2024 Winter Issue of Urban Land - 16

Wayne Ratkovich speaking
at a 2017 ULI Fall Meeting
general session in Los
Angeles. Robert J. Lowe,
founder and chairman of
Lowe Enterprises is seated to
his right.
Corrigan, ULI Co-Interim
Managing Director. " His passion
for the program and ULI have
been inspirational to me for
more than 25 years. I will miss
his guidance, mentorship, and
leadership. "
Wayne began his career
in 1964 as a real estate
broker, but soon transitioned
to development, where he
knew he could help shape
the future of his city. In 1977,
he founded The Ratkovich
Company, a development
firm specializing in urban infill
and adaptive reuse projects.
Pursuing the company's
mission- " To profitably produce
developments that improve the
quality of urban life " -Wayne
and his team breathed new
life into historic properties
and created places where
communities could thrive.
Among The Ratkovich
Company's groundbreaking
achievements were the
rehabilitation of such L.A.
landmarks as the Oviatt
Building, Fine Arts Building,
Wiltern Theatre, Chapman
16
URBAN LAND
WINTER 202 4
Market, Hercules Campus
comprising 11 historic buildings
of the former Hughes Aircraft
Company, The BLOC in
downtown L.A., The Alhambra
mixed-use development,
and the 5900 Wilshire highrise
office tower in the city's
Miracle Mile District.
" Wayne Ratkovich was
a true visionary in urban
development, city building, and
placemaking and exemplified
everything that a real estate
developer should be, " said
Clare De Briere, ULI Americas
Chair and member of the
Global Board of Directors. " His
focus on creating places for
people-thoughtful, beautiful,
wonderous, peaceful, playful
places; made everyday life
better for everyone who
experienced them. He not only
embodied the values of the
Urban Land Institute but drove
those values over his half
century of membership and
leadership in the organization.
Wayne was truly dedicated
to improving the built
environment for the benefit
of all and devoted his time to
foster and mentor the next
generation of leaders in real
estate. I was a recipient of
his mentorship and friendship
for over thirty years. It was a
joy to have had the privilege
to spend so many years at
Wayne's side, learning how
to build a better world. I
am grateful to Wayne for
my deep understanding of
the responsibility that we
as developers have to our
communities. His passing is a
deep loss to the development
community worldwide, to the
City of Los Angeles and to all
of us who had the privilege to
know him. "
" Wayne was an amazing
soul who showed us all
how to be thoughtful and
compassionate, " said Tom
Toomey, past ULI Global Chair
and Chief Executive Officer,
UDR. " He was one of the first
people to reach out when
I became Global Chair and
offered to help. I will always
JACK MORRISEY is director of strategic
communications with the Urban Land Institute.
ROBER T L O WE OF L O WE ENTERPRISES
2024 Winter Issue of Urban Land

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