Highlands CRE takes a principal-aligned approach to data center development, combining real estate execution, energy infrastructure expertise, and financial structuring into unified solutions for utility providers and landowners.
Dave and Ward had worked on community development projects for years—navigating complex public-private partnerships, securing entitlements, and structuring tax-advantaged financing. When they connected with Lesley, whose energy infrastructure expertise had grown through more than two decades of solar and grid development, all three recognized something: data center development requires exactly the combination they could offer together.
The convergence of AI demand, energy constraints, and infrastructure complexity creates an opportunity that rewards patient, equity-oriented developers with combined capabilities. Highlands CRE was formed to pursue this opportunity with focus, alignment, and the expertise to execute.
Highlands CRE is a partnership formed by decades of experience across complex, regulated, and time intensive projects. We're applying a proven capability to an emerging opportunity—a combination that allows us to move with the agility of a new venture and the discipline of experienced professionals.
This structure—senior professionals with aligned incentives and focused mandate—offers the advantage of direct partner attention on every engagement, true equity alignment, and the flexibility to structure creative solutions.
Successful data center development requires mastery of three interconnected domains:
Tax incentives, permitting pathways, and compliance requirements vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. We navigate this complexity to structure projects that capture available benefits and minimize regulatory risk.
Transmission and distribution capacity determines project feasibility. We understand interconnection processes, upgrade requirements, and utility planning cycles—knowledge built through years of energy infrastructure development.
Identifying and controlling sites with development potential requires speed, market knowledge, and relationship networks. We target locations where our expertise creates competitive advantages.
We're developers, not brokers or consultants. Our value comes from being equity partners in successful outcomes—not transaction fees or hourly advisory.
This means we:
Our team has delivered across complex, regulated environments:
We apply this execution experience to data center opportunities, where stakeholder alignment, regulatory navigation, and financial discipline determine success.
We're selective about the projects we pursue, but committed to those we undertake.
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