Michael Hass
After identifying the need for an innovative approach to the development process, Michael Hass brought his expertise in senior living projects to co-found Drive Development Partners in 2015.
Finding his niche in Continuing Care Retirement Communities early in his career allowed Michael to become an authority on senior living developments, building over 8 million square feet as a General Contractor. Since founding Drive Development Partners, he has placed over 1.9 million square feet of development under construction with an additional 1 million square in backlog. Working with industry-leading companies such as Senior Resource Group, Avanti Senior Living, Prevarian Senior Living, and YourLife. Michael’s projects span California to Connecticut and Florida to Oregon. In his career, Michael has built over 9 million square feet of senior living communities and Drive reached $1 million in service fee revenue in its second year of operations.
Michael’s focus is to champion Drive Development Partners’ projects and create new communities to serve tomorrow’s senior. Balancing marketability, capital costs, alternative delivery methods, and changing financial markets is his strength. With an engineering degree from Iowa State and 20 years’ experience in the construction industry, Michael brings a refreshingly practical perspective to the development
process. Drawing on his time working with his family in their Midwest construction and development business and his 15 years with The Weitz Company as a Director of Senior Living, Michael has learned development literally from the ground up.
What makes Drive Development Partners’ approach to projects unique is their willingness to break with norms to create exceptional projects. Michael is adept at taking a project from concept to financing to stabilization. His extensive knowledge and background create not only an efficient process, but a differentiated project as well. Michael specifically tailors each project to its unique market. And with
experience sourcing sophisticated lenders and investors in varying financing structures, Drive Development Partners tailors the capital individually as well. From small family offices and individual investors to international equity funds and not-forprofits, each project gets a custom development plan that works to ensure the best chance of success.
Michael strives to make every project not only successful, but enjoyable for everyone involved. Educating and informing team members on the project to create a lasting and beneficial impact is the most enjoyable part of each development. The success of Michael’s clients continues to directly translate to recognition and growth for Drive as the business continues to prepare for a coming surge in demand for new housing solutions.
Education: Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering Iowa State University, Masters in Business Admin (partial) University of Iowa