Ian M. Gill

Ian Gill has over 50 years of experience in real estate development, homebuilding and general contracting. His diverse background encompasses residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and mixed use projects with an emphasis on urban and redevelopment projects in the United States and Great Britain.

He is a Managing Partner of Silvergate Development, LLC. a residential, multi family development and investment company based in San Diego and operating throughout the Western United States. As a founding principal of Silvergate, he has guided the strategic direction of the firm with a focus on middle market rental housing, mostly within San Diego County. Silvergate has developed or is currently developing over 1000 units of this product type in several locations where its projects range in size from 31 to over 200 units. These projects are strategically located in supply constrained infill locations, within jurisdictions that are pro-business and support quality workforce housing.

Prior to the formation of Silvergate Ian was a senior executive with the fifth largest homebuilder in England establishing and managing a regional division of this public company based in London and Birmingham, ultimately building over 300 hundred single family and duplex homes a year in the Southwest of England. Subsequently, as the first British homebuilder to arrive in California he established a US subsidiary and developed and built several single family and condominium projects in and around San Diego County.

During his extensive career in the US he has developed and built not only for – sale housing but also more than 2,000 apartments in Southern California and Texas. He also co-founded a regional general contracting firm, Highland Partnership in 1993, which over 25 years was responsible for coordinating the design and construction of three civic centers, eight public safety facilities including a regional law enforcement training academy, healthcare facilities, institutional projects at two universities and multiple urban residential mixed use projects including a 384 unit twin tower, 18-story condominium, a 106 unit, eight story mixed use residential apartment and a 100 unit mid rise office to residential adaptive reuse, and a 250 unit, 17 story affordable housing project, Celadon, certified LEED Gold, for Bridge Housing which was recognized at the State level and Nationally with awards. A continuation company Highland PM, LLC continues to operate in the Southern California marketplace. Ian served for six years as outsourced project executive for the Centre City Development Corporation’s creation and implementation of the Downtown San Diego Ballpark District. From 1998 - 2004 he was involved in coordinating the agency’s activities and interfacing with City Staff, the Padres and Master Developer, JMI on all aspects of this landmark, twenty six block project including PETCO Park. A native of Edinburgh, Scotland he holds a Master of Science Degree in Real Estate and Construction and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Quantity Surveying Division) in Great Britain.

He is actively engaged in the community and industry related organizations currently serving as a Director on the Building Industry Association’s Urban Council. He serves on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Chula Vista’s redevelopment of the 500 acre Bayfront. He is a Past President of Lambda Alpha International, an honorary Land Use Economics Society and also a Past State Director of the Building Industry Association; Past President, San Diego Chapter of the BIA, Past Chairman and founding member of the Commercial Industrial Council of BIA; past Board Member, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Southern California Chapter. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Policy Advisory Board of the Burnham Moore’s Center at USD and served three terms on the Executive Committee of The Chancellors Community Advisory Board for UCSD.

In June 2016 Ian was inducted into the California Building Industry Foundations state wide Builder Hall of Fame at a Gala during the Pacific Coast Builders conference in San Francisco. He holds a Class B General Contractor’s license in the State of California, and is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED TM 2.0 Accredited Professional. He has a 44 year old daughter, Alexandra and three grandchildren. He is a cyclist, mountain biker, skier and loves tinkering with vintage sports cars. He also enjoys mentoring and teaching young people in the Real Estate Industry and was an instructor for the USD MSRE Program for 24 years since its inception and has also been a moderator for ULI’s Young Leaders Program.