realestate

Real Estate Spotlight: Spencer Schlee – LA Business Journal

Canyon Partners Real Estate, a division of Canyon Partners, invests in diverse properties, including mixed-use.

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anyon Partners Real Estate, a unit of the global asset manager Canyon Partners, targets a spectrum of properties—from existing mixed‑use assets to new developments. In the period from May to August, the firm closed more than $130 million in senior bridge loans for multifamily, senior housing, and mixed‑use projects across Southern California. Los Angeles‑based Spencer Schlee heads the west‑region team that originates, structures, underwrites, and executes debt and equity deals.

    Mixed‑use developments stand out because, when thoughtfully designed, they fuse residential, commercial, and retail components into a synergistic environment that boosts the value of each element beyond what they could achieve alone. In Southern California, the emphasis is on building in safe, walkable neighborhoods that offer a curated mix of retail and easy transit access.

    Financing these projects demands a holistic approach that treats the development as a whole while allowing individual components to be exited or refinanced. This flexibility is essential for owners to adapt to market shifts and optimize their financial strategy.

    Key challenges include ensuring the commercial portion is as well conceived as the residential side, meeting tenant space requirements, and integrating parking and circulation between uses. Market selection hinges on confidence that each use can lease up independently, with added value from the mixed‑use context.

    When evaluating L.A. deals, priority factors are location desirability, stabilized occupancy for each use, neighborhood safety and walkability, protection from new supply, borrower track record, and the transaction’s financial footing. These elements collectively gauge a project’s long‑term viability.

    With Los Angeles and Southern California facing acute housing shortages, demand for mixed‑use projects that blend complementary commercial uses with flexible living spaces, ample parking, unique dining options, and upscale amenities is set to grow, positioning them as a cornerstone of the region’s housing future.

Portrait of Spencer Schlee, Los Angeles real estate, in front of skyline.