Mr. Evans joined High Associates Ltd. in December 2002 as Managing Director – Retail Division and was named Senior Vice President in 2007. He leads the development and implementation of the strategic business plan for the retail division within High Real Estate Group LLC and is responsible for guiding High’s retail development efforts. Several retail shopping center projects are already in operation with others in development and initial exploration. Its first shopping center, High Pointe Commons, a 350,000-square-foot community center anchored by Target and JCPenney, opened in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 2006. York Town Center, a 300,000-square-foot power center anchored by Best Buy, Dick’s, and Bed Bath & Beyond among others, opened in York, Pennsylvania in 2007. Mill Creek Square, a 300,000 square-foot community center anchored by Kohl's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ross Dress for Less, Staples, Petco, among others, opened in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 2010. High has two retail projects in the early stages of development in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania market — one of which is The Crossings at Conestoga Creek, a mixed-use project, will contain not only a retail component, but in addition, a multi-family residential community and a hotel.
Prior to High, Mr. Evans served as Senior Vice President – Real Estate/Legal and Governmental Affairs for York, Pennsylvania-based The Bon-Ton Department Stores, Inc., a publicly-traded, leading fashion department store company. In addition, he served on the Operating Committee of the Company. During his tenure at The Bon-Ton, Mr. Evans established its Real Estate Division and was responsible for the development and implementation of its strategic real estate expansion plan. Buoyed by an initial public offering, Mr. Evans lead the initial real estate effort to grow what was a small privately owned and operated regional department store company of 27 stores and $250 million in volume operating in four states to 73 stores and $750 million in volume operating in nine states. During an eleven-year period, under Mr. Evans’ guidance, the real estate assets of the company, the management of which he oversaw, grew to more than 6 million square feet. Today, largely through acquisitions, The Bon-Ton has become one of the nation’s largest regional department store companies.
An experienced retail real estate specialist, prior to The Bon-Ton, Mr. Evans spent 12 years with the Real Estate Department of JCPenney Company, Inc., serving in various positions in New York, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh. While at JCPenney, Mr. Evans was responsible for regional market strategy development, site selection, and the negotiation and documentation of various retail real estate transactions.
A member of the Florida Bar, Mr. Evans holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Drew University and a Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law. Mr. Evans is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is Vice President and a member of the Board of Trustees of The Janus School in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.
717.209.4069
sevans@high.net
