What We Do

An owner representative is exactly how it sounds. We are hired to carry out the duties of the “owner” and represent their interests from project concept through completion. Downwind Development is not only the agent and advocate of the owner, but we are also their guide in navigating the financing, design, permitting and construction process. Downwind Development is a full service owner representative and project management firm. As part of our standard scope of work, we offer the following services:

Site Selection & Project Feasibility Study

Engaging Downwind Development early helps ensure your site aligns with the project’s goals, budget, and schedule. Before you invest significant time or money, we conduct a comprehensive feasibility study that include:

Review applicable zoning, development, and building codes.
Conduct preliminary due diligence to confirm the site supports the client’s intended use.
Prepare a comprehensive budget outlining the total project cost.
Develop a schedule covering each phase through project completion.

Design Professionals, Owner Consultants & Contractor Selection

A successful project begins with the right team. As your project manager, Downwind Development helps clients select qualified design professionals, consultants, and contractors. We competitively price their services, evaluate proposals, verify references, and confirm that each vendor aligns with the project scope and budget. Our services include:

Define the scope of work for the lead design professional, subconsultants, and other owner consultants.
Establish a clear process for selecting design professionals and other consultants.
Recommend the most appropriate project delivery method.
Ensure best value when selecting the general contractor.

Budgeting, Cost Control & Financial Reporting

Downwind Development keeps you informed about the project budget, emerging cost pressures, and opportunities to save money every step of the way. Our services includ:

Manage the overall project budget and prepare financial reporting.
Prepare cash-flow projections detailing anticipated monthly project expenses.
Identify budget pressures early before they become a problem.
Lead value-engineering efforts across the project to reduce costs.

Design, Permitting and Construction

As active participants in all stages of design, permitting and construction, we advocate for your best interests. Some of our services include:

Schedule Management - From entitlement to final inspection, a project involves hundreds of deadlines that we will be managing to make sure they are completed on time.
Permitting & Regulatory Compliance - Navigating local permitting processes can be frustrating and as your representative, we will coordinate with city departments to secure permits and ensure full compliance with codes and regulations.
Design Oversight - As an active participant in the design process, we help ensure the plans meet the owner’s needs, budget, and timeline. We also coordinate value engineering to improve cost efficiency.
Construction Oversight - Monitoring construction progress, quality of work, resolving field issues and making sure everyone on the build team meets the performance milestones while staying on budget is where we shine.
Risk Management - Every construction project carries risk—financial, legal, or structural. We help mitigate these risks through due diligence and proactive conflict resolution.
Communication & Reporting - It commons that the client does not have time to attend every meeting or site walk. As your representative, Downwind Development will be their on your behalf, reporting back clearly and regularly with updates, photos, and issue logs.
Closeout & Handover - As the project nears completion, we help ensures all documentation is in place—warranties, as-builts, final inspections, lien releases—and coordinates a smooth handover.

What Our Clients Say

“Overall, I was pleased with Justin Schmick performance and found his services to be an effective way to complete the project. In addition to the significant monetary savings from working with Downwind Development, there was a large qualitative value from being able to defer owner responsibilities to him as I was able to focus more time on my business. “

Nikos Ridge, CEO Ninkasi Brewing Company

“Without a doubt, the project would have been harder to manage without Downwind Development’s involvement. Using Downwind gave us peace of mind in navigating waters which we were unfamiliar with.“

Whip Hemphill. Owner Wildtime Foods

“Justin is an expert in his field and I would highly recommend him as a project manager for a new build or remodel project, and would use his services again if the need arises."

Kim Gibson Clark. CEO Coconut Bliss

“Being able to run our business while Downwind oversaw the quoting and evaluation process saved us a lot of time and energy and provided the assurance we needed”

Brian Roddy, Owner Rolf Prima

“The convenience of having someone as professional and knowledgeable as Justin is invaluable. I can't speak highly enough of him as a businessman, realtor, project manager and business liaison. He impresses us every time we work with him.”

Scott Ostrander, Owner Oregon Only Organics

“He exceeded my expectations and did an excellent job managing the process, keeping it on schedule and on budget. Without him , I think we would still be thinking about having a new building rather than sitting here in the office of my new warehouse”

Mike Lowden, President Quality Metal Finishes