Today’s guest is Mark Toro, Chief Vision Officer @ Toro Development Co, based in Atlanta, GA.

Mark unpacks the philosophy, economics, and human-centered detail behind some of the most successful mixed-use developments in the country. We talk through his journey from building suburban power centers to pioneering immersive experiences like Avalon, Colony Square, and the upcoming Medley.

Mark shares how the 2008 financial crisis sparked his rethinking of real estate as a service business rather than just a physical asset—and how ideas like hospitality, branding, and community integration became central to his playbook.

This episode is packed with specific examples, war stories, and lessons on what it really takes to develop places people never want to leave.

We discuss:

- Why demographics and household income drive everything in site selection

- How do vertically integrated, mixed-use developments function financially and operationally

- The importance of patios, music, and concierge-level service in creating “third places”

- Why tenant selection is both science and art—and what betting on the right jockey really means

- How a bottle of tequila became a company tradition symbolizing intentionality and pride in execution

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:43) - Mark’s career and background (00:08:03) - The gutted middle in retail (00:09:38) - Site selection criteria for a “fortress” (00:18:45) - Seamless integration (00:26:27) - The art of pitching tenants (00:31:42) - Mark’s approach to “opening” dates (00:33:28) - Betting the farm on tenants (00:35:46) - Office (00:40:18) - Parking strategies (00:41:51) - Hospitality vs. real estate (00:45:23) - Being Disney-esque (00:49:22) - Low-hanging fruit that properties can implement today (00:54:17) - Marketing funds (00:57:55) - Equity partners (00:58:56) - Why isn’t this model scalable? (01:04:10) - How much more profitable can a fortress be than other mixed-use areas