Consulting

Hennessy Group is an urban neighborhood development company (having initiated, completed and managed multiple neighborhood development projects starting in 1987 and continuing into the present. These projects involve tax credits, layered financing structures (equity, debt, grants, etc.) from a variety of sources, multifamily, mixed use, etc. Moreover, Hennessy Group and John Hennessy are genuine neighborhood stakeholders.

While Hennessy Group participates in neighborhoods as a developer, manager, and stakeholder we also do consulting related to neighborhood development. That’s why our clients (non- profit and for profit neighborhood developers, neighborhood stakeholders, financial institutions, investors, municipal and government entities, etc.) can count on getting well thought out and practical consulting results. Moreover, in implementing consulting engagements we consider the needs of neighborhood stakeholders and the underlying personality/soul of neighborhood along with various objective market, demographic, and other data with the result being innovative, responsive, and often visionary ideas/strategies that are indeed do-able.

Our consulting services

  • Feasibility Analysis for Neighborhoods, Organizations, and Projects
  • Market Opportunity Analysis
  • Target Market Identification and Analysis
  • Analysis of Demographic, Housing, and Economic Trends
  • Market Studies including Affordable Housing Tax Credit Market Studies
  • Neighborhood Strategy Development
  • Real Estate Project Concept Development and Feasibility Analysis
  • Layered Financial Structuring and Pro Forma Development for Real Estate Projects
  • Tax Credit Financing Structures, e.g. Affordable Housing, Historic, and New Market Tax Credits
  • Assisting Clients in Various Aspects of Project Financing and Development
  • Fee Development

Examples of our Consulting Projects

  • Several market studies for New Covenant Housing Corporation including studies related to the development of affordable townhouses.
  • A feasibility study related to the need, basic concept, and structuring of the North Avenue Community Development Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This work as performed for a inn.
  • A Design and Revitalization Strategy for the Fond du Lac Business Triangle. This work was completed in 1996 for the Sherman Park Community Association.
  • A comprehensive study of Downtown Milwaukee Condominium and Rental Housing as of December 2002. Our client for this work was the City of Milwaukee.

Our Principals

The principals staffing our consulting projects are John Hennessy of Hennessy Group and Fred Zimmer. Fred is an independent consultant with over 40 years experience in urban studies and demographics; Fred has worked in various positions with Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and as a principal planner for the City of Milwaukee. Jim Piwoni, a well known urban Architect with American Design, Inc. of Milwaukee, often teams with John and Fred when our consulting engagements require design expertise; Jim authored of the Design Guidelines for Milwaukee’s Third Ward and frequently serves as adjunct faculty for University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Hennessy Group will frequently form consulting teams that are custom fit to our unique engagements.

Hennessy Group’s experience in developing and managing neighborhood projects compliments and augments its consulting practice, and conversely Hennessy Group’s consulting experience prepares us and teaches us so that we can produce better developments and so that we can serve our tenants and other customers in the best possible way.

Contact for Consulting
For information on leasing, call John Hennessy (414) 350-6601 or by email: jhennessy@hennessygroup.net