Joseph McDonnell
First Vice President
Professional Experience
Associated Office
Contact
Joe McDonnell is a Vice President at CBRE, specializing in the sale and acquisition of land and improved properties in the company’s McLean, Virginia office.
Mr. McDonnell’s 19-year career has focused primarily on the acquisition of land for development and the sale of land on behalf of his clients. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the entitlement process, awareness of local market conditions and expertise with financial underwriting, thus assisting the property owner in formulating a strategy to maximize the value of their property. Mr. McDonnell's professional experience includes land sales and acquisitions, industrial and retail property sales, retail leasing, and office, retail and residential development.
Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. McDonnell worked for a regional developer as a project manager, tasked with the acquisition of property and the management of development projects.
Mr. McDonnell’s 19-year career has focused primarily on the acquisition of land for development and the sale of land on behalf of his clients. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the entitlement process, awareness of local market conditions and expertise with financial underwriting, thus assisting the property owner in formulating a strategy to maximize the value of their property. Mr. McDonnell's professional experience includes land sales and acquisitions, industrial and retail property sales, retail leasing, and office, retail and residential development.
Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. McDonnell worked for a regional developer as a project manager, tasked with the acquisition of property and the management of development projects.
- Licensed Real Estate Salesperson in Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia
- Urban Land Institute, Member
- International Council of Shopping Centers, Member
- University of Virginia, Bachelor of Arts
- George Mason University, Master of Business Administration
- Upper Marlboro, MD / 479 Acres / Community Development Site Sale
- Dulles, VA / 424 Acres / Sale of Data Center Site
- Manassas, VA / 120 Acres / Sale of Data Center Site
- Ashburn, VA / 62 Acres / Sale of Residential Development Site
- Ashburn, VA / 60 Acres / Sale of Data Center Site
- Manassas, VA / 52 Acres / Sale of Data Center Site
- Germantown, MD / 15 Acres / Sale of Mixed-use Development Site
- Herndon, VA / 9 Acres / Sale of Hotel Site
- Springfield, VA / 7 Acres / Acquisition of Auto Dealer Site
- Alexandria, VA / 4 Acres / Sale of Mixed-use Development Site
- Tysons, VA / 3 Acres / Sale of Mixed-use Redevelopment Site
- Alexandria, VA / 2.2 Acres / Sale of Assisted Living Site
- Reston, VA / 2 Acres / Sale of Residential Redevelopment Site
- Washington, D.C. / 0.99 Acres / Acquisition of Multi-family Site
- Herndon, VA / 382,000 SF / Sale of Office Building for Data Center Redevelopment
- Winchester, VA / 308,000 SF / Sale of Manufacturing Facility
- Arlington, VA / 180,000 SF / Acquisition of Existing Office Building
- Covington, VA / 168,000 SF / Sale of Manufacturing Facility
- Woodbridge, VA / 110,000 SF / Sale of Grocery-anchored Center
- Woodbridge, VA / 110,000 SF / Sale of Grocery-anchored Center
- Washington, DC / 30,000 SF / Acquisition of Industrial Property
- Atlantic Realty
- Autonation
- BB&T
- Brookdale
- Capital Automotive
- Capital One Bank
- Cloud HQ
- General Growth Properties
- Johnson Development
- Lear
- Lindsay Automotive Group
- Long and Foster
- M&T Bank
- Miller & Smith
- Monument Realty
- MRP Realty
- Perspecta
- Pulte
- Rooney Properties
- Royco
- Sheehy Auto Stores
- Suntrust Bank
- Verizon
- Volkswagen of America
- Walgreens
- Washington Property Company
- Wawa
Team Overview
Available Properties
Search PropertiesSpecializing in Land Services in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area.
The Washington, DC Land Services Group at CBRE is the market leader in development site sales. The team focuses on both commercial and residential land transactions, representing buyers and sellers of undeveloped land and redevelopment sites. Working on our clients’ behalf, the team has more than 50 years of combined experience, combining a depth of knowledge and transactional capability that ensures maximum value for our clients.
John Ryan and Joe McDonnell have successfully closed over 800 transactions with a total consideration of more than $2 billion. They have substantial experience in all property types and locations, and maintain extensive buyer databases, including developers, investors and users. With a strong background in land entitlements, development, marketing and finance, the Washington DC Land Services Group has the expertise to serve all aspects of our clients’ needs. We utilize the latest technology to enhance the marketing process and maximize exposure of our clients’ properties.
In order to achieve the best results for our clients, we rely on best marketing practices and resources, including local market knowledge, product and development expertise, solid industry relationships, regional & national marketing experience and outreach, access to extensive buyer databases, the ability to access private and institutional capital and state of the art technology.
Our goal is to produce innovative real estate solutions that are aligned with our clients' strategy and objectives and to maximize the transaction value to the client.
John Ryan and Joe McDonnell have successfully closed over 800 transactions with a total consideration of more than $2 billion. They have substantial experience in all property types and locations, and maintain extensive buyer databases, including developers, investors and users. With a strong background in land entitlements, development, marketing and finance, the Washington DC Land Services Group has the expertise to serve all aspects of our clients’ needs. We utilize the latest technology to enhance the marketing process and maximize exposure of our clients’ properties.
