Penthouse Of Larkin St Project
About Tyson
Spending most of his childhood chasing lizards, frogs, snakes, and spiders through the orchards of Northern California, Tyson saw the impact of the 1980’s drought on the environment. This led him to become passionate about environmental conservation, the importance of raw resources, and sustainability at a young age. With his parents involved in real estate, he started to think about how the built environment had a big impact on climate change and the consumption of raw resources. As a freshman in high school, he remembers reading how “the built environment produced 40% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (significantly impacting global warming)” and, from that day forward, he married his love for real estate and urban planning with his passion for environmental conservation and sustainability. Tyson is now an expert in the high-performance green building industry and is the founder of the Evolve Companies. Evolve is a vertically integrated real estate company with brokerage, construction, building supply, and development teams that work together to create cutting edge healthy, sustainable, smart, and resilient buildings.
Tyson has a Masters in Real Estate Development & Finance from MIT and BA in Psychology from Brown University. He is a licensed California real estate broker, California general contractor, LEED AP, Green Point rater, Passive House designer, Well certified, and HERS Rater.
To learn more about how Evolve builds go to our "How We Build" page.
Portfolio
Experience & Skills
Strategic results-driven sustainable real estate developer, broker, general contractor, building scientist, pilot, and founder of the Evolve companies with 20 years of experience. Utilizing the latest in building science, data, sustainable building materials & systems, renewable energy, stationary batteries, and smart building technologies, we created healthy, sustainable, smart, and resilient developments that not only bring beauty to the neighborhoods and health to their inhabitants but also are built to last.
Proven ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams to achieve organizational goals. Exceptional problem-solving and decision-making skills with a track record of delivering high-quality solutions, projects, and returns.
Strong communication and negotiation abilities, adept at building and maintaining key relationships with stakeholders. Passionate about driving continuous improvement and exceeding expectations and financial goals.
​
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
-
Market & Feasibility Analysis
-
Due Diligence & Acquisitions
-
Entitlements
-
Design Development
-
Sustainable Construction
-
Creative Partnerships
-
Development Management
-
Marketing & Disposition
​
EXPERIENCE
​
Evolve Development Group San Francisco, CA
Founder & President 2005 - Present
Lead the entire development process, from identification to disposition, for a variety of complex projects including sustainable, luxury, single-family residential, multifamily, subdivisions, and mixed-use developments. Implement a vertically integrated approach, ensuring seamless coordination of tasks and responsibilities throughout the development process.
-
Developed over $60M worth of real estate projects, achieving an average Return on Investment (ROI) of 115% and an average Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 27%.
-
Managed up to 40+ employees and 3x00+ subcontractors and design professionals spread across many job sites.
-
Manage all back-office work: financing; hiring; payroll; bank draws; insurance procurement; legal; marketing; sales; office fit out, and IT.
Evolve Real Estate Group San Francisco, CA
Founder, President 2007 - Present
Apply expertise in all areas of real estate brokerage, including site analysis, acquisition, property management, revitalization, and disposition.
-
Brokered over $60M worth of real estate transactions.
Interstate Equities Corporation (interstateequities.com) Los Altos, CA
Corporation’s Real Estate Broker of Record 2013 - 2023
Involved in investment, management, and renovation of multifamily apartments in California and the Seattle region. Provided well-designed living spaces for residents and generated exceptional returns for investors.
-
IEC has acquired a total of 146 multifamily properties since the company's establishment.
-
Oversaw and brokered over $500M worth of property acquisitions and management activities since 2013.
-
IEC has had an average 19% IRR since its inception.
Evolve Building. San Francisco, CA
President & Founder 2011 - 2021
Designed and built cutting-edge, technologically advanced buildings, including net zero passive house buildings, at Evolve Building, design-build construction company. Applied integrative building science-based approach to optimize performance, comfort, durability, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.
-
Completed projects worth over $90M, showcasing expertise in real estate construction.
-
Evolve was one of the first Passive House builders in the San Francisco Bay Area.
-
Evolve projects consume 90% less heating and cooling energy, provide significantly healthier and more comfortable indoor environments, and are net zero and resilient (photovoltaics/wind paired with stationary batteries).
