gattuso

Our mission is to build exceptional workplaces by delivering creative solutions and consistently exceeding our clients’ expectations.

About
Gattuso
Development
Partners

Gattuso Development Partners is a developer of exceptional, sustainable high performance workplaces. We recognize that the right work environment is the most critical asset a business can offer to attract, retain and inspire its employees and promote long term success.

Our success is easy to see. The Gattuso team has played a key role in reshaping the Philadelphia skyline and revitalizing its urban landscape. Sharing a history as leaders of the urban development group at Liberty Property Trust, our work represents more than $3 billion of development on projects like the extraordinary Comcast Technology Center and the Comcast Center, in Center City, Philadelphia. Our work includes the redevelopment of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, considered the most successful redevelopment of a former military facility anywhere in the country; the Camden Waterfront; and more than 50 office/flex buildings across the nation.

Today Gattuso is committed to building upon this legacy to develop new and creative work environments that reimagine the workplace for our clients.

The Gattuso Approach

We believe a successful project is a cooperative venture that capitalizes on our proven ability to:

  • Drive excellence;
  • Deliver creative solutions that consistently exceed expectations;
  • Promote environmental and social sustainability;
  • Benefit each community we serve;
  • Maintain the highest levels of integrity and open communication;

Who We Are

John S. Gattuso Headshot Message

Through his visionary work as the leader of urban development, John Gattuso has changed the face of Philadelphia’s skyline and helped the city to reimagine its limitless possibilities.

The Comcast Technology Center, the Comcast Center, the ongoing redevelopment of the Philadelphia Navy Yard and the Camden Waterfront; all of these iconic projects were developed under John’s guidance during his 30-year tenure at Liberty Property Trust, one of the nation’s largest real estate investment trusts.

During that time, John was responsible for the development of over 50 projects in Philadelphia and across the nation, representing almost $3 billion in investment. His projects include the TJX Distribution center in Northeast Philadelphia, recognized as a “Smart Growth” development by the Sierra Club; the Plaza at PPL Center in Allentown; and the spectacular Comcast Center that became Comcast’s international headquarters upon completion in 2008, both recipients of the Urban Land Institute’s Award of Excellence.

Before Liberty’s strategic decision to focus exclusively on industrial real estate, John lead Liberty’s Urban Development Group in completing the 1,121’ tall, 1.8 million square foot Comcast Technology Center which features a five-star Four Seasons Hotel, the tallest hotel in North America; as well as the new waterfront headquarters for American Water.

In 2018, John and former Liberty Property Trust Colleague, Anne Cummins founded Gattuso Development Partners with a primary focus on the development of high-performance, premier quality commercial office, life sciences and manufacturing facilities. Under its new banner, the company competed for and won a national competition to develop a 137,000 RSF, $125 million state-of-the-art cell and gene therapy production and research facility for San Carlos, CA based Iovance Biotherapeutics. Despite being developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the building was completed in January 2021- on schedule and 5% under budget.

In November 2021, the company began development of a 130,000 RSF speculative flex production building at 2500 League Island Boulevard at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. This $66 million facility will provide critical manufacturing capacity to support the Greater Philadelphia region’s growing life sciences sector.

In March 2022, Gattuso Development Partners announced it had entered into an agreement with Drexel University to develop a 500,000 RSF, $400 million state-of-the-art life sciences research and development building adjacent to the heart of the Drexel University campus. Scheduled for completion in early 2025, 3201 Cuthbert Street will set a new standard for life sciences facilities in the region. The building is being designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects and is targeting LEED Gold certification.

In addition, John has served as the President of the Fairmount Park Conservancy; and as a board member of the Center City District. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, John lives in the greater Philadelphia region.

Anne Cummins Headshot Message

As Co-Founder and COO, Anne is jointly responsible for creating and operating Gattuso Development Partners and for the leasing, development and financing of all projects.

This includes current and past development of 770,000 square feet of lab, R&D and cGMP manufacturing space at buildings located at The Navy Yard and University City in Philadelphia.

