2026 Ones to Watch - Rising Stars: Nicholas Dunn, Northstar Project & Real Estate Services

“Nick is an exceptional talent in owner’s project management at Northstar. His intelligence, professionalism, and ability to quickly grasp complex project challenges make him an invaluable asset to any team. He is highly respected by colleagues and clients alike, consistently demonstrating strong leadership, sound judgment, and a collaborative mindset that drives successful project outcomes.”

What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and what path brought you to your current role? My educational background is in engineering, but I was always drawn to the people and collaboration behind the work. I’ve always been motivated by the idea of creating spaces that bring people together and support how they live and work. To me, that is what commercial real estate is all about. Working with developers, owners, designers, contractors, and end users to solve challenges, build relationships, and ultimately bring a shared vision to life. No two projects are the same, so the opportunity for learning and building connections is limitless.

What accomplishment or project so far in your career are you most proud of? I would say that I’m most proud of delivering Graduate Junction with American Campus Communities, bringing over 600 graduate student beds on line in Cambridge in the summer of 2024. This was also the project that brought me to Boston. Being part of that team made the experience meaningful, especially seeing it through from start to finish and navigating through its complexities along the way. This project pushed me to grow both personally and professionally, as a trusted team member on a large-scale project and as a problem solver within the industry.

Who has been a mentor or influential figure in your career, and what is the most valuable advice they have shared with you? Two people who have had a significant influence on my career are Kirstin Brown and Pat Burns. Working closely with them over the past five years, especially early in my time at Northstar, gave me the opportunity to take on greater responsibility with confidence to lead projects. The most valuable advice they shared was to stay proactive, ask the hard questions, and approach every challenge with a solution-oriented mindset. Building trust within our project teams enables us all to leverage those around us as well as ourselves, which Kirstin and Pat both showed me very early on.

What trends or opportunities do you see shaping the future of the industry? Given the continued high vacancy rate in the office market, there are a lot of opportunities for office-to-residential conversions. I could see more of the Class B/C spaces being targeted for these, given the current tenant draw to Class A, specifically in downtown areas right now. On a separate note, AI is already shaping the future of commercial real estate, not only enhancing the tenant and end-user experience but also elevating how we design, build, and deliver new spaces.