In order to achieve the best results for our clients, we rely on best marketing practices and resources, including local market knowledge, product and development expertise, solid industry relationships, regional & national marketing experience and outreach, access to extensive buyer databases, the ability to access private and institutional capital and state of the art technology.
Our goal is to produce innovative real estate solutions that are aligned with our clients' strategy and objectives and to maximize the transaction value to the client.
100 East Pratt Street
Suite 1700
Baltimore
,
MD
21202
4747 Bethesda Avenue
Suite 600
Bethesda
,
MD
20814
1900 N Street NW
Suite 700
Washington
,
DC
20036
8350 Broad Street
Suite 1100
McLean
,
VA
22102
From our perspective the outcome achieved for this foreclosed asset was a clear success, and John Ryan and Joe McDonnell are very much at the center of it. At the outset you drew my attention to the serious headwinds arising from the property’s outdated entitlements and complex array of development constraints. Even more importantly, you provided me a great deal of directly relevant market data and insightful analysis of the landscape out there which were critical to a value-add strategy becoming visible in the first place, and then put some realistic numbers to it. In addition, you then tailored the marketing strategy to best position us to realize upside while ensuring I stayed realistic at all times about the uncertainties that remained. Your guidance ensured I avoided ending up in a position where I over-promised on the outcome. Indeed, even after factoring in our consultant, legal and all other holding costs, the economics on today’s outcome came in within the upper range of my internal projections when we finalized and embarked on this re-entitlement strategy. Without you as our partner, our financial recovery on this property would have been not even close to what it was today
Success Stories
This was a 546-acre mixed-use project originally planned, zoned and partially developed by Charles Smith Company located at the intersection of Route 7 and Route 28 in Loudoun County, VA. Wells Fargo took the property back and hired CBRE to market it. There was approximately 167 acres of land to sell. The zoning called for high density urban style development and there were significant proffers triggered by the density. CBRE analyzed the zoning and market and recommended deed restricting the density for the parcels we would sell. Land prices at that time justified low density development and there was no premium for extra density, and we found an overlooked condition in the proffers that allowed development at the lower density. We then sold enough land that if it had all developed it would not trigger the expensive proffer conditions. Wells Fargo then processed a proffer condition amendment with Loudoun County further restricting the density of the unsold land bays and reducing the proffer requirements. After that CBRE sold the balance of the remaining property. CBRE greatly exceeded Wells Fargo’s pro forma projections for the sales.
This is a 32 acre office campus site at the SEC of Waxpool Road and Loudoun County Parkway across from the Verizon Campus in Loudoun County. The owners had conceived a project of approximately 690,000 square feet of corporate office and a hotel. However, the market had deteriorated and investors and developers had been out of the market for this type of long term investment, especially at the price we needed to achieve. Within a short time after we were hired we found a user buyer. The price was the highest achieved in Loudoun in 2009.
This is a 61 acre residential development site at the NEC of Gloucester Parkway and Marblehead Drive, in Loudoun County, VA. The Property is approved for a mix of housing types, totaling 268 age-restricted residential units (including up to 252 market-rate units). The owners had previously attempted to sell the Property without a successful close. Within a few weeks of our market launch, we had several attractive offers, which we were able to compete and achieve an attractive price.
This is a 479-acre vacant land site which has been approved for the development of a mixed-use “town center”. The site is located at the intersection of the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Pennsylvania Avenue in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The site is approved for 3,475 residential units, as well as 1.14 million SF of retail, 3.44 million SF of office and 600 hotel rooms.
This transaction is an REO sale.
The property is currently under contract.
This transaction is an REO sale.
The property is currently under contract.
This is a 3 acre pad site development at the SWC of Lee Highway and Nutley Street, in Fairfax, VA. CBRE acquired the property, signed ground lease deals with Walgreens and PNC Bank, and sold to a local developer. The developer completed the rezoning process, finished the site, and we sold the property to an investor at a 5.8% cap rate.
This is a 105 acre development site on Loisdale Road, adjacent to I-95 in Springfield, Virginia. The property was zoned residential with a portion of the site contaminated with fill. The property owner desired a streamlined transaction with a quick close. After a short marketing period CBRE had interest from several developers and users, all of which required a rezoning of the property. Because of the seller’s requirement for a quick closing, we selected a user who submitted a competitive price and had strong ties in the community, making a potential rezoning a stronger likelihood. The buyer closed shortly after completion of the study period and completed a successful rezoning thereafter.
- ADESA
- AOL
- Atlantic Realty
- Autonation
- BB&T
- Brookdale
- Capital Automotive
- Capital One Bank
- Cloud HQ
- Cox Communications
- EPL Archives
- General Growth Properties
- Johnson Development
- Lear
- Lindsay Automotive Group
- Long and Foster
- M&T Bank
- Miller & Smith
- Monument Realty
- MRP Realty
- Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- Old Castle
- Perspecta
- Petrie Richardson
- Pulte
- Rooney Properties
- Royco
- Sabey Data Centers
- Sheehy Auto Stores
- Suntrust Bank
- Tamares
- T-Rex
- Trammell Crow Company
- US Bank
- US District Court, Eastern District
- Verizon
- Volkswagen of America
- Walgreens
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- Washington Property Company
- Wawa