Evolve Building Supply San Francisco, CA
Founder, President 2018 – 2020
Facilitated creation of healthy, sustainable, smart, and resilient homes/buildings surpassing certification standards and have long-lasting durability. Sourced top-notch green building materials, techniques, systems, and technologies from global markets.
-
First green building supply retailer in the San Francisco Bay Area
Performance Envelope & Mechanical Systems San Francisco, CA
Co-Founder, President 2011 – 2016
We launched this first-to-market specialty residential subcontracting company to design and install the highest-performing energy-efficient building envelopes and mechanical systems including insulation air sealing above-grade waterproofing renewable energy and HVAC systems.
Aeroplanes Over Idaho Idaho, ID
Board Member 2011 – Pres
Aeroplanes was founded to preserve the love for aviation. Not only are guests welcome to view come view all the historic aircrafts but also Aeroplanes Over Idaho is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and instructing the youth, especially at-risk youth, about the maintenance and flying of all types of aircraft from a Yak-3 to Formula 1 airplane. Aeroplanes Over Idaho has flown with over 2,500 youths and helping several obtain their pilots licenses.
-
Over 4,000 hours flown with aspiring youth aviators
HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE
​
Nick’s Crispy Tacos San Francisco, CA
Bartender & Server 2012-2019
Nick’s Crispy Tacos makes one Baja fish tacos in San Francisco so, as the large restaurant is often packed for the food, the bartenders and servers had to be very efficient to promptly serve the several hundred patrons during peak times.
Seafood Jungle St. Thomas, USVI
Bartender & Server 2002 – 2003
The Seafood Jungle was a high-end seafood restaurant serving daily caught seafood from the Caribbean. A typical bill for a two-top would be $150-300. We had a great selection of wines and cocktails so many industry people would come by after their shift to enjoy our amazing wines and new cocktail concoctions.
Molly Malone’s St Thomas, USVI
Bartender & Server 2002 – 2003
Molly Malone’s was an Irish yacht pub in Red Hook marina, St Thomas. The food and drinks were nothing special, but it had a great indoor-outdoor feel and the team made it a very warm, fun, and friendly feeling place. Patrons loved the ambiance and its convenient and central location, quick service, and economical menu for Red Hook, St Thomas so it was always fully booked so bartenders, servers, and cooks were always moving and multi-tasking.
Hotel Cap Ducal Vina Del Mar, Chile
Assistant Hotel Manager 2001
Hotel Cap Ducal was the nicest hotel in Vina Del Mar, a coastal tourist town in Chile. The hotel was literally on a cliff overlooking the ocean so it was very picturesque and the best hotel in Vina Del Mar. As assistant hotel manager, I helped manage the night shift, doing whatever it took to make sure that hotel took care of its’ guest’s wishes. One moment, I was helping late-arriving guests and the next I was helping the hotel restaurant with a special request. I enjoyed it because, as an American living and studying in Chile, I was able to provide a different perspective for the mostly international guests which helped keep the guests happy and the management efficient.
Kulleto’s San Francisco, CA
Appetizer, Salad, and Dessert Line Cook 2000
Kuleto’s was a high-end Italian restaurant at the base of a hotel town in Union Square, San Francisco. It seated over 200 people so had a large team of staff members. I worked as a line chef focusing on appetizers, salads, and desserts. As quality was expected by the patrons, attention to detail was demanded. Each meal was carefully designed and management expected it to be prepared perfectly each time. Management did a great job of having fun while keeping high expectations for food, presentation, and service.
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA
Master of Science in Real Estate Development and Finance (4.8 GPA out of 5). 2007-2008
Thesis: Greening existing buildings with LEED-EB!
Brown University Providence, RI
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (3.3 GPA out of 4) 1998 –2002
PG&E Energy Center San Francisco, CA
Over 100 courses in building science, sustainability mechanical engineering, and commissioning. 2008 - 2012
​
LICENSES & SKILLS
​
Licenses: CA General Contractor, CA Real Estate Broker, LEED AP, Green Point Rater, HERS Rater, Pilot
Languages: Fluent in Spanish
Computers: Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Project, WrightSoft, PlanSwift, Blue Beam, Plan Grid
Interests: Sustainability, Urban Planning, Energy Efficiency, Skiing, Soccer, Tennis, Water Polo, Cycling, Triathlons​
All Videos
