About us

Focus exists at the intersection of development + construction. The places and spaces the company brings to life mirror the collaboration between its vertically integrated, multi-disciplinary teams driven to manifest success.

Our History

Since it was founded in 1993 by CEO, Tim Anderson, Focus has consistently delivered high-quality, beautiful buildings that blend seamlessly into the context of the existing architecture.

Focus has an extensive portfolio of completed work in communities such as: Chicago, Evanston, Forest Park, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Oak Park, Wheaton and Winnetka. With its multi-disciplinary team of professionals, the company has earned an exceptional reputation for credibility and competency. The recent record-setting sales of Kelmscott Park in Lake Forest, Illinois for $484,000 per unit, and Circa 922 in Chicago’s West Loop for $500,000 per unit, are testaments to Focus’ ongoing success.

Focus Development – offering real estate management, development and construction services, residential and commercial building and general contracting services. For more information please contact us.

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Leadership Team

See Development Team
See Construction Team

Clients

  • AEW

  • AIMCO

  • Bayview

  • Castlelake L.P.

  • CBRE

  • Centennial Real Estate

  • CIBC

  • City of Aurora

  • City of Evanston

  • CRG

  • Cullen Construction Management

  • Fifield

  • Heitman

  • Henry Crown and Company

  • Lou Malnati's Corporation

  • QuadReal

  • Quarterra

  • Sagard Real Estate

  • Shapack

  • Soul City Church

  • The Taxman Corporation

  • Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

  • Walker Dunlap

Focus has been a trusted partner across several large-scale mall redevelopments, each with complex phasing and execution challenges. Their team consistently brings a thoughtful, design-forward perspective that elevates every project. What stands out most is their professionalism and the caliber of their people—time and again, they’ve been instrumental in delivering A+ assets and helping shape the future of our portfolio.

Edmund Donaldson, Affinius

You learn a lot about an organization when you partner with them on multiple projects in a relative short span of time. We have worked with the Focus team on several high-profile apartment developments in the last five years. In all instances Focus’s performance has been excellent. From meeting timely schedules to providing a top-quality end product all while coming in on-budget. Focus delivered time and again. The accounting, reporting and project oversight is always professional as is the communication with their clients.

Construction projects can certainly test the limits of collaboration and coordination between parties and Focus delivers here as well. Any difficulties that are encountered they are quick to find solutions and quickly resolve any issues. We have enjoyed our working relationship with Focus and look forward to more opportunities to work together with them.

Andrew Aaronson, Vice President of Atlantic Residential

Working with Focus on transactions like 1221 West Washington has reinforced why they’re such a respected partner in the market. They approach every deal with a strong sense of fiduciary responsibility and a level of transparency that builds trust quickly. Combined with their proven track record for investment success, they are a group we’re always confident bringing to the table.

Pete Evans, Berkadia

We’ve had the pleasure to work with Focus to source and structure complex capital stacks for high-profile projects like 125 SW 8th Street in Miami. Their investment team consistently identifies compelling opportunities and executes with precision. They are collaborative, reliable, and a partner we trust to deliver strong financial outcomes.

Jeff Altenau, Cushman and Wakefield

Focus’ construction management team has delivered outstanding results across multiple projects, including a recent design-build for Tesla that came in under budget and ahead of schedule. Their execution speaks for itself given their proven track record.

Matt Hendy, Fort Union

Focus has been a great partner for us across the full development life cycle at Porter in Oak Park, IL.  Their development and construction management teams successfully navigated customary challenges of building in a 4 season, urban infill environment and we continue to appreciate their thoughtful and collaborative approach to asset management.

Brad Nichols, Geolo

Focus has been a long-term partner of JLL across multiple debt and equity financings in the Chicagoland area. Their team consistently creates high-quality investment opportunities and approaches each transaction with discipline, integrity and enthusiasm. They take their financial responsibilities seriously and have delivered strong returns for many of our clients.

Matthew Lawton, JLL

Our work with Focus on the multi-phase redevelopment of Fox Valley Mall has been an excellent experience. Their team has successfully delivered multiple ground-up residential communities while maintaining a high standard of financial performance. They are a disciplined, world-class partner.

Jeffrey Staffeldt, Pacific Life Insurance Company

Focus has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the redevelopment of Hawthorn Mall, successfully delivering one phase and positioning two additional multifamily and townhome phases for success. Their team approaches every investment with rigor and accountability, consistently delivering strong outcomes for their financials partners.

