David Marks

David M. Marks

David Marks is the President and CEO of Phoenix Investors, a national real estate firm specializing in industrial real estate based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as trustee, key officer, director, and manager for all its affiliated entities, a role that he has held since 1994. Mr. Marks oversees all investments, with responsibilities that begin pre-acquisition and extend through ownership and disposition. Mr. Marks began his real estate career in the late 1980s while still an undergraduate, completing acquisition underwriting, portfolio analysis, and abstracting complex anchor tenant leases on a national basis. In the early 1990s, Mr. Marks worked on national acquisitions, underwritings, and financings, highlighted by assisting in the creation of Wall Street’s first retail commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) transaction. Today, he oversees one of the largest private industrial real estate portfolios comprised of 46 million square feet, spanning 28 states. Mr. Marks and his wife Rachael are active supporters of various charitable organizations, with a specific focus on Jewish charities in Southeastern Wisconsin. He received a B.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin.

The Industrial Real Estate Boom Isn’t Going Anywhere

While other commercial real estate (CRE) sectors struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, industrial real estate barely stumbled at all. As shoppers shifted their purchases online to avoid crowded stores, the ensuing eCommerce boom created a spike in demand for distribution centers and warehouses that continues today, more than a year and a half later. In addition, online grocery purchases and vaccine development initiatives created a rush on cold storage, an oft-neglected subsector of industrial real estate. Companies seeking to shorten their supply chains through ... Read More

Industrial Developers Turning to Non-Traditional Location Solutions

Industrial real estate is experiencing record low vacancy across the United States. The primary cause is an e-commerce boom, which has retailers clamoring for e-commerce fulfillment centers. The sector has created a need for an additional 330 million square feet of industrial space by 2025, only 27% of the total expected demand. This number doesn’t account for additional demand driven by factories, data centers, traditional retail distribution centers, and more. Building industrial facilities is costly and time-consuming, so industrial developers must begin working on ... Read More

Do You Need More Than One Fulfillment Center?

Many omnichannel and e-commerce businesses use a single fulfillment center to ship orders off to customers nationwide. At first glance, operating one fulfillment center seems like it would cost less than operating two fulfillment centers—but does it? The answer is not as simple as it might seem. Making the best decision for your business requires analyzing a few key aspects of your operation. Factors That Impact Your Fulfillment Costs On the surface, your picker grabs an item from a bin, boxes it, and ships it ... Read More

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