Farrah Falcone, Author at Tailwind Group

Tailwind Group Acquires The Gramercy in Manhattan, Kansas

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of The Gramercy, a 228-unit, 700-bedroom property in Manhattan, KS. The property is located right across the street from historic Bill Synder Family Stadium near Kansas State University’s campus. The asset consists of 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom units. The asset was purchased from an undisclosed seller.

Over the next 13 months, the property will undergo renovations which will include strategic unit upgrades, repurposing of the interior and exterior amenity spaces, and general property enhancements. The property will also be re-branded in the fall of 2024.

“We have kept our eye on the Manhattan market for the past several years, and felt like the timing was right to enter,” said Brandon Smith, Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Operations & Development. “This purchase reinforces Tailwind Group’s commitment to pursue value-add opportunities in the student housing sector. Our team is extremely excited to launch our re-brand and implement our capital improvement plan over the next year.”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 35 different communities comprising approximately 16,200 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 19 universities.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel

Farrah Falcone2024-07-25T11:29:35-05:00July 25th, 2024|

Tailwind Group Acquires Second Property in Lawrence, Kansas

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of The Reserve on West 31st, a 192-unit, 720-bedroom property in Lawrence, KS. The property is located near the University of Kansas and consists of 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom units. The asset was purchased from an undisclosed seller and was brokered by Teddy Leatherman and her team at JLL.

Over the next 14 months, the property will undergo extensive renovations which include full unit upgrades, conversion of 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom units to 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom units, a complete redesign and repurposing of the interior and exterior amenity spaces, and general property enhancements. The property will also be re-branded in the fall of 2024.

“We see great upside in this opportunity upon execution of our capital improvement plan combined with the strong fundamentals in the Lawrence market,” said Brandon Smith, Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Operations & Development. “The University of Kansas has seen tremendous enrollment growth over the past few years and the need for high-quality, off-campus student housing is at a premium. This deal lined up perfectly with our opportunistic, value-add strategy.”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 34 different communities comprising nearly 15,500 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 18 universities.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel

Farrah Falcone2024-07-25T11:29:45-05:00June 27th, 2024|

Episode 2: Insight on Investments

Tailwind Group is excited to announce the second episode of Tailwind Talks.

In this episode, join host David Hughes, Director of Information Technology and special guest Bryce Andrews, Investors Relations Associate as they share their backgrounds, the story of their friendship, and how they found themselves working at Tailwind Group. Get an insider’s look at a day in the life of an investment professional and enjoy a fun trivia game to get to know our employees. Plus, don’t miss updates from Carli Davis, Social Media Manager and Dylan Gregory, Outreach Marketing Specialist on our monthly Leasing Belt and Social Icon winners.

Highlights Include:

Meet Bryce Andrews and learn about his background and current role at Tailwind
Tailwind Trivia Challenge
Investor Events and Engagement
Introduction of Carli and Dylan and the Social Icon and Leasing Belt Award

Whether you’re a seasoned investor, an aspiring professional, or simply curious about the world of real estate, our episodes promise to inform, inspire, and keep you eagerly anticipating what’s next for Tailwind Group.

Follow us on social media: @tailwindgroupinc on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, and @tailwindgroup on YouTube. For inquiries and feedback, reach out to us via email. Don’t forget to subscribe and share the podcast with your friends!

Farrah Falcone2024-06-18T12:13:06-05:00June 18th, 2024|

Tailwind Group Unveils Transformed Clubhouse and New Property Name in Baton Rouge, LA

Tailwind Group acquired The Sterling in Baton Rouge, LA on March 29, 2023 and quickly put a plan in place to improve the resident experience through an improved amenity package. These upgrades, completed over the last 10 months, included updating outdoor furnishings, a brand-new fitness center and brand-new clubhouse with ample community and study space for residents.

When asked about his outlook on the project, Jon Fahning, Director of Development said “The project came with a series of challenges – weather, unforeseen conditions with the buildings discovered during the work, and schedule just to name a few. The construction team rose to the challenge and truly presented the partnership we strive for on all our projects. The on-site team was awesome in working closely with us to deliver the project to Tailwind’s expectations and standards. Great job by all!”

