Dive Brief:

• As it moves into Colorado and Nevada, Cleveland-based developer, builder and manager The NRP Group has hired Christopher O’Neill as executive vice president of development in Texas to oversee the expansion of its pipeline in Western markets.
• NRP currently has a pipeline of approximately 4,045 residences underway in Texas, setting the stage for further expansion. "With our experience in Sun Belt markets throughout Texas and Florida, our expansion into Arizona, Nevada and Colorado felt like a logical decision in our westward growth,” O’Neill told Multifamily Dive. “The demographic trends and product quality in these three markets are a perfect fit within our established model."
• O’Neill brings more than 20 years of construction and multifamily development experience and leadership to the table as he pursues public-private partnerships in high-growth Texas and expansion markets. He will supervise all aspects of project management for market-rate communities. 

Dive Insight:

The Southwest is familiar terrain for O’Neill. Before joining NRP, he served as managing director at Hines. At the Houston-based owner and developer, he was the first project manager for the Southwest region’s multifamily platform. He also managed the region’s first multifamily development, Waterwall Place in Houston. 

In total, O’Neill managed the development of nearly 8,000 units, valued at more than $2 billion. He spent roughly 10 years managing deals in the Southwest and spearheaded Hines’ suburban multifamily efforts throughout Texas, Colorado and Arizona.

“I look forward to helping NRP and our investors expand our market-rate footprint throughout Texas and western markets,” O’Neill said in a press release. “There’s a lot of opportunity out there, and NRP is well-positioned to capitalize on it.”

In his new role, O’Neill will report to Kenneth W. Outcalt, principal and president of development. “[Chris] has an established track record of developing exceptional multifamily communities and we are confident he will accelerate the growth of our pipeline and lead our development team to new markets,” Outcalt said in the release.

NRP, the No. 9 developer in the most recent National Multifamily Housing Council list, has developed more than 50,000 apartment homes since being founded in 1994. It currently manages over 26,000 residential units. 

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