Freddie Lewis Archer

Freddie Lewis Archer has twenty-nine years’ experience in commercial real estate brokerage and development. In 2001, Freddie left Madison Retail Group, a boutique brokerage company in the District, to become an Independent Broker and establish her own firm, Lewis Real Estate Services.

Lewis Real Estate Services’ former and recent clients include Lowe Enterprises (leasing of 60,000 square feet of restaurant and shop space at the mixed-use development, City Vista); the William Smith Company (leasing of 40,000 square feet of shops and restaurants at the Giant anchored shopping center, Shops at Park Village); the former National Capital Revitalization Corporation (23 acre land assemblage of Skyland Shopping Center); Roadside Development in the leasing of 9,000 square feet of restaurant space at Market at O Street in the Shaw neighborhood; and Forest City Enterprises Science and Technology Division (leasing of 40,000 square feet of retail at the Johns Hopkins Science and Technology Park in Baltimore, MD, Eager Park).

In 2011, the firm commenced leasing of the retail component at the Old Convention Center redevelopment site, City Center DC) in partnership with Williams Jackson Ewing and A1 Realty Advisors.  This billion-dollar mixed-use project consists of over 300,000 square feet of retail, 275 condos, 400 apartments, one half million feet of office and the Conrad, a Hilton luxury hotel. Lewis Real Estate Services is also on the Hoffman Madison Marquette team for redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront, (The Wharf), a mixed-use project comprised of hotels, retail (300,000 square feet), residential, office and cultural components.

While at Madison Retail Group and during her tenure at Smithy Braedon, Freddie focused her efforts on retail and small office leasing with particular emphasis on landlord representation. Freddie completed a consulting assignment for the Washington Convention Center Authority, evaluating the feasibility of including retail in the 2million square foot facility and later leased the 20,000 square feet of retail shops.

Freddie is active in ICSC, (the International Council of Shopping Centers where she previously served as Government Relations Committee Chairman for the District of Columbia); AAREP (African American Real Estate Professionals); DCBIA, (District of Columbia Building Industry Association) Executive Council, Past Board Member, Past Co-Chairman of the Retail Business Development Committee and East of the River Committee; City First Bank’s New Market Tax Credit  Advisory Board; a past Board member of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Suburban Maryland Chapter and past member of DC-CREW. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Elizabeth Ministry, a District of Columbia non-profit, assisting young single mothers with parenting and life skills and educational and career development.

A graduate of Howard University with a BA in Political Science, Freddie studied Urban Planning at New York University’s Graduate School of Public Administration. Freddie is a licensed broker in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and Georgia.

HARRIET EDWARDS-WHITE

Harriett Edwards-White brings over thirty years’ experience in Real Estate Development, delivering positive top-tier results in site development, retail leasing of urban, high-end suburban, lifestyle, shopping center and entertainment projects. She is an innovative advisor with a strong ability to identify growth opportunities.

Prior to joining Lewis Real Estate Services, Harriett served as Vice President of Retail Leasing for Forest City Enterprises Washington office, where she devised strategy and directed leasing for the redevelopment of Waterfront Mall and Southeast Federal Center. She renegotiated significant leases with Safeway, CVS and Bank of America, that were crucial to the financing of the project. These deals were completed with economics doubled the projections in the firm’s investment package. She created the vision and merchandising strategy for a mixed-use J/V project with 500,000 square feet of retail, Village at Gulfstream Park, Hallendale Beach, FL, which included thoroughbred horse racing and gaming as its anchor. Lease transactions included new to the market retailers, high-end point-of-difference retailers, as well as chef driven restaurants and high-profile nightclubs, in this highly competitive Florida county.

Harriett opened FCE’s Atlanta office, wherein she directed leasing and merchandising for their 1.2 million square foot Stonecrest Mall, in suburban Atlanta.  Completed deals with National and Regional Specialty Retailers many which were new to the market.

Before joining FCE, Harriett served as Vice President of Leasing for General Growth Properties and leased challenged properties in Atlanta for Third-Party client, Cadillac Fairview, Market Place Mall which had been operating in the red saw it’s first profits. (North Dekalb County).

For 17 years of her early career, Harriett honed her skills at The Taubman Company, owner of many high-profile retail destinations, in affluent markets throughout the US, first working as a Senior Market Research Analyst and subsequently, as a Senior Leasing Agent.

