Credentials

Rizzo Development Qualifications.

A principal-grade overview of capabilities, experience, and development approach for owners, investors, and partners evaluating engagement.

Firm Overview

Rizzo Development Group is a founder-led commercial real estate development firm based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by Todd Rizzo in April 2013 after a 19-year career at WisPark — one of the largest and most highly regarded developers in southeastern Wisconsin — the firm brings more than 25 years of hands-on development experience across office, industrial, and business park product types.

Across his career — including 19 years at WisPark and as founder of RDG since 2013 — Todd has completed over 120 separate transactions representing more than $500 million in transactional value, including the development of over 5 million square feet of build-to-suit and speculative industrial and office properties, 3.3 million square feet of lease transactions, 465 acres of land sales, $150 million of investment sales, and the creation of five tax incremental financing (TIF) districts.

The firm operates on a deliberate model: one senior principal who underwrites, executes, and delivers every engagement. There are no layers between the client and the decision-maker. No account managers. No rotating project leads. Todd Rizzo is the strategist, the project lead, and the single point of accountability from first conversation through asset stabilization.

This structure delivers institutional-grade execution — disciplined underwriting, rigorous due diligence, and transparent reporting — without the overhead, politics, or timeline drag of a corporate development platform. For owners, capital partners, municipalities, and tenants who value senior-level attention and direct accountability, Rizzo Development Group offers a deliberate alternative to conventional firms.

Principal's Career Track Record

25+

Years Experience

5M+

SF Developed

$500M+

Transaction Value

120+

Transactions

Core Capabilities

Every phase of commercial development benefits from continuity of leadership. Rizzo Development provides that continuity from first call to final closeout.

Ground-Up Development

Full-lifecycle development from market analysis through lease-up across office, industrial, flex, and business park product types.

Market analysis and feasibility studies
Pro forma underwriting and financial modeling
Design management and value engineering
Construction oversight and budget enforcement
Lease-up strategy and tenant coordination

Owner's Representation

Senior project delivery on behalf of owners and investors with direct principal oversight at every milestone.

Design team selection and oversight
Contractor procurement and management
Budget tracking and cost control
Schedule enforcement and risk mitigation
Quality assurance and closeout coordination

Land Strategy & Entitlements

Site identification through shovel-ready delivery, including all municipal approvals and infrastructure coordination.

Site identification and acquisition
Zoning and land use approvals
TIF negotiation and incentive structuring
Environmental due diligence
Infrastructure and utility coordination

Build-to-Suit Execution

Tenant-driven development from requirements definition through turnkey delivery with single-source accountability.

Requirements programming and space planning
Site selection and acquisition
Design-build procurement
Construction management and schedule control
Turnkey delivery and occupancy coordination

Asset Repositioning

Value-add redevelopment including capital planning, renovation management, and re-tenanting strategy.

Asset condition assessment and capital planning
Renovation scope development and management
Re-tenanting and lease-up strategy
Repositioning for disposition or long-term hold
Property management transition oversight

Capital Partnerships

Joint venture structuring, investor relations, and capital sourcing with institutional-grade reporting and founder-led accountability.

Joint venture structuring and negotiation
Co-development and partnership formation
Investor reporting and communications
Capital sourcing and lender coordination
Waterfall and distribution management

Representative Experience

Selected projects demonstrating range across product type, project scale, and development complexity.

Office Development

Pabst Professional Center

Class A, five-story office building with structured parking on two levels. Multiple design awards. A landmark addition to Milwaukee's commercial office inventory.

~73,100 SF

Total Size

5-Story

Configuration

42,000 SF

Leasable Office

68 Stalls

Structured Parking

Todd's Role: Developer — Full Lifecycle. Entitlements, design oversight, construction management, leasing, and asset stabilization.

Industrial

Distribution & Logistics Facility

Large-format distribution facility with direct highway access in the greater Milwaukee area. Land acquisition through tenant occupancy under a build-to-suit structure.

150,000+ SF

Facility Size

Build-to-Suit

Delivery Model

Highway

Access

Full Cycle

Scope

Todd's Role: Developer / Owner's Representative. Land acquisition, entitlements, design-build oversight, and tenant coordination through occupancy.

Business Park

Multi-Phase Business Park

Master-planned, phased business park development in southeastern Wisconsin. Infrastructure coordination, pad-ready delivery, and positioning for office and flex-industrial tenants.

40+ Acres

Total Site

Multi-Phase

Development Plan

Office & Flex

Product Types

Master-Planned

Approach

Todd's Role: Land Strategy / Developer. Municipal approvals, infrastructure coordination, vertical development, and pad-ready delivery.

Development Approach

Every phase under one leader. No transitions between departments, no knowledge gaps, no re-learning your project. The person who underwrites the deal is the same person who delivers the asset.

01 — Site Strategy

Market analysis, site identification, and acquisition. Zoning review, environmental due diligence, and municipal alignment. Todd evaluates every opportunity directly — no junior analysts screening your project.

02 — Entitlements

Land use approvals, TIF negotiation, permitting, and infrastructure coordination with local authorities. Todd maintains the municipal relationships and handles the entitlement process personally.

03 — Design & Pre-Construction

Architect and contractor selection, value engineering, budget finalization, and construction document oversight. The same principal who structured the deal now manages the design team.

04 — Construction

Active project management, budget tracking, schedule enforcement, and quality control through substantial completion. Todd is on-site and accountable for every critical milestone.

05 — Lease-Up & Stabilization

Tenant coordination, asset positioning, property management transition, and investor reporting through stabilization. The continuity of leadership that began at site strategy carries through to the final deliverable.

Principal Credentials

Todd Rizzo — Founder & Principal

Education

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Degree in Real Estate & Urban Land Economics

Recognition

“Top 40 Real Estate Professionals Under 40” — Real Estate Chicago, 2003
“Forty Under 40” — Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee, 2009
Multiple design awards on completed projects

Industry Affiliations

NAIOP — Commercial Real Estate Development Association
CARW — Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin
WREAA — Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association

Board Service

Wisconsin Chapter of NAIOP
Real Estate Alliance for Charity (REACH)
Downtown Milwaukee BID #5
Westown Association
Menomonee Valley Partners
Business Park of Kenosha Management Committee
Kenosha Achievement Center
Kenosha Area Business Alliance