionals, approvals, capital sources, and implementation strategy necessary to move the project forward.

Our Real Estate Development Services

Site Evaluation, Feasibility & Highest-and-Best-Use Analysis

Before significant time and capital are committed, we help clients evaluate whether a property and proposed use align.

Our preliminary development analysis may include:

• Highest-and-best-use evaluation
• Market and demand considerations
• Site access and visibility
• Current zoning and future land-use designations
• Density and development capacity
• Utility and infrastructure availability
• Environmental and physical site constraints
• Preliminary development costs
• Revenue and exit assumptions
• Community and economic impact considerations

The objective is to identify opportunities and potential challenges early enough for clients to make informed decisions.

Land Acquisition & Development Due Diligence

Johnson & Wilson assists clients in identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and acquiring properties suited to their development objectives.

We help coordinate the due-diligence process with appropriate professionals, which may include surveyors, civil engineers, environmental consultants, architects, land-use attorneys, contractors, lenders, and governmental agencies.

Services may include:

• Site identification and acquisition strategy
• Preliminary property evaluation
• Contract and due-diligence timeline coordination
• Survey and title review coordination
• Easement and access considerations
• Utility availability review
• Environmental and geotechnical coordination
• Preliminary development budgeting
• Acquisition and disposition representation

Our goal is to help clients understand the property before assuming unnecessary development risk.

Zoning, Entitlements & Public Approvals

Land-use approvals can determine whether a strong development opportunity succeeds or stalls.

Johnson & Wilson helps clients develop and manage an entitlement strategy that reflects the proposed use, local regulations, surrounding development patterns, infrastructure capacity, and community priorities.

Our work may include:

• Rezoning strategy
• Annexation considerations
• Variances and special exceptions
• Conditional-use approvals
• Subdivision approvals
• Site-plan review
• Planned development districts
• Public hearing preparation
• Neighborhood and stakeholder engagement
• Coordination with planning staff and governmental agencies
• Consultant and application management
• Permitting strategy and sequencing

We help organize the development team, supporting materials, timelines, and communications necessary to navigate the approval process effectively.

Development Planning & Project Management

Once a concept has been validated, Johnson & Wilson can help manage the project through planning, design, approval, financing, and implementation.

Depending on the engagement, our responsibilities may include:

• Development strategy and execution planning
• Project team assembly
• Consultant selection and coordination
• Preliminary and final budgeting
• Design and engineering coordination
• Approval and permitting schedules
• Development schedules and milestone tracking
• Contractor and vendor coordination
• Owner and investor reporting
• Risk identification and problem solving
• Construction and completion oversight

We provide clients with a central point of coordination while maintaining accountability across the professionals responsible for delivering the project.

Capital-Stack Strategy & Development Incentives

Strong projects can require multiple sources of capital. Johnson & Wilson helps clients evaluate and coordinate the combination of debt, equity, incentives, tax-credit programs, public participation, and other financing sources that may support a project.

Our capital-stack work may include:

• Senior and subordinate debt coordination
• Private equity and joint-venture structures
• Sponsor and investor participation
• Public and private incentive programs
• Opportunity Zone considerations
• Tax-credit and community-development programs
• Grants and economic-development incentives
• Infrastructure and utility participation
• Community and institutional lending sources
• Investor, lender, and stakeholder coordination

We work alongside qualified legal, tax, accounting, lending, and investment professionals when specialized advice or documentation is required.

Certified Community Development Entity

Johnson & Wilson Development Company is certified as a Community Development Entity by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

A Community Development Entity, commonly called a CDE, is an organization with a primary mission of serving low-income communities and maintaining accountability to the residents of the communities it serves.

Our CDE platform expands our ability to support projects that combine sound development fundamentals with meaningful community and economic impact.

These projects may create or support:

• Employment and workforce opportunities
• Affordable and workforce housing
• Community facilities
• Healthcare and wellness services
• Education and workforce training
• Small-business growth
• Commercial goods and services
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Infrastructure and utility improvements
• Adaptive reuse and redevelopment
• Food access and other essential community services

New Markets Tax Credit Coordination & Deployment Capabilities

CDE certification allows Johnson & Wilson to participate directly or indirectly in the federal New Markets Tax Credit Program.

