by Rachel Hazzard
October 22, 2025
When people think of Philadelphia’s transformation over the years—bustling commercial corridors, expanding life science hubs, and once-vacant industrial sites now buzzing with business—it’s easy to focus on the bricks, mortar, and skyline changes. But behind the projects that reshape our city is a group of dedicated people working to make it happen.
At PIDC, our Real Estate Services Team is the driving force behind these transformations. They’re planners, problem-solvers, collaborators, and visionaries who share one mission: driving investment and creating a Philadelphia where everyone can thrive.
The Mission Behind the Work
Every project PIDC’s Real Estate Team takes on is rooted in creating opportunity: quality jobs for residents, investment in communities across the city, and economic advancement for all.
From large-scale redevelopments like the Lower Schuylkill Innovation Campus to neighborhood-based projects that activate local corridors, the team balances big-picture thinking with on-the-ground impact.
Meet the Team
Thomas Dalfo
Senior Vice President, Real Estate Services
26 Years at PIDC
Thomas Dalfo leads the Real Estate Services team, setting the direction, policies and objectives for the department. He is the primary connector with the City and Commonwealth’s policymakers, working to drive investment to Philadelphia and create opportunities for all Philadelphians.
Favorite Project: With a quarter century under his belt, choosing just one standout project isn’t easy, but the 2014 effort to attract a $50 million investment by Dietz & Watson is at the top. This major project created a new distribution facility next to the company’s Bridesburg headquarters and manufacturing plant, and from an economic development standpoint, it was a home run.
The team orchestrated a complex series of land and financing transactions that created 200 new jobs and safeguarded 700 existing jobs. The project paved the way for additional industrial transactions that supported another $45 million of investment that retained a Philadelphia-based food distributor. It created a right-of-way for a needed road connection to I-95, and created 10+ acres of open space, including the new Borski Park in Bridesburg.
Angie Fredrickson
Vice President of Real Estate Services
5 Years at PIDC
In her role as VP of Real Estate Services, Angie Fredrickson is focused on the implementation of the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan in the portion of Southwest Philadelphia designated as the “Innovation District.” She’s focused on acquiring, remediating, and preparing sites for resilient future development, with a focus on bringing family-sustaining jobs in innovative industries to residents in Southwest Philadelphia. She also partners with other organizations, City departments, agencies, and community partners on investment, development, and infrastructure improvements to the Innovation District, as a way of attracting investment to the neighborhoods in Southwest Philadelphia.
Favorite Project: Angie has really enjoyed the three-year process she led to select a development partner for our Lower Schuylkill campus. From building a website and marketing campaign and creating a Community Advisory Committee to interviewing developers and negotiating with a potential development partner, she’s learned a great deal, developed a lot of highly transferable skills, and had a great time in the process!
Troy Mandy
Vice President, Real Estate Services
7 Years at PIDC
Troy Mandy manages PIDC owns and sells for economic development outside of The Navy Yard and the Lower Schuylkill, manages many of the City’s high-valued city surplus asset dispositions, and plays the role of a connector helping to strengthen public-private partnerships in the city.
Favorite Project: Troy is especially proud of the PhiDEL program, a scholarship program which offers local students from various backgrounds and experiences a unique opportunity to receive both financial support and hands-on experience in a professional setting that aligns with their major and career aspirations. Launched in 2025 by PIDC with support from Crow Holdings and Colliers, the program demonstrates the tremendous potential for deeper and longer term positive social outcomes in public-private partnerships.
Julia Cohen
Analyst & Project Manager
3 Years at PIDC
As Analyst and Project Manager, Julia Cohen supports the Real Estate Services team’s work on a variety of projects, especially those related to the Lower Schuylkill area of Southwest Philadelphia and brownfields assessment and remediation. She also serves as project manager for our work with SEPTA and the City on the T5 Trolley Modernization program.
Favorite Project: Julia manages our EPA Brownfields Assessment grants, in which we deploy funds to PIDC Lending clients that are looking to acquire commercial or industrial property.
Maryann McCann
GIS Administrator
44 Years at PIDC
The consummate utility player, Maryann McCann’s role has evolved over the decades. Her contributions have focused on modernizing PIDC’s processes ranging from helping PIDC initially adopt desktop computers to leading our adoption of web-based GIS data to help us analyze opportunities and prepare compelling images for internal decisions, clients, and stakeholder organizations.
Favorite Project: Schuylkill River Trail
Jacqueline Shirley
Executive Assistant to the SVP of Real Estate Services
23 Years at PIDC
Jacqueline Shirley is the ‘force multiplier’ for the Real Estate Services team. On paper, she provides the generic-sounding administrative support for the RES team. In practice, Jackie makes sure our professional staff are in the right meetings with the correct attendees at the right time, which is easy to say and challenging to manage. She also makes sure our contracts are approved and our bills are paid on time. And from time to time, she makes sure the RES team (and the rest of PIDC) have a chance to sample one of her delicious baked treats.
Impact in Action
The Real Estate Team’s work can be seen in projects across the city. Just a small sampling of these projects include:
Byberry North Industrial Park
What began as the abandoned Philadelphia State Hospital campus is now a dynamic industrial and residential community—delivering jobs, investment, open space, and long-term economic impact for the city. Through sustained investment and collaboration across decades with the City of Philadelphia, PIDC has helped turn a long-underutilized space into a powerful driver of economic growth in Northeast Philadelphia.
Read MoreThe Lower Schuylkill Innovation Campus
The Lower Schuylkill Innovation Campus (LSIC) encompasses 40 acres across two 20-acre sites within this innovation district. Strategically located near University City, the campus offers a unique blend of urban accessibility and natural beauty. PIDC has made significant strides in preparing the LSIC for development, including environmental assessments, remediation efforts, and infrastructure improvements.
Read MoreEnvironmental Assessments for PIDC Clients
Philadelphia has thousands of acres of Brownfields sites, many located near transit corridors and along the waterfront. To support revitalization, PIDC has leveraged EPA Brownfields Assessment grants to fund environmental assessments for clients conducting due diligence on industrial, commercial, and mixed-use properties citywide. These assessments are required by lenders to manage risk, but the costs can be a barrier for small businesses with limited resources.
Read MoreLooking Ahead
As Philadelphia continues to grow and change, PIDC’s Real Estate Services team is focused on what’s next. How can we build in ways that honor the city’s history while preparing for its future? How do we ensure growth benefits everyone?
These questions drive their work—and inspire the projects that will shape Philadelphia, and provide economic opportunity, for decades to come.
Major Impact in Philadelphia
PIDC’s Real Estate Services team helps catalyze development that creates quality jobs and advances economic growth.