As Vice President, Leasing and Development at Liberty Property Trust, Anne developed the double-LEED platinum American Water headquarters building, which received the ULI Rouse Award of Excellence as well as the LEED Gold Adaptimmune North American headquarters building, a purpose-built CAR-T immunotherapy lab and office building at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

CREW recognized Anne as one of 20 women of the past, present and future who have significantly contributed to the growth of the Philadelphia landscape and bestowed CREW’s national Economic and Community Impact Award in 2018.

Anne serves as the Chair of ULI Philadelphia. Anne earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, with a concentration in Real Estate. She received her BA in IR and French from Bucknell University.

She resides with her husband and two sons in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

Janice Wong Headshot Message

Over the course of her 15+ years in the industry,  Janice Wong’s work has been centered on the creation of high-quality, thoughtfully designed, and environmentally sustainable urban places. At Gattuso Development Partners, Janice is leading the development and leasing of the company’s ground-up life sciences and mixed-use projects. She is also actively involved with new pursuits for the company.

Before Gattuso Development Partners, Janice served as the Director of Real Estate Development & Leasing for Liberty Property Trust, one of the nation’s largest real estate investment trusts. At Liberty, Janice evaluated and underwrote new commercial urban development and redevelopment opportunities valued from $25 million to $500 million. She was highly involved in the master planning efforts for 21 acres of land on the Camden Waterfront in New Jersey, which included the development of the LEED Platinum-certified American Water Headquarters.

Before joining Liberty, Janice worked as an architect for SUH Architects in Seoul, South Korea as well as at KPMB Architects in Toronto, Canada. Janice is a licensed architect in Canada as well as a LEED and WELL Accredited Professional. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from McGill University, a Master’s in Architecture from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Janice has served on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia for 7 years and was the Chair of its Board of Directors for two terms. She was a recipient of The Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award in 2019 and was nominated as a Bisnow Philly Power Woman in 2022. Conversant in both Cantonese and French, Janice resides with her husband and daughters in Philadelphia.

John G Spitz Headshot Message

From Seattle to Saudi Arabia with multiple stops in between, John G. Spitz brings to Gattuso Development Partners an international reputation for excellence in commercial project management and construction. A veteran of two tours with Liberty Property Trust, where he served until recently as Senior Director of Development and Construction, John has vast experience in contract negotiations, scheduling, estimating, value engineering, project programing, and project/construction management that he earned in the successful construction of multiple high-profile projects around the world.

From 2009-2016, John was the Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Hill International’s operations in Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he managed over $40 billion in construction projects. In this capacity, John oversaw the dramatic expansion of Hill International’s Middle Eastern workforce, growing its staff from 37 to 385 employees. During his tenure, John also led the company’s efforts to train and mentor in-country engineers, and he served as a guest lecturer at project sites throughout the Middle East and in Turkey.

Before joining Hill, John was Vice President of Construction and Development for Liberty, one of the nation’s largest real estate investment trusts, where he led the team responsible for the construction of all Philadelphia projects, including the award-winning Comcast Center, the signature 975-foot tall, 1.25 million square-foot office tower that became Comcast’s international headquarters upon its completion in 2009. Before that, John was Vice President of Design and Construction for the Arden Group, where he managed the design and development of various luxury commercial projects, including the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Center City Philadelphia.

Mr. Spitz earned his B.S. in building sciences from Auburn University.

Katherine O'Neil - Vice President Message

A skilled and certified construction manager whose experience includes a $300 million tenant improvement project for the Comcast Technology Center as well as a host of large and small projects across the nation, Katherine O’Neil serves as Vice President, Development at Gattuso.

She currently leads the firm’s project management of 3201 Cuthbert Boulevard in the heart of the Drexel University campus, a $450 million project that when completed will be the city’s largest life sciences research space.

Before joining GDP, Katherine served as Senior Project Manager for Rubenstein Partners, where she managed due diligence and loan capital expenditures for the firm’s Mortgage Fund and led capital projects to reposition office properties. Prior to Rubenstein, she was a Senior Project Manager for Talson Solutions where, while contracted to Liberty Property Trust, she managed Comcast’s tenant improvements and related base building alterations at Comcast Technology Center. Katherine also served as Director of Project Management at CBRE, leading a team that specialized in executing ground-up projects and office renovations for GSA nationwide.

