A real estate platform with a clear vision and real projects.

The Sonderman Group is the parent brand and operating platform for a real estate development and investment business — building long-term value where it is needed most.

Our Story

We build what we believe in — and we hold it.

The Sonderman Group was founded on a simple conviction: that smaller markets deserve the same caliber of development discipline, design ambition, and long-term ownership found in major cities.

We focus on high-potential small and mid-sized markets — places with real demand, strong fundamentals, and downtowns full of overlooked potential. We acquire commercial, hospitality, entertainment, and mixed-use buildings, lead them through ambitious redevelopment, and operate them as long-term assets.

Our work begins in downtown Jacksonville, Alabama, where we are assembling a portfolio of completed, active, and pipeline projects that together represent a deliberate, block-by-block approach to downtown revitalization.

SG Company Photography Jacksonville, Alabama and Jacksonville State University

“We are not in the business of building quickly. We are in the business of building things that still matter in twenty years — and owning them.”

The Sonderman Group

By The Numbers

The platform today.

4
Developments In The Portfolio
40K+ SF
In The Active Pipeline
120K SF
Downtown Square Target
Long-Term
Ownership Horizon

Figures are placeholders — update them in the page as your portfolio grows.

Our Approach

How we think about every project.

Premium and institutional in discipline, entrepreneurial in spirit — a development firm, not a contractor, and an owner, not a flipper.

Design-Driven

Architecture, branding, and detail are treated as core to value — not as an afterthought.

Execution-Focused

We underwrite conservatively, plan thoroughly, and deliver what we say we will deliver.

Long-Term Ownership

We hold our assets, aligning every decision with durable, multi-decade value.

Community-Minded

Our success is tied to the health of the downtowns and communities we invest in.

Corporate Structure

One platform, focused project brands.

The Sonderman Group is the parent brand and operating platform. Individual developments carry their own identities, while strategy, capital, and ownership are coordinated at the platform level.

The Sonderman Group

The Sonderman Group sets investment strategy, leads development, manages leasing and operations, and serves as the long-term owner across the portfolio. It is the professional home base for the company.

Oak Hill Capital

Certain projects are currently held through Oak Hill Capital, an affiliated real estate development and holding entity. As the platform matures, ownership and operations are being aligned and presented under The Sonderman Group brand.

Project brands. Developments such as The Roost, The District, and Lofts on Ladiga operate under their own names and websites, each connected back to The Sonderman Group platform.
Oak Hill Capital
Affiliated Project Brands

Distinct destinations, one platform.

The Roost

Entertainment & events venue — seeking an operating partner.

Visit theroostjax.com

The District

A full-block mixed-use downtown redevelopment.

Visit districtjax.com

Lofts on Ladiga

Loft-style living connected to the Chief Ladiga Trail.

Visit loftsonladiga.com
Leadership

The people behind the platform.

DS Portrait Devan Sonderman, Founder & Managing Partner

Devan Sonderman

Founder & Managing Partner

Devan Sonderman is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Sonderman Group, a real estate investment and development firm focused on acquiring, repositioning, and operating transformative real estate assets in overlooked and underserved markets.

Through a combination of strategic acquisitions, long-term ownership, and hands-on development, Devan specializes in identifying opportunities where fragmented ownership, deferred investment, and underutilized real estate have limited a property's full potential. His approach centers on assembling complementary assets, improving infrastructure, attracting high-quality tenants, and creating destinations that generate lasting economic value for investors, businesses, and local communities.

The firm's current efforts are concentrated in Jacksonville, Alabama, where Devan is leading the redevelopment of multiple historic downtown properties surrounding Jacksonville State University. These projects span retail, hospitality, entertainment, event venue, and mixed-use developments that collectively aim to reposition downtown Jacksonville as a premier destination for residents, students, visitors, and businesses.

Devan graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Finance, concentrating in Real Estate Finance and Investment. Shortly after graduation, he began acquiring and redeveloping properties while building an integrated platform focused on acquisition, development, leasing, operations, and long-term ownership.

As Managing Partner, Devan oversees the firm's acquisition strategy, development activities, tenant relationships, capital partnerships, and portfolio management. His focus remains on creating high-quality assets that generate durable cash flow, long-term appreciation, and meaningful economic impact within the communities where the firm invests.

Contact Devan

Get In Touch

Let's talk about what we're building.

Explore the portfolio, or reach out about leasing, investment, or partnership.