Stephanie Reynolds, Principal

Focus played a critical role in the success of Mellody Farm, bringing deep residential expertise that helped shape a truly walkable, mixed-use environment. The project continues to perform at the top of the market—a testament to the quality of their work and long-term vision.

Nick Wibbenmeyer, Regency Centers

The Carlyle Group has partnered with Focus on four multifamily development projects in the Chicago market over the last seven years. While each deal presented its own set of complexities and challenges, Focus delivered on time and on budget in every case. Led by Tim Anderson, the Focus team is a pleasure to work with day in and day out. Carlyle looks forward to our next investment opportunity with this top tier developer and contractor!

Brian Nelson, Vice President of the Carlyle Group

Focus approached the Porter development with a high level of care and respect for Oak Park’s historic character. They navigated a complex approval process thoughtfully, listened to community concerns, and ultimately delivered a project that aligns with the Village’s housing goals. It’s a meaningful addition to our community.

Craig Failor, Village of Oak Park

Across multiple projects, including the Atworth and the redevelopment of Hawthorn Mall, Focus has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to public-private partnerships. They take the time to understand community priorities and work collaboratively to achieve outcomes that benefit everyone involved.

Kevin Timony, Village of Vernon Hills

Focus has been an outstanding partner on 167 Green in Fulton Market. Their collaboration and expertise across development, construction, and management have been instrumental in delivering a world-class, next-generation office asset. They bring a level of consistency and quality that’s difficult to match.

Stephen Sotoloff, Walton Street Capital

Focus has been a trusted financial partner to Wintrust across many projects over the years. Their team approaches our relationship with integrity and a strong sense of accountability. They consistently deliver on their commitments, which is why we continue to work together.

Bart Johnson, Wintrust

Community Impact

At the heart of what we do, is a guiding principle to enhance communities. We strive to create places and spaces that will positively shape the experience of those who live and work in our buildings. But this concept extends beyond real estate, to how we enhance the community within our company, within our industry and within the cities in which we work. We live this out in the following ways:

  • Diversity and Inclusion

    In 2020, CEO Tim Anderson invited a group of employees to act as the company’s stewards for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Also known as the JEDI Committee, this group is responsible for developing, implementing, and adjusting our continuously evolving plan to support a more equitable future within our organization and the industry at large. This committee’s input resulted in the following actions:


    Continuing Actions

    • Annually report and measure the Focus staff’s diversity against industry and local benchmarks as we strive to create a company that reflects the diversity of our local community.
    • Annual employee training for implicit bias and microaggressions/subtle acts of exclusion
    • Added “Awareness and Acceptance” to the company’s Values. This new value statement communicates Focus’ commitment to a culture of inclusion where everyone has an opportunity to contribute and be heard.
    • Enhanced Focus’s process of reviewing and adjusting compensation and promotion decisions to ensure no individuals are left behind their peers as a result of bias or discrimination.
    • Increased involvement and support of organizations working in the construction and real estate industry.

    Partners

    • Revolution Workshop

      Mission: To build skills, hope and resilience in Chicago’s underserved communities through construction job training and job creation.

    • Professional Women in Construction, Chicago

      Mission: Support, advance, and connect women and promote diversity in the architecture, engineering, construction, and related fields.

    • Chicago Scholars

      Mission: To select, train and mentor academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to complete college and become the next generation of leaders who will transform their neighborhoods and our city.

    • Project REAP

      Mission: To advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry.

    • Polished Pebbles

      Mission: To help girls and young women become effective communicators at home, school, and the future workplace.

  • Sustainability

    Focus is committed to a healthy future for our planet. As such, we are pursuing a NetZero pathway which uses science-based methods, to make our company and our projects part of the solution to climate change. As the methods and technologies to address climate change are rapidly developing, Focus has established a Sustainability Committee whose purpose is to adapt our strategies and position Focus at the forefront of this effort. Some of the tools we are pursuing to achieve this goal:


    Continuing Actions

    • Focus will achieve a minimum LEED Silver certification from the USGBC on all future development projects.
    • Focus will explore the pathway to a NetZero future.

    Partners

    • US Green Building Council

      Mission: USGBC accelerates and scales transformation of the built environment to minimize climate impacts and enhance the well-being of people, the environment and communities worldwide.

Careers

We are always on the lookout for talented, hard-working, dedicated individuals to join our teams. Please direct any inquiries related to career opportunities at Focus to employment@workwithfocus.com

Senior Development Manager
Listed on Aug 03, 2026
Project Manager II
Listed on Aug 03, 2026
Superintendent I
Listed on Jul 01, 2026
Assistant Superintendent
Listed on Jul 01, 2026
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