Katherine is a member of CMAA and CREW Philadelphia Chapters and is a Certified Construction Manager. She earned her Master of Architecture from Arizona State University, a Master of Science in Operations Research from Georgia Tech, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Operations Management from the University of Delaware. Katherine resides with her husband and two children in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

Kathy Kiczula headshot Message

Kathy Kiczula is certified public accountant with over 30 years of financial and accounting experience.

As Vice President of Finance at Gattuso Development Partners Kathy oversees the firm’s financial and accounting processes as well as fiscal reporting functions.

Prior to joining Gattuso, Kathy served as Vice President and Regional Controller for Liberty Property Trust, where she developed and implemented financial systems, policies, and controls for various functions and regions in Liberty’s portfolio including the Comcast Center and the new Comcast Technology Center. Considered as a trusted financial partner, she is known for her extensive knowledge, accountability, and attention to detail.

Kathy holds an MBA in Finance from Temple University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Shippensburg University. She resides with her family in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Fred Dougherty - Vice President Message

A veteran commercial real estate professional with expert knowledge of the regional marketplace, Fred Dougherty is Vice President for Property Management, overseeing the firm’s property management and building operations activities, expertly accommodating the highly specialized needs of life science, laboratory, and cGMP clients. His most recent complex property management project includes 300 Rouse Boulevard for Iovance Biotherapeutics.

Before joining Gattuso, Fred worked for 22 years at Liberty Property Trust, where he served as Vice President for Philadelphia Urban Development; and before that, as Vice President for Portfolio Technology. While at Liberty, Fred managed the technology design integration and construction project management of the Comcast Technology Center in Center City. In this role he oversaw the integration of the Center’s core and shell as well as the dazzling new rooftop Four Seasons Hotel. A long-time advocate of high-performance building and sustainability programs, Fred focused on the application of advanced technology, telecommunications, and energy management to enhance the occupant experience, improve operational best practices, and increase property net operating income. He is known throughout the industry for his highly effective property, leasing, and construction project management skills and his sophisticated analytical and financial planning knowledge.

In his earlier role at Liberty, Fred managed site license and service partnership agreements for Liberty’s national real estate portfolio, effectively developing competitive technology advantages with lower costs. Before that, he was a Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager for Boston-based Leggat McCall Properties. Throughout his career, Fred has been recognized for his skill in developing and implementing plans to maximize the tenant experience and achieve outstanding tenant retention rates.

Fred is a Licensed Pennsylvania Real Estate Broker and Certified Appraiser. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Hobart College in Geneva New York, along with extensive post-graduate real estate continuing education activities and credits. Originally from New England, Fred and his family make their home in suburban Philadelphia.

Jennifer Bosner Headshot Message

Jennifer Bonser is Director of Operations and Administration for Gattuso Development Partners. After spending nearly a decade working with Liberty Property Trust’s urban development team, Jennifer understands what it takes to manage the expectations of first rate clients, while effectively running business operations.

Jennifer is responsible for all back office operations within Gattuso Development Partners, some of which include: accounting procedures, insurance coverage, human resources management, and administration governance.

Jim Lutz Headshot Message

Over a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Jim Lutz has built an international reputation as a developer of world-class sustainable buildings and communities. Before joining Gattuso Development Partners, Jim was Senior Vice President for Development at Liberty Property Trust, one of the world’s largest real estate investment trusts. At Liberty, Jim was responsible for all of the company’s new developments in its 20 markets, averaging more than $700 million annually in development.

Among his accomplishments, Jim created and grew Liberty’s England office, living in the U.K. with his family while developing a 1,000-acre sustainable mixed-use community known as Kings Hill. Its growth over two decades has received national recognition as one of the best places in the U.K. to work, live and raise a family, owing primarily to its excellent mix of public parks, playgrounds, woodland walks, cycle paths, and sports facilities.

Jim’s commitment to creating high-performance sustainable environments resulted in the development of more than 90 LEED buildings, a collection that totals more than 22 million square feet of LEED projects valued at over $2.2 billion.

Jim is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council; a founding member of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council; the Urban Land Institute; a Board member of the Peoples Light & Theatre Co. in Philadelphia; and a former member of the Walnut Street Theater Board of Directors. He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business.

Projects

To view our latest work, please visit our projects page.

Press

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