Harriett was a founder of The ICSC Diversity Networking event held annually at RECON, in Las Vegas. In addition, she served on the Board of Directors of the Washington DC Economic Partnership; Real Estate Apprentice Program (REAP) Board of Directors; as well as tutored and mentored special needs children in Southeast DC.

Harriett is married to Ret. Command Sergeant Major, AJ White, Sr and resides in Atlanta, GA.

Lamont Bessicks Jr.

Lamont Bessicks has twenty-five years of commercial real estate experience, and is firmly entrenched in the industry.  His career has included tenures with Cushman & Wakefield of Washington, DC, CBRE Group, and Concordis Real Estate Advisors, LLC, a well as with two local real estate developers.

Early in his career, Mr. Bessicks participated in the lease-renewal process of 800 Ninth Street, SW, on behalf of the owners.  The 132,000 square-foot building was fully leased to GSA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  His former and recent clients include Empower America (now FreedomWorks) with an 8,500 square-foot office lease; the N.A.A.C.P., with a proposed headquarters relocation; AT&T with a 50,000 square-foot industrial warehouse lease renewal; and the Ideal Electrical Supply Corporation with a 20,500 square-foot industrial/office warehouse lease.  In addition, Mr. Bessicks has represented various developers with the acquisition of land and buildings identified for mixed-use development.

Mr. Bessicks earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Finance from the University of Maryland, and his Master’s Degree in Real Estate Development from Georgetown University.  He is a licensed commercial real estate agent in Washington, DC.  He is an active member of the Alfred Street Baptist Church, volunteers with Reading Partners, DC, and lives with his wife in Washington, DC.

Shawna Jones

Shawna Jones has over twenty-two years experience in commercial real estate.  Her wealth of knowledge, attention to detail, and outstanding customer service has afforded her the opportunity to represent a broad client base.  Experienced in both public and private sector transactions, Shawna has successfully closed sales and lease contracts, as well as provided real estate advisory services for regional development firms, private land owners, government agencies and non-profits. Shawna specializes in developing real estate solutions for urban real estate.

Prior to rejoining Lewis Real Estate Services (LRES), Shawna managed her own firm, the Jones Group, a real estate advisory firm.  She examined commercial property for investment and development suitability, and advised community organizations on neighborhood redevelopment. She also assisted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in evaluating its real estate management procedures and made recommendations for improvement.

In the public sector, Shawna directed real estate procurement services for the General Services Administration (GSA)’s Public Building Division.  She managed office lease contracts from the initial requirements phase to lease execution, and tenant move-in phase. During her tenure, she closed over $225 Million in transactions, and was recognized for negotiating an office lease in record time.

Shawna’s earlier work with LRES focused on both landlord and tenant representation to procure retail leasing opportunities by providing market analysis of shopping centers, urban retail storefronts and land parcels. Some of her projects where she provided leasing services included; Lowe Enterprises’ City Vista, WC. Smith Company’s Shops at Park Village, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Anacostia Economic Development Corporation’s Anacostia Gateway, United House of Prayer’s 7^th Street Retail, The Salvation Army’s Solomon G. Brown Center, and Forest City Enterprises’ Science and Technology Park at John Hopkins (Phase I).  Shawna’s efforts contributed to the sale or lease of several challenged real estate sites.

Prior to LRES, Shawna provided commercial real estate services for NAI Michael Companies. She completed sales transactions for residential land, industrial, office and retail properties. Her most prominent work for the Prince Georges Redevelopment Authority, resulted in a mixed-use redevelopment project valued at $15 Million. The project, Victory House and Palmer Park Village Shopping Center, (69 Senior Units and 47,000 sf of retail), included land assemblage, use of eminent domain, environmental clean-up and tenant relocation services.

Shawna is a member of several industry trade associations including, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)., Past President, and Executive Board Member for Women In Retail Real Estate (WIRRE), Member of the District of Columbia’s Building Industry Association (DCBIA), Founding Board Member and Past President of the Landover Revitalization Coalition (LARC), (an organization dedicated to community redevelopment and neighborhood improvement).

Shawna attended Morgan State University and Howard University, and holds a BS Degree in Telecommunications.  She volunteers her time as a guest lecturer on Commercial Real Estate Practice for graduate students.  Shawna additionally mentors aspiring commercial real estate professionals, and shares her passion for transforming and improving neighborhoods.