Our Company
Who We Are
Over its long history, LawlerWood’s work has touched nearly every segment of the real estate market in various roles including ownership, project management, property and asset management, planning and brokerage. Today, we focus primarily on general commercial, health care, education and other governmental projects, hospitality and multi-family residential, but are proud that our team can execute any type of complex real estate assignment.
We began our business developing, leasing and managing projects for our own account, so we understand the benefits a well-conceived and executed real estate strategy can provide. We also recognize the multitude of risks that come with any real estate project. By bringing this perspective to every project, clients of LawlerWood benefit from the lessons we have learned in nearly 50 years of experience and two-billion dollars in successful development and management projects.
History
LawlerWood was founded in 1975 by Rodney Lawler and Pat Wood to develop affordable housing using HUD’s new Section 8 project-based rent subsidy program. LawlerWood developed nineteen residential communities over the next few years providing housing for thousands of low-income individuals throughout the southeast.
1975 - 1990
The company quickly expanded into commercial development using its development and financing expertise to transform Knoxville’s skyline. These iconic projects include Knoxville’s downtown office towers, First Horizon and Riverview Towers, the downtown Hilton Hotel, Bank of America building and the Howard Baker Federal Courthouse.
1990 - 2010
With the addition of a new generation of executive leadership, LawlerWood entered a period of dynamic growth. Using the experience gained in developing large projects for its own account, the company began offering project management services to a group of long-term clients with complex real estate needs. During this period, LawlerWood developed the Ritz Carlton Resort at Rose Hall and two golf courses in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the Nashville Superspeedway NASCAR racing complex and Dover Downs Hotel, Casino, and harness racing track for one client. The company established long term relationships with a wide variety of other clients developing educational facilities, hospitals, municipal facilities, and commercial office buildings.
Building on the extensive property and facility management experience LawlerWood gained managing its portfolio, the company began providing these services to third parties. Facility management clients during this period included the First American Bank system with over 500 locations throughout the southeast and Baptist Hospital’s East Tennessee real estate portfolio and the Knoxville Utility Board.
In 2005, LawlerWood was selected to develop two facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee generating a new niche for the Company that has produced over one million square feet of office properties developed and leased to contractors operating DOE’s national security assets in Tennessee and Texas.
The company rededicated itself to the production of affordable housing using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to develop twenty projects in nine different states. In 2006, LawlerWood’s affordable housing production and management operations were spun off into a separate company, LHP Capital, which has gone on to produce over 11,000 units to date.
2010 - Present
LawlerWood continued to expand its emphasis on the healthcare sector, developing four new greenfield hospitals along with numerous physician office buildings and clinics, and residential facilities providing third party project management services along with ownership and financing. The Company also deepened its relationships with a variety of state and local municipalities and utilities managing the development of schools, office and operations centers, sports complexes, and large-scale land developments.
With the passing of Pat Wood in 2012, ownership of LawlerWood was consolidated with the Lawler family and stewardship of the company was passed to the third generation of executive leadership. Since that time, we have welcomed the team from Conversion Properties into the LawlerWood family deepening the company’s brokerage, mixed-use and historical redevelopment expertise. As we approach our fiftieth anniversary, LawlerWood remains committed to serve our clients and investors with diligence, integrity and subject matter expertise as our founders would expect.
- Transforming Knoxville's Skyline
- 1975 - LawlerWood Associates, Inc founded
- 1979 - Plaza Tower (Knoxville’s first skyscraper) completed
- 1981 - Downtown Hilton Hotel opens
- 1985 - 24-floor Riverview Tower added to Knoxville skyline
- 1990 - Bank of America office condominiums completed
- 1991 - Two downtown blocks become Whittle Communications headquarters
- 1993 - Baptist Medical Tower overlooks downtown
Beyond Downtown Knoxville- 2000 - LawlerWood completes Ritz Carlton Rose Hall resort in Jamaica
- 2003 - Baptist Hospital West anchors new Turkey Creek development
- 2006 - LHP Capital launched providing 11,000 affordable housing units across nine states
- 2007 - LawlerWood completes Knoxville’s second greenfield hospital, St. Mary’s North in Powell
- 2008 - 550,000 s.f. administrative facilities added to D.O.E.’s National Security Complex at Y-12
- 2010 - Clayton Center for the Performing Arts completed
Serving the Public- 2011 - LawlerWood completes $275M hospital for St. Thomas in Murfreesboro, TN
- 2012 - Founder Pat Wood passes away
- 2015 - Northeast Georgia Medical Center opens new 100-bed hospital outside Atlanta
- 2015 - John C. Drummond Center opens at D.O.E.’s Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX
- 2021 - Team from Conversion Properties joins LawlerWood
- 2022 - Emergency Response Training Facility opens at Y-12
Rick Grant is currently responsible for total company operations, and for creating an ethical, dedicated, and committed team of employees. He has 40 years of construction experience and brings an unmatched level of expertise to his projects.
Henry joined LawlerWood in June 1985. Since then he has completed hundreds of construction projects with emphasis on healthcare, professional office, development modeling and industrial buildings.
Allen joined LawlerWood in 2006 and brings over 15 years of construction management to the team. Previously, he spent 7 years in commercial finance with two community banks in VA and CO. Allen was promoted to Vice President in 2014 and currently provides management oversight of company operations while acting as Project Executive on specific construction projects.
Chris joined LawlerWood in 2004 and brings over 20 years of construction and development experience to the team. He was promoted to Vice President in 2014 and currently provides management oversight of company operations while acting as Project Executive on specific construction projects.
Gary joined LawlerWood in September 2017 as Chief Financial Officer after 34 years with one of the nation’s top 20 public accounting firms. He oversees all areas of accounting and finance with a strong commitment and passion to helping the company achieve its goals.