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#388 - Mark Toro - CVO @ Toro Development Co. - Developing Generational Mixed Use "Fortresses"
Today’s guest is Mark Toro, Chief Vision Officer @ Toro Development Co, based in Atlanta, GA.
Mark unpacks the philosophy, economics, and human-centered detail behind some of the most successful mixed-use developments in the country. We talk through his journey from building suburban power centers to pioneering immersive experiences like Avalon, Colony Square, and the upcoming Medley.
Mark shares how the 2008 financial crisis sparked his rethinking of real estate as a service business rather than just a physical asset—and how ideas like hospitality, branding, and community integration became central to his playbook.
This episode is packed with specific examples, war stories, and lessons on what it really takes to develop places people never want to leave.
We discuss:
- Why demographics and household income drive everything in site selection
- How do vertically integrated, mixed-use developments function financially and operationally
- The importance of patios, music, and concierge-level service in creating “third places”
- Why tenant selection is both science and art—and what betting on the right jockey really means
- How a bottle of tequila became a company tradition symbolizing intentionality and pride in execution
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:03:43) - Mark’s career and background
(00:08:03) - The gutted middle in retail
(00:09:38) - Site selection criteria for a “fortress”
(00:18:45) - Seamless integration
(00:26:27) - The art of pitching tenants
(00:31:42) - Mark’s approach to “opening” dates
(00:33:28) - Betting the farm on tenants
(00:35:46) - Office
(00:40:18) - Parking strategies
(00:41:51) - Hospitality vs. real estate
(00:45:23) - Being Disney-esque
(00:49:22) - Low-hanging fruit that properties can implement today
(00:54:17) - Marketing funds
(00:57:55) - Equity partners
(00:58:56) - Why isn’t this model scalable?
(01:04:10) - How much more profitable can a fortress be than other mixed-use areas
(01:07:12) - Eric Weatherholtz & extending patio season
(01:10:49) - The tequila story
Support our Sponsors:
Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort
Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort
BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I
Links:
Mark Toro on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktoro/
Toro Development Co. - https://torodevco.com/
Chris on Social Media:
The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd
Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX
Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys
Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0
Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO
View all episodes
By Chris Powers
4.9
492492 ratings
Today’s guest is Mark Toro, Chief Vision Officer @ Toro Development Co, based in Atlanta, GA.
Mark unpacks the philosophy, economics, and human-centered detail behind some of the most successful mixed-use developments in the country. We talk through his journey from building suburban power centers to pioneering immersive experiences like Avalon, Colony Square, and the upcoming Medley.
Mark shares how the 2008 financial crisis sparked his rethinking of real estate as a service business rather than just a physical asset—and how ideas like hospitality, branding, and community integration became central to his playbook.
This episode is packed with specific examples, war stories, and lessons on what it really takes to develop places people never want to leave.
We discuss:
- Why demographics and household income drive everything in site selection
- How do vertically integrated, mixed-use developments function financially and operationally
- The importance of patios, music, and concierge-level service in creating “third places”
- Why tenant selection is both science and art—and what betting on the right jockey really means
- How a bottle of tequila became a company tradition symbolizing intentionality and pride in execution
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:03:43) - Mark’s career and background
(00:08:03) - The gutted middle in retail
(00:09:38) - Site selection criteria for a “fortress”
(00:18:45) - Seamless integration
(00:26:27) - The art of pitching tenants
(00:31:42) - Mark’s approach to “opening” dates
(00:33:28) - Betting the farm on tenants
(00:35:46) - Office
(00:40:18) - Parking strategies
(00:41:51) - Hospitality vs. real estate
(00:45:23) - Being Disney-esque
(00:49:22) - Low-hanging fruit that properties can implement today
(00:54:17) - Marketing funds
(00:57:55) - Equity partners
(00:58:56) - Why isn’t this model scalable?
(01:04:10) - How much more profitable can a fortress be than other mixed-use areas
(01:07:12) - Eric Weatherholtz & extending patio season
(01:10:49) - The tequila story
Support our Sponsors:
Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort
Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort
BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I
Links:
Mark Toro on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktoro/
Toro Development Co. - https://torodevco.com/
Chris on Social Media:
The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd
Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX
Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys
Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0
Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO
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