Weller Development Partners recently hosted a dynamic, immersive, week-long internship program designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the commercial real estate development industry and cultivate the next generation of real estate leaders. Seven exceptional students from top universities across the country were selected to participate.
Sagamore Pendry Baltimore
“We believe in investing in young talent and providing opportunities for them to learn and grow,” said Marc Weller, Founding Partner and President of Weller Development Partners. “This internship program is designed to give students a firsthand look at the complexities, benefits, and paths to career in real estate development.”
The internship kicked off with an in-depth introduction to Weller Development Partners by Marc Weller and Matt Rienzo, CMO and Chief of Staff, where students gained valuable insights into the company’s vision, values, and portfolio of projects. To enhance their understanding of the development process, the group engaged in real time case study discussions with project leads Madhvi Shukla and Annie Fulton of the development team, focusing on two current flagship development projects: Six Senses Napa and Six Senses Grand Bahama.
Weller Development Partners Headquarters, Bethesda, MD
The students toured various submarkets throughout the week to gain a valuable understanding of different product types, locations, amenities, parking requirements, and the many lessons learned throughout a development process.
Sagamore Pendry Baltimore
Starting with the booming Bethesda market, where Weller Development Partners is headquartered, the students toured with Marvin Poole, SVP Investments, and Mike Dudley, Corporate Controller, to learn about how this market came to be what it is today, and where it is headed.
The students also had the opportunity to explore Baltimore, visiting iconic landmarks developed by Weller Development Partners such as Baltimore Peninsula, the Sagamore Pendry, and the Sagamore Spirit Distillery, among others. The day in Baltimore included a comprehensive tour of Baltimore Peninsula, where they visited Weller’s pivotal developments including the new headquarters of CFG Bank, Roost extended stay hotel, Rye House residences, and Rye Street Market mixed-use office and retail. The group also explored Elijah’s Park, named after the late politician and civil rights advocate, Elijah Cummings, and learned about Weller Development’s role in community building and the formation of the South Baltimore 7 Coalition, to gain a deeper understanding of the company’s triple bottom line approach.
Elijah’s Park, Baltimore Peninsula
Sagamore Spirit Distillery, Baltimore Peninsula
Baltimore Water Taxi
On day three the students traveled to Poolesville, MD to visit the Crossvines, another Weller Development project, where students learned about public-private partnerships, elevated design, food and beverage operations, events, and the wine industry in the state of Maryland.
The Crossvines, Poolesville, MD
In addition to tours, the students engaged in insightful discussions with Weller Development Partners’ financial experts to learn about capital markets, finance, and accounting. Additionally, the students participated in meetings across various departments, including development, construction, legal, and marketing. They also had the opportunity to observe real-time business operations through various conference calls and meetings throughout the week.
The internship concluded with a tour of the JBG Innovation Center in Chrystal City, VA to learn about Potomac Landing, Amazon HQ2, and other development in and around Arlington, VA.
Baltimore Peninsula
Weller Development Partners is committed to working within the communities surrounding their developments and also to nurturing and engaging young talent. With this internship, the company aims to educate and inspire young professionals in the real estate industry for successful careers in development for years to come.