One of our city’s most INNOVATIVE developers Alex Marks opens up about his notable projects downtown and BEYOND. BY JAMI-LYN FEHR HALL His family’s history in real estate stretches from California to Tennessee and everywhere in between, but Nashville is where he’s chosen to truly make his mark. As his independent company Royal Investment thrives, Alex Marks shares a bit of insight over breakfast at the Dream hotel, one of his most notable development projects. As the light pours in through the windows of the reimagined space that is now Stateside Kitchen, Alex dishes on his background, family life and what drives his passion for real estate reinvention. TNE: What brought you to Nashville? Alex Marks: In 2004 we were flying through town and we were just looking for property outside of California; real estate that had upside potential and that wasn’t overpriced by population, like much of California was and still is. The friendly Tennessee business climate immediately caught our attention.
TNE: Can you elaborate on your family’s history in real estate development? How far back does it go? AM: My family was built upon several generations of cattle ranching, which requires you to either own or lease a great mass of land. The cattle market has gone up and down over the years. Due to the volatility, in the early 1980’s we transitioned to developing real estate. That involved looking at municipalities and cities around the country to understand what the highest and best use of a property is. So, from ranchland, which we still own a lot of, as well as residential, commercial, and industrial— it is quite diverse. The underlying aspect of our business has always been the value of real estate.
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