Mission

To shape places that celebrate and serve their communities.

Civic Group creates best-in-class spaces that are always community informed, beautifully made, and sustainably built. We never sacrifice on quality or design, because we believe everyone should have access to beauty, no matter their income, status, or situation.

To achieve this standard, we approach every step of the process with an open mind, from how a space is designed to how a deal is structured. Most importantly, we work in lockstep with the community to make sure each project reflects its needs and values.

Once the vision is set, we carry the project through from conception to completion to ensure that what is built is an asset to the community and profitable to investors. Such a broad undertaking often requires innovating new ways forward to get things done—it’s our favorite part of the process.

Civic Group was founded in 2017 by Chris Mfume as CLD Partners. Over the past decade Civic’s principals have executed on transactions representing over $600M and 1 million square feet of real estate.

Public-Minded Development

We believe the profession of development is by definition a public task and therefore should show responsibility and accountability towards societal themes and public impact. That’s why in each project we design and engineer with public values in mind, whether we are working on urban plans, residential buildings, university buildings or museums.

At the heart of a development project is the community it serves. We must consider the users’ needs and preferences while maintaining the design’s integrity. Public spaces should be accessible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing, creating an inviting atmosphere for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Core Values

From deal to delivery, Civic champions these six core values, which guide our process.

Integrity

We approach every aspect of the development process with the highest of standards. That means following through on what we promise and always doing right by the people we serve, even when no one’s watching.

Execution

We have no tolerance for the status quo. Instead, we work to always exceed expectations, setting the bar even higher for each project to come.

Innovation

We view every challenge as an opportunity, which leads us to more creative solutions and is reflected in our portfolio’s diverse range of products.

Sustainability

For us, sustainability is more than a buzzword—it’s the ruler we measure every decision by, whether rental rates or building materials.

Responsibility

When people are your purpose, it’s imperative that you make decisions that support their wellbeing. We act accordingly.

Entrepreneurship

Our nimble size allows us to be quick to pursue opportunities and support our partners, both public and private.

Services

We believe in the power of a dedicated group of people acting on behalf of the greater good. Here are a few of the ways we do it.

Learn More

Development

Acquisitions

Affordable Housing

Third-Party Development Services

Public-Private Partnerships

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Team

Our purpose is our people, and that includes the team that works day in and day out to deliver on behalf of our residents, clients, and partners.

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Christopher Mfume founded The Civic Group, a real estate investment, development, and advisory firm focused on the Mid-Atlantic. The Civic Group creates best-in-class spaces that are community informed, thoughtfully designed, sustainably built, and attainably priced. As the Managing Partner, Christopher Mfume is responsible for leading all development and investment activities and guiding the firmʼs projects through inception to completion.

Prior to founding Civic, Mr. Mfume worked for Beatty Development Group, a real estate development firm focused on large scale mixed-use projects where he had active roles in over $500 million in real estate investment and development.

Mr. Mfume is committed to improving communities through the development of innovative and sustainable projects. He holds a B.A. from Wake Forest University and serves on the board of several non-profits and community initiatives including the UMB Cure Scholars, and The Baltimore Hotel Corporation. He is also a member of The Housing Association for Non-profit Developers (HAND) focused on the production and preservation of affordable housing in the Capitol Region, AAREP DC, and the Urban Land Institute.

Grant Ringelman

Development Manager

Grant Ringelman

Development Manager

Grant Ringelman is a Development Manager for The Civic Group. As a Development Manager, Grant is responsible for supporting the design, entitlement, construction, and delivery of the firm’s real estate projects.

Prior to Civic, Grant gained industry experience as an analyst for an international development firm and as a project engineer for a commercial construction company. Prior to that, Grant served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army.

Grant graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2016 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a LEED Green Associate and a participating member of the Urban Land Institute’s Baltimore chapter.

In his free time, he enjoys running, recreating in the outdoors, and spending time with his friends and family.

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Christopher Mfume

Founder and Managing Partner

Grant Ringelman

Development Manager

Grant Ringelman

Development Manager

In his free time, he enjoys running, recreating in the outdoors, and spending time with his friends and family.

Careers

Interest in joining our team? We're always looking for talented people, especially for the current openings linked here.

No current openings at this time.
But we’re always open to talk with talented people.