Chicago - Adaptive Reuse

The future of Chicago's past.

A value-based developer giving the city's underused, character-rich buildings a second life - the old & the new, drawn on the same elevation.

View the portfolio Our approach

In with the old

Partnering with communities to enhance our neighborhoods.

Envoi Partners is a Chicago-based real estate development and investment firm specializing in value-based, infill projects. They focus on acquiring underutilized or underperforming properties and revitalizing them - blending old, character-rich structures with thoughtful updates to contribute positively to the surrounding area.

With more than 40 years of combined real estate experience, Envoi focuses on projects that help complete and enhance established neighborhoods. Their projects blend older, defining features (“the old”) with contemporary updates (“the new”) to deliver housing and mixed-use real estate that meets current market standards without losing the sense of place.

Meet our team
The Mabel Exchange - move across to reveal old to new
40 +

Years experience

$ 500 M+

Real estate value

60 +

Completed projects

Our partners

Portrait of Nate Ernst, Principal / Founder, Envoi Partners

Nate Ernst.

Principal / Founder

Nate is driven to restore and build apartments and retail that set the bar for user experience. He has made a career of figuring out projects not suited for every eye, and at Envoi is responsible for all aspects of the development process and the management of Envoi’s assets.

Prior to founding Envoi, Nate founded Ernst Development Company in the wake of the Great Financial Crisis, acquiring and repositioning over 40 distressed properties before joining forces with Cory. He holds an Economics degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Portrait of Cory Faulkner, Principal / Founder, Envoi Partners

Cory Faulkner.

Principal / Founder

Cory is committed to optimizing and connecting neighborhoods — and ultimately, the city of Chicago. He sees opportunities in every neighborhood to turn neglected, overlooked properties into valuable community assets.

Before co-founding Envoi, he was co-founder, principal and general counsel of 6 Point Capital, a real estate private equity fund focused on distressed acquisitions, following thirteen years as a real estate and finance attorney and named partner at Ashen|Faulkner.

Portrait of Lanie Veckman, Principal / Founder, Envoi Partners

Lanie Veckman.

Principal / Founder

Lanie brings eighteen years of direct and institutional real estate investing. She began in the Lehman Brothers Real Estate Private Equity funds on the acquisitions team — underwriting, monitoring and reporting across numerous transactions.

In 2017 she founded Sixth Avenue Holdings to invest directly in Chicago real estate. Her projects — including Midwest Coast Brewing Company and Walden Chicago — sparked a lasting passion for the development and growth of the city.

The signature

In with the old.

Each building has character that cannot be replicated. We appreciate this uniqueness and look to highlight it as we give the building new life.

The old The Real, 1934 W North Ave - historic structure before restoration The Real, 1934 W North Ave - the same corner restored by Envoi

The collection

In Other Words, We Collect Vintage Trophies

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In the news

Press & announcements

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Build with us

Build equity in Chicago's past.

Forty years, half a billion dollars placed, sixty-plus landmarks returned to use. Envoi gives aligned partners a disciplined way to build equity in a mature, cash-flowing portfolio - adaptive reuse underwritten by a track record, not a thesis.

Every message is read by a partner - and answered, usually within two business days.