Steve Caton, CCIM, CIPS

Steve's Story:

Steve Caton joined Caton Commercial Real Estate in 2003 after graduating from Purdue University. Steve entered the business with a focus on retail and industrial leasing, evolving from there to sales of income producing assets, adding developer services shortly thereafter. Following the financial crisis of 2008, Steve shifted to the disposition of REO assets for local, regional, and national banks, as well as distressed sales for private owners. He has advised or represented properties for multiple banks including Wells Fargo, MB Financial, The Private Bank, First Community Bank of Joliet, First Merit Bank, Helios, Marquette Bank, Princeton National, and Inland Bank.

As the economy rebounded, Steve evolved his business efforts into tenant representation in both the retail and medical office sectors. He has more recently partnered with the German Co-Living Company, Quarters, on their US expansion. He has completed deals for Quarters in Washington DC, Austin, and Chicago. Steve has also expanded his representation of innovative multi-family concept operators into short term rental spaces, working with Trove and Kasa. His understanding of co-living markets has enabled him to assist Node-Living out of London and Toronto, and Miles out of LA with finding locations for their brands.

Steve has raised capital for syndicated investor groups in the retail sector and has recently partnered with Elk Development on multi-family solo suites projects in LA and Nashville as a co-GP. Steve has also sourced and placed debt for ground up projects, as well as partnered in a development company that delivers turn-key build-to-suit corporate 7-Eleven’s in the US. In addition, Steve has an investment group that buys corporate single tenant retail and medical office spaces and completes lease restructuring for value-add. Currently, Steve has put together a group developing corporate urgent care deals, Advanced Care, and corporate Surgery and Ambulatory centers for the publicly traded company Healthcare Solutions Holding Co, recently completing transactions in Utah and Texas.

Steve also consults with municipalities for the development of their downtowns and to advise on attracting developments and businesses. He has represented the Village of Winfield, IL in their downtown redevelopment and has acted in an advisory capacity to Joliet, IL as well. Steve also represents development projects, such as power centers or large mixed-use developments like City Gate West in Naperville, IL. Steve has helped put together entitlements, zoning, land packaging, land banking, due diligence services, equity raises, site selection, development agreements, TIF work, and deals in Opportunity Zones.

Steve is a board member of the local economic development committees of Romeoville, IL and past board member of the Economic Development Committee of Crest Hill, IL, and is involved with the Will County Center for Economic Development. Steve is an active board member of the IL Chapter of CCIM.

Steve has represented the interests of notable companies such as: Medici Living Group, Bulldog Ale House, MCZ Development, Node-Living, Kasa, McDonalds, Road Ranger, Marathon Oil, MB Financial, Advanced Care, Dog Haus, American Development Partners, Elk Development, Sixty-West, S2A Modular Factories, Lee Fry Properties, Atlas Oil, Circle K, LA Fitness, Limestone Brewing Company, Merlins, Dunkin Donuts, Mid America Development Group, Cambria Hotels, Holiday Inn Express, Burger Rebellion, Nova Cinemas, NASCAR Carwash, Nextdoor Storage, Industry, Q Factor, Smoothie King, and Walgreens.

As a member of ICSC, NAR, NICAR, CCIM, and various chambers of commerce, Steve strives to develop professionally and stay connected in the marketplace to position his clients’ needs with a market expert and to give them an edge. Steve’s primary areas of expertise are commercial investment sales, commercial leasing and sales, land acquisition, equity raises, deal structures, and developer representation.

Outside of putting deals together, Steve enjoys photography, skiing, traveling, rock climbing, volunteering, spending time with his family, biking, and playing guitar. Steve is also a board member of New Life for Haiti, a volunteer-based non-for-profit dedicated to rebuilding poverty-stricken regions of Haiti.