Through our CDE platform, Johnson & Wilson can help identify, structure, coordinate, and participate in the deployment of NMTC financing for qualifying projects. Depending on the transaction, NMTC allocation may be accessed through allocation authority awarded to Johnson & Wilson or through collaboration with an allocating CDE partner.

Our NMTC-related services may include:

• Preliminary project and location eligibility review
• Low-income community and census-tract analysis
• Community-impact evaluation
• Capital-stack development
• Identification and coordination of potential allocatees
• NMTC investor and lender coordination
• Qualified business and project-entity structuring coordination
• Financial model and sources-and-uses coordination
• Transaction team assembly
• Closing and documentation coordination
• Asset-management and compliance support

NMTC financing is subject to program eligibility, allocation availability, underwriting, investor approval, documentation, compliance requirements, and final closing. Qualification for the program does not guarantee that allocation authority or financing will be available for a particular project.

Flexible Development & Partnership Structures

Not every property owner, investor, municipality, or organization needs the same type of development relationship. Johnson & Wilson can structure its involvement according to the project’s needs, ownership, available capital, and execution requirements.

Development Advisory

We can provide early-stage analysis, strategy, budgeting, team assembly, and implementation planning for clients who intend to retain direct control of the project.

Development Management

Johnson & Wilson may act as the development manager or owner’s representative, coordinating the professionals, approvals, budget, schedule, and execution process on behalf of the project owner.

Co-Development

For selected opportunities, Johnson & Wilson may serve as a co-developer and share responsibility for planning, capitalization, approvals, execution, and project delivery.

Joint-Venture Participation

Depending on the opportunity, Johnson & Wilson may consider a joint-venture structure with a landowner, investor, business, nonprofit, institution, or other development partner.

Our participation may involve development expertise, project leadership, access to relationships, capital-stack coordination, CDE participation, or equity investment. An equity contribution is not required in every partnership structure.

Acquisition or Disposition Representation

Through our affiliated real estate brokerage, we can assist with site acquisition, landowner representation, property marketing, leasing, stabilization, and project disposition.

Project Types We Consider

Johnson & Wilson evaluates a variety of development and community-investment opportunities, including:

• Mixed-use development
• Multifamily housing
• Affordable and workforce housing
• Neighborhood and community-serving retail
• Office and professional space
• Hospitality and lodging
• Industrial and light-manufacturing projects
• Business expansions
• Healthcare and wellness facilities
• Educational and workforce-training facilities
• Nonprofit and community facilities
• Adaptive reuse
• Historic and underutilized properties
• Opportunity Zone projects
• Infrastructure and utility improvements
• Public-private development initiatives
• Community revitalization projects

Project selection depends on location, feasibility, ownership structure, market conditions, community impact, available capital, and alignment with Johnson & Wilson’s capabilities and mission.

An Integrated Real Estate Platform

Johnson & Wilson’s broader real estate platform allows us to approach development from multiple perspectives rather than treating development as a single transaction.

Our affiliated capabilities include:

• Real estate acquisition and disposition
• Commercial and residential brokerage
• Construction and renovation coordination
• Asset and portfolio management
• Property operations
• Title and closing coordination
• Sales and marketing
• Market research and advisory
• Community-development finance
• Investor and lender relationships

This integrated structure creates greater continuity between the initial development concept, project execution, operations, and ultimate exit strategy.

Why Work With Johnson & Wilson?

Strategic, Not Transactional

We examine the full opportunity, including land use, market demand, financial feasibility, public approvals, community impact, capital requirements, and long-term performance.

Flexible Roles

We may serve as an advisor, development manager, owner’s representative, brokerage representative, co-developer, CDE participant, or joint-venture partner.

Public- and Private-Sector Perspective

Our experience includes working with private owners, investors, businesses, nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, community stakeholders, and multidisciplinary development teams.

Financial and Community Impact

We seek to create projects that are economically viable while also contributing to employment, services, housing, investment, and sustainable community growth.

