NORFOLK, VA - Norfolk Superward 6 Councilwoman, Andria McClellan; Norfolk City Manager, Dr. Chip Filer; Lawson Chairman, Steve Lawson; and Lawson President and CEO, Carl Hardee, marked the opening of a new corporate headquarters for real estate firm, Lawson on the 16th floor of downtown Norfolk’s Truist Building at 150 West Main Street.
“This all started in 1875,” said Steve Lawson. “My great-grandfather, W.H. Trice, started a business in Norfolk doing real estate and insurance brokerage. In 1946, my grandfather, Ralph Bush, started his construction and development business in Norfolk. Then in 1972, my father started this company here as well. This year we’re celebrating 50 years in business. We couldn’t have done this without the support of everybody in this room. Thank you.”
Lawson is a vertically integrated real estate firm specializing in the development, construction, and management of top-quality market-rate, affordable, and mixed-income multifamily housing in Virginia. The approximate 20,000 square foot Norfolk office space replaces 9,600 square feet in Virginia Beach that the firm occupied since 1992 and provides Lawson team members with 360-degree views of downtown Norfolk and the Elizabeth River with easy access to downtown restaurants, events, and entertainment.
Lawson currently manages over 4,600 multifamily housing units with over 1,700 apartments in Norfolk. The firm is nearing completion of an additional 164-unit affordable multifamily community in Norfolk’s St. Paul’s district with Market Heights Apartments.
“As we look forward to another 50 years, affordable housing is very much on the minds of the city council and staff. It’s one of the biggest issues that I think all major metropolitan areas face. When it comes to affordable housing, what we’re finding is that it’s not just about the amount, it’s really about the quality,” said Filer. “I think I can say with certainty, there is no other partner we feel more comfortable with in that space.”
“We are excited to have Lawson here, and I want to thank you for all that you do for the community,” added McClellan. “Positively impacting people. What a great mission that is. We know that you have supported so many of our nonprofit organizations. Thank you for that commitment to our community and to making Norfolk and our region a better place.”
“We want to thank you all for everything you’ve done over the years,” said Filer. “This move back into a space in downtown shows another commitment to the city. The 50-year relationship between Lawson and the city has been phenomenal.”
About Lawson: At Lawson, we understand that what we do – and how we do it – affects the everyday lives of people we care about. For 50 years we’ve focused on positively impacting people from team members and residents to investors and business partners. We manage and own nearly 6,000 apartment units and continue to grow with approximately 1,200 units in development or under construction. Our business model provides vertical integration of development, construction, property management and asset management, which enables our team of experts to add value at every stage for our partners. When you act with integrity, focus on quality and work to find creative solutions, great things are possible. It’s how we’ve done business at Lawson since 1972. For more information, visit www.lawsoncompanies.com