In addition to the renovation project, Tailwind Group’s marketing team, in partnership with the operational team, began the process of rebranding the property to one of Tailwind Group’s newer core brands, Altitude.

“Altitude is a newer brand for us that we introduced in May of 2023, with the acquisition and rebrand in Wichita, KS. The brand was intended to be used moving forward for future mid-rise and high-rise acquisitions. The tagline ‘Elevate your living,’ can certainly be attributed to the style of property but is definitely meant to signify the elevated living experience a student would have if they chose to live with us. We love this brand and were excited to bring it to Baton Rouge.” – Devan Schaly-Brumbaugh, Director of Leasing and Marketing

As discussed on the pilot episode of the Tailwind Talks podcast, for Tailwind Group a rebrand is more than just swapping out signage and brochures. Tailwind Group’s marketing team works meticulously for months to craft a campaign that excites the local community about the name change. This campaign culminates in a launch party that takes place onsite and is open to residents, prospective residents, and members of the community. Altitude Baton Rouge’s rebrand party attracted over 130 attendees and featured limited edition t-shirts, a crawfish boil, and giveaways such as a Nintendo Switch.

When asked about the launch, Nicky Tyus, Property Manager, said “The team brought the energy and the residents and other attendees responded with tons of excitement regarding the renovations and name change. I was overjoyed to see the residents and staff having such a good time. I’m extremely proud of our team and the efforts made to ensure the event, unveiling of the property renovations and name change were a success!”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 33 different communities comprising nearly 15,000 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 18 universities.

Inquiries:
Jon Fahning, Director of Development
Devan Schaly-Brumbaugh, Director of Leasing and Marketing

Farrah Falcone2024-06-05T14:33:26-05:00June 5th, 2024|

2024 Tailwind Group Operations & Budget Summit Awards

The 4^th Annual Tailwind Group Operations & Budget Summit took place April 15 – April 18 in Mankato, Minnesota, Tailwind Group headquarters. Property Managers, Resident Services Managers, and corporate team members traveled from various locations for three days of learning, collaboration, and celebrations! Our employees celebrated with a dinner and awards ceremony on the final night at Sky One Eleven Event Center.

Tailwind Group honored our property sites and individuals who met and exceeded Tailwind Group’s standards for excellence.

College Town Mankato (MaKayla Kies) achieved the Living the Difference: Best Renewal % in the Portfolio for the 2^nd year in a row at 48.8%.

The Quarters Cedar Falls (Mariah Fordyce) achieved the Best Rent Collection % in the Portfolio at 99.65%.

109 Tower (Cortavious Givens) took home the Largest Year-Over-Year NOI $ Increase at $1,047,508.

The largest Year-Over-Year NOI % Increase was awarded to The Quarters Oxford (D’Andre Webb) with 86%.

For the second year in a row, The Quarters Vermillion (Faith Acosta) was awarded Top Resident Reputation in the Portfolio.

The following is a list of our 2024 Operations & Budget Summit nominees and award winners. Please join us in congratulating them!

Corporate Newcomer of the Year
Zach Rubosky

Nominees:

Corey Lavigne
Todd Montgomery
Zach Rubosky

Corporate Team Member of the Year
Sherri Hupp

Nominees:

Whitney Dickinson
Sherri Hupp
Miranda Johnston

Operations Team Member of the Year
Emily Adams

Nominees:

Emily Adams
Mandy Schackow
Logan Suko

Finance & Investments Team Member
Betsy Elzen

Nominees:

Betsy Elzen
Sheila Helland
Samantha Nordlie

Maintenance Newcomer of the Year
Dalton Murphy

Nominees:

Dalton Murphy, The Quarters Ames
Brian Brown, The Quarters Vermillion
Andrew Bauer, The Quarters Lawrence
Corey Graves, The Landing Fayetteville

Management Newcomer of the Year
Dominique Swanson

Nominees:

Mariah Fordyce, The Quarters Cedar Falls
Dominique Swanson, The Quarters East Lansing
Liv Lemus, The Quarters Lawrence
Mario Hervey II, The Landing Fayetteville

Resident Services Manager of the Year
Kimberly O’Connell

Nominees:

