DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST outside of their acquisition criteria that had significant returns. So, Aaron and I started a dialogue about doing these kinds of projects on our own.” Mensch was the founder and president of Yellowstone Investments LLC where he acquired and re-positioned over 75 properties throughout the Los Angeles and Ventura County areas. He was the leading force in all operations related to the procuring and re-positioning of all distressed assets acquired by Yellowstone. Additionally, Mensch spearheaded several ground up development residential communities. Fortunately, the paths of the two friends aligned, allowing them to combine their skills and experiences to form Barrington Capital Group. “We found an off-market opportunity to buy into a 2.85-acre site in Los Angeles which housed a TOYS’R’US on an expiring lease. It was the perfect covered land-play that we could entitle and build 300 units on,” said Leishman. “That was the exit for me at my prior company. We raised the money and closed on the site at a very good basis.” This project set the tone for the success of BCAPG. In the past few years, BCAPG and its affiliates have acquired, developed, and sold dozens of properties. Integral to the vision and business of BCAPG is ensuring that their buildings compliment and add value to their communities. “I think what sets Barrington Capital Group apart is our attention to detail,” outlines Leishman. “We work very closely with architects, engineers and city planners. We choose architects carefully and work with them to cultivate a design that works well with the neighborhood. We don’t have a specific design we copy and paste everywhere. Each project is unique, and oftentimes, the architects are based in the areas we are developing.” Working with local architects not only helps to efficiently push progress forward, but it also allows BCAPG to gauge the stylistic preferences and functional layouts that are desired by the end consumer. “Local architects know the regional demographics better than out-of-city architects who are not so familiar with an area,” explains Leishman. “We know what we like, but more importantly, we look to discover what the wants and needs are of the local buyers and renters are. We work with the community to figure out what those needs are and try to deliver as much as possible under the design, zoning and financial constraints of the site. Having the support of the community makes development a lot easier and a lot more rewarding. The structures we build will be there for a long period of time – hopefully longer than us – so we want to make sure it is something that is communityfocused.” When looking at BCAPG’s portfolio, local architects surely had a hand in the design and success of their projects. They utilized Modativ as their architecture firm for their Helms Homes development in Culver City. Modativ was selected due to their extensive experience with modern architectural design, as well as their firm roots in the submarket, as their office is located only two blocks away from the site. Helms Homes consist of eight high-end townhomes which are separated into four clusters to maximize light and air flow. Each home has a private rooftop deck, a patio off the kitchen,
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