Developing new properties in old places.

For the last 35 years, I’ve been fortunate to develop various properties in over ten southern states – the last 19 years my focus has been the kinds of locations and properties which will never be torn down.

Properties that are scrutinized by the masses in the creation, entitlement, execution, delivery and management process because all of them are built right in and around some of the most important and strategically located historic structures in Franklin, TN.

Imagine trying to paint a mural the size of a building right on your historic town square. Imagine working on it meticulously as hundreds even thousands of people walk by, look and comment day to day to day on what you are doing.

And, although we don’t paint pictures, in that public fishbowl we seem to do our very best work. We develop new, very special properties in very old places. 

So, Where does D9 come from?

Over the years, many people ask: “Why D9?”

In case you’re wondering, here’s why.

When I started this company and phase of my real estate/development life it was 2002. I finished a three-year stint as the VP of Marketing, Development and Technology at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Prior to that, I spent six years helping some very talented people to grow two regionally relevant advertising agencies. When I decided it was time to get back into the real estate development business, I needed a name.

When I started in the development business in 1986, every company I started was a combination of my personal name. The Butler Companies, Butler Development, Butler Management—blah, blah, blah. This time, I didn’t want it to be about me. 

One day, I was wandering around a very public and enormous site in Nashville with an incredibly talented and experienced friend. He happens to tell me the story about the site development phase of this project. It turns out that the physical site was basically a wet bog. Because the scale of the project was so very big, they had to bring in Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers to move the dirt and mud around. Keep in mind, these bulldozers are about the size of a house. As it turns out, one D9 got stuck in the bog and sunk so deep they couldn’t get it out.

The construction company brought in expert engineers from South America who were working in the rain forests to figure it out. After much deliberation and study, their recommendation was to simply leave it down there and build the building over it—and that’s exactly what they did. As crazy as it sounds, this amazing and very public structure is built over a Caterpillar D9 Bulldozer the size of a house.

I told my friend the moment he finished that story I was going to call my new company D9. He obviously asked me: “Why?” 

I named my company D9 because I always want to be reminded that no matter how smart you are or how much money you have—inevitably the D9 is going to get stuck in the bog and sink. So, don’t be surprised by it. More importantly, it’s a reminder to me personally that I’m ultimately not in control, but I know Who is.

I do my very best to remember that as we work to develop these incredible projects.