Amy Noble, The Quarters Iowa City
Alexis Whited-Gant, The Griff
Kimberly O’Connell, The Landing College Station
Jennifer Campbell, College Town Oxford

Maintenance Professional of the Year
Nicholas Haley

Nominees:

Rupert Goodrich, College Town Mankato
Nicholas Haley, LivRed
Joshua Hall, The Quarters Columbia
Sam Lewis, The Landing Fayetteville

Property Manager of the Year
John Karns-Warren

Nominees:

John Karns-Warren, The Quarters Ames
Alex Lumley, The Griff
Kayla Montgomery, The Quarters Lawrence
Jenna James, College Town Oxford

Outstanding Leadership
Colleen Lewter

The following properties were recognized for their renewal percentage:

Gold: 40% or Greater Renewal %

College Town Mankato
South Duff
The Griff
The Landing College Station
The Quarters Ames
The Quarters Cedar Falls
The Quarters Mankato
The Quarters Stillwater
The Quarters Vermillion

Sliver: 35% or Greater Renewal %

Altitude Wichita
The Landing Fayetteville
The Quarters Iowa City
The Quarters Lawrence

Bronze: 30% or Greater Renewal %

Altitude Baton Rouge
LivRed
RentMSU & Block 518
The Nest & College Street Studios
The Quarters Bloomington
The Quarters East Lansing
The Quarters East Lansing Cottages
The Quarters Lincoln

The following properties were recognized for the rent collection percentage:

Gold: 99.5% or Greater Collection %

College Town Fayetteville
The Quarters Cedar Falls
The Quarters Lawrence

Sliver: 99% or Greater Collection %

Altitude Wichita
College Town Mankato
The Nest & College Street Studios
The Quarters Bloomington
The Quarters Columbia
The Quarters Mankato
The Quarters Stillwater
The Quarters Vermillion

Bronze: 98.5% or Greater Collection %

College Town Oxford
The Griff
The Landing Fayetteville
The Quarters Lincoln

Tailwind Group believes in recognizing the hard work and dedication of our employees. Our company culture thrives on appreciation, teamwork, and excellence. We understand that our employees’ dedication, passion, and hard work are the cornerstones of our success. Thank you to our employees for your efforts, innovative ideas, and your unwavering support of Tailwind Group. Your contributions make a significant impact on our company daily!

Farrah Falcone2024-05-07T15:50:31-05:00May 7th, 2024|

Episode 1: Pilot

In this inaugural episode of Tailwind Talks, join hosts Brandon Smith, Vice President of Operations & Development, and Devan Schaly-Brumbaugh, Director of Leasing & Marketing, as they dive into the purpose and creation of the podcast, highlight our recent acquisition in St. Louis, break down our Operations and Budget Summit, and talk about some exciting things in the pipeline at Tailwind.

Highlights Include:

Acquisitions and Expansion: Dive into the strategic acquisitions that propelled Tailwind Group from local success to a nationwide presence. Learn how the team identified opportunities, navigated challenges, and capitalized on emerging markets to build a diverse portfolio.
Rebranding and Innovation: Explore the process of rebranding and how Tailwind Group has continuously adapted to meet the evolving needs of its tenants and communities. From purpose-built student housing to commercial development projects, uncover the innovative approaches that set Tailwind apart.
Leadership Insights: Gain valuable insights into effective leadership practices as Brandon and Devan share their experiences and lessons learned from leading within the Tailwind family. Discover how a culture of collaboration, integrity, and ambition drives success at every level of the organization.
Operations and Budget Summit: Get an insider’s look into Tailwind Group’s operation and budget summit, where strategic planning and fiscal responsibility converge to ensure continued growth and profitability. Learn how meticulous planning and attention to detail are key drivers of success in the competitive real estate market.
Preview of Roy Hall Jr’s Conference: Be the first to hear about the exciting upcoming conference hosted by industry luminary Roy Hall Jr.

Join us for an engaging conversation filled with insights, anecdotes, and a shared vision for the future of Tailwind Group. Whether you’re a seasoned investor, aspiring developer, or simply curious about the world of real estate, this episode promises to inform, inspire, and leave you eagerly anticipating what lies ahead for Tailwind Talks. Stay connected with us for more insightful discussions and updates.