Continuity Through the Project Lifecycle

Our affiliated companies and professional relationships allow us to remain involved from property evaluation and acquisition through construction, stabilization, management, leasing, or disposition.

Serving South Carolina and the Southeast

Johnson & Wilson Development Company is headquartered in South Carolina and evaluates opportunities throughout the Southeast.

Our geographic focus allows us to combine South Carolina market knowledge with a broader regional approach. We consider projects based on their individual merits, the strength of the development opportunity, the project team, community impact, and our ability to add meaningful value.

For opportunities outside our immediate market, we work with qualified local professionals, agencies, consultants, lenders, and development partners as necessary.

Our Development Process

1. Initial Opportunity Review

We begin by reviewing the property, proposed project, ownership objectives, location, timing, and known opportunities or challenges.

2. Feasibility & Due Diligence

We evaluate the market, zoning, site conditions, utilities, development capacity, preliminary economics, and other factors that may affect viability.

3. Development & Capital Strategy

We establish the proposed development path, team structure, approval strategy, preliminary budget, capital stack, and implementation schedule.

4. Entitlements, Design & Approvals

We coordinate the appropriate professionals and governmental processes required to move the project toward construction or execution.

5. Capitalization & Project Delivery

We assist with lender, investor, incentive, tax-credit, CDE, NMTC, consultant, contractor, and stakeholder coordination, depending on the project.

6. Stabilization, Operations or Disposition

Following development, our affiliated capabilities may support leasing, sales, property operations, asset management, refinancing, or disposition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a real estate development company do?

A real estate development company evaluates property, determines an appropriate use, coordinates due diligence, secures approvals, assembles the project team and capital stack, manages development, and helps deliver the completed project.

Can Johnson & Wilson evaluate a property before I purchase it?

Yes. We can provide preliminary site and development analysis and coordinate the professionals needed for more detailed due diligence. The scope depends on the property and proposed use.

Do you assist with rezoning and entitlements?

Yes. Johnson & Wilson can help develop the entitlement strategy, coordinate consultants and applications, prepare for public review, and manage the approval process.

Can you help build the project’s capital stack?

Yes. We can help identify and coordinate potential debt, equity, incentives, tax credits, community-development resources, and other financing sources. Final financing is subject to underwriting and approval by the applicable lenders, investors, agencies, and program participants.

What is a Community Development Entity?

A Community Development Entity is an organization certified through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund to serve low-income communities and participate directly or indirectly in the New Markets Tax Credit Program.

Can Johnson & Wilson provide New Markets Tax Credit financing?

Johnson & Wilson can evaluate potential project eligibility and help structure, coordinate, and participate in an NMTC transaction. NMTC allocation may be provided through allocation authority awarded to Johnson & Wilson or through an allocating CDE partner. Financing remains subject to eligibility, underwriting, allocation availability, investor approval, compliance requirements, and closing.

Does Johnson & Wilson invest equity in development projects?

Johnson & Wilson may consider equity or joint-venture participation in selected projects, but equity is not required for every engagement. We can also participate through fee-based advisory, development management, brokerage, CDE, or co-development structures.

Where does Johnson & Wilson provide development services?

Johnson & Wilson is headquartered in South Carolina and primarily evaluates development opportunities throughout the Southeast. Projects in other locations may be considered based on the opportunity and the availability of appropriate local partnerships.

Have a Property or Development Opportunity?

Whether you own underutilized land, are evaluating an acquisition, need assistance with zoning and entitlements, are assembling a project capital stack, or are seeking a development or CDE partner, Johnson & Wilson would welcome the opportunity to learn more.

We work with landowners, investors, businesses, nonprofit organizations, institutions, municipalities, and other development partners to evaluate opportunities and determine the most practical next steps.

 

Discuss Your Development Opportunity

Tell us about your property, proposed project, community investment opportunity or development need. Johnson & Wilson works with landowners, investors, businesses, nonprofit organizations, institutions, municipalities and development partners throughout South Carolina and the Southeast.

Submit a development opportunity!