Follow us on social media: @tailwindgroupinc on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and @tailwindgroup on YouTube. For inquiries and feedback, reach out to us via email. Don’t forget to subscribe and share the podcast with your friends!

Farrah Falcone2024-05-06T14:25:41-05:00May 7th, 2024|

Tailwind Group’s First Acquisition of 2024

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the acquisition of 3949 Apartments, a 197-unit, 256-bedroom property in St. Louis, MO. The property is located just steps away from St. Louis University and consists of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. This acquisition is Tailwind Group’s first of 2024 and first exposure to the St. Louis market. The asset was purchased from Greystar and was brokered by Ryan Lang and his team at Newmark.

Upon closing, the property was rebranded to The Landing at St. Louis. Tailwind Group has immediate plans to renovate the leasing office, amenity spaces, and various common areas throughout the building.

“We were excited to get this transaction to the finish line,” said Krystal Pierce, Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Investments and General Counsel. “While St. Louis University is not a traditional Power-5 school that we typically enter, we are extremely optimistic about the growing enrollment and stability of SLU as well as the premiere location relative to campus. With our planned renovations and management plan, we believe this will be a very strong asset in our student housing portfolio.”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 33 different communities comprising nearly 15,000 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 18 universities.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel

Farrah Falcone2024-05-03T16:04:31-05:00April 22nd, 2024|

Empowering Talent: Meet the Spring 2024 Leading Edge Program Participants

Tailwind Group is dedicated to fostering talent and propelling careers forward. Our Leading Edge program, established in 2021, stands as a testament to that commitment. Designed to empower our top Leasing Managers, this program offers a unique opportunity for growth, enabling participants to extend their expertise to new properties while simultaneously growing in their career in student housing sales and marketing.

Leading Edge candidates are nominated by the corporate sales team and Regional Property Managers with a heavy focus on the performance of their home property so far this leasing season. This year’s candidates are seeing tremendous success in leasing and marketing at their home property in the form of year-over-year rent growth averaging 8.83% with multiple mid-year rent increases, as well as averaging 88.72.% pre-lease for Fall 2024.

Leading Edge participants will work in tandem with the corporate sales and marketing team to assist in select markets, both virtually and by traveling to the properties. This provides them the opportunity to learn new markets, develop their leadership skills and tackle diverse leasing and marketing challenges alongside the onsite teams.

We are excited to announce the participants in Tailwind Group’s Spring 2024 Leading Edge program. This year’s participants in the program are:

Madelyn Flieg
The Quarters Columbia
Columbia, MO

Evah McMillian
The Quarters Bloomington
Bloomington, IN

Nick Nordstrom
The Quarters Ames
Ames, IA

Kaylee White
The Quarters Lawrence
Lawrence, KS

Farrah Falcone2024-05-03T16:05:55-05:00March 28th, 2024|

Celebrating Excellence: Tailwind Group’s Century Chasers Rewarded with a Cancun Retreat

As snow, ice, and cold temperatures affected most of the United States in the middle of January, our 2023-2024 group of ‘Century Chasers’ enjoyed a weekend getaway in beautiful Cancun, Mexico. This trip served as the annual reward for our on-site teams who achieved 100% preleased and maintained an occupancy of 99% or greater for the current academic year. Surrounded by the support departments, leadership teams, and plus ones who helped guide them to this achievement, Tailwind Group was proud to host 105 attendees at the Azul Beach Resort. It was by far our largest group to date and included 17 on-site teams that represented 23 properties getting to the 100% mark. This is the pinnacle achievement for leasing in the student housing industry and we could not be more thankful for the hard work, dedication, and tenacity that these teams showed to get to the finish line. A reward well deserved, we can’t wait to see many of them back for next year and are looking forward to adding many more to the group in years to come!

Congratulations to the following properties for joining Tailwind’s 2023 Century Chasers group.

College Town Oxford (Oxford, MS)
RentMSU/Block 518 (Mankato, MN)
The Quarters at Mankato/Lofts@1633 (Mankato, MN)
The Quarters at East Lansing Portfolio (East Lansing, MI)
College Town Mankato/Carson Townhomes (Mankato, MN)
The Quarters at Oxford (Oxford, MS)
The Quarters at Bloomington (Bloomington, IN)
The Quarters at Stillwater (Stillwater, OK)
The Quarters at Vermillion (Vermillion, SD)
The Quarters at Cedar Falls (Cedar Falls, IA)
The Quarters at Lawrence (Lawrence, KS)
The Quarters at Columbia (Columbia, MO)
The Landing at Fayetteville (Fayetteville, AR)
The Nest Iowa City/College Street Studios (Iowa City, IA)
The Quarters at Ames (Ames, IA)
The Landing at College Station (College Station, TX)

Farrah Falcone2024-05-03T16:11:27-05:00February 1st, 2024|

Tailwind Group’s Fifth Major Student Housing Acquisition in 2023

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the acquisition of Ozark Villas, a 213-unit, 670-bedroom property in Fayetteville, AR. The purchase represents Tailwind’s fifth major student housing acquisition in 2023, and second in the University of Arkansas market. The asset was purchased from Fountain Residential Partners and the transaction was brokered by Teddy Leatherman and her team at JLL.

Upon closing, the property was rebranded to College Town Fayetteville. Tailwind Group plans to embark on major exterior renovations soon after closing.

“We are excited to add another student housing asset in Fayetteville,” said Lane Gravley, Tailwind Group’s President. “It’s one of the premiere markets in the country and we see continued upward momentum. With the success of our current asset (The Landing at Fayetteville) we are confident in implementing our capital improvement plan and core management strategy to greatly improve the resident experience and provide our investment partners with strong returns. I am extremely proud of our entire team on getting this deal to the finish line, especially considering the volatility in the economy right now.”

Prior student housing acquisitions during the calendar year included assets in Fayetteville, AR, Lawrence, KS, Baton Rouge, LA, and Wichita, KS.

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and operator of off-campus student housing in the country, with over 15,000 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their properties span across 15 states and 18 university markets.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel
Nick Sheak, Director of Investments

Farrah Falcone2024-05-03T16:11:37-05:00December 5th, 2023|

About Farrah Falcone

Corporate Newcomer of the Year
Zach Rubosky

Corporate Team Member of the Year
Sherri Hupp

Operations Team Member of the Year
Emily Adams

Finance & Investments Team Member
Betsy Elzen

Maintenance Newcomer of the Year
Dalton Murphy

Management Newcomer of the Year
Dominique Swanson

Resident Services Manager of the Year
Kimberly O’Connell

Maintenance Professional of the Year
Nicholas Haley

Property Manager of the Year
John Karns-Warren

Outstanding Leadership
Colleen Lewter

Make An Impact Today. Join Our Team.

ABOUT

CULTURE

COMMERCIAL

STUDENT HOUSING

SERVICES

ABOUT

CULTURE

COMMERCIAL

STUDENT HOUSING

SERVICES

About Farrah Falcone

Corporate Newcomer of the Year Zach Rubosky

Corporate Team Member of the Year Sherri Hupp

Operations Team Member of the Year Emily Adams

Finance & Investments Team Member Betsy Elzen

Maintenance Newcomer of the Year Dalton Murphy

Management Newcomer of the Year Dominique Swanson

Resident Services Manager of the Year Kimberly O’Connell

Maintenance Professional of the Year Nicholas Haley

Property Manager of the Year John Karns-Warren

Outstanding Leadership Colleen Lewter

COMMERCIAL

STUDENT HOUSING

SERVICES

COMMERCIAL

STUDENT HOUSING

SERVICES

Corporate Newcomer of the Year
Zach Rubosky

Corporate Team Member of the Year
Sherri Hupp

Operations Team Member of the Year
Emily Adams

Finance & Investments Team Member
Betsy Elzen

Maintenance Newcomer of the Year
Dalton Murphy

Management Newcomer of the Year
Dominique Swanson

Resident Services Manager of the Year
Kimberly O’Connell

Maintenance Professional of the Year
Nicholas Haley

Property Manager of the Year
John Karns-Warren

Outstanding Leadership
Colleen Lewter