David R. Nelson, the influential founder and leader of a multidisciplined real estate development company and a longtime ULI member, has passed away at the age of 81.
A respected figure in the real estate industry and his community, Nelson demonstrated a lifelong commitment to both business excellence and positive impact. For more than a half-century, he led a southeast Michigan-based firm that touched nearly all aspects of real estate development across numerous property types, at times serving both third-party clients and its own account.
Nelson was a proud ULI member for more than 40 years. Among many leadership roles, he chaired the Commercial and Retail Development Council (Gold Flight) for three years, and served on the product council until his passing. A member of the ULI Foundation’s Julia Morgan Society, he contributed generously to the Governors Endowment, the Annual Fund, and such vital programs as UrbanPlan and Advisory Services. He also was a founding member of ULI Michigan and served on the district council’s Advisory Board. He was always eager to share his professional experiences and wisdom with others, whether authoring articles and book chapters on real estate development or offering insights at university lectures and ULI meetings.
Nelson graduated from the University of Michigan’s Architecture and Design School in 1965, and from Wayne State University’s Law School in 1968. He founded The Nelson Companies Incorporated in 1970 and served as its president and chief executive officer. The company began with the construction and sale of single-family homes but quickly expanded into real estate development, brokerage, management, and general contracting. Across more than five decades, the Nelson Companies developed single-family homes, multifamily housing communities, shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, churches, temples, schools, and more, with developments in Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, and Hawaii.
Beyond his role as an industry leader, Nelson was passionate and selfless in serving others through philanthropy. In addition to his support for ULI and its mission, he was involved with such organizations as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, and its predecessor the National Conference for Community and Justice. In 2005, he and his wife endowed the David Robert and Sylvia Jean Nelson Foundation for Arts and Letters, with a mission of providing scholarships to talented students in visual, performing, and literary arts.
“Anyone who knew David knew the kindness, passion, and positive spirit he brought to every endeavor,” said Mary Beth Corrigan, ULI co-interim managing director. “We are all grateful for his decades of service and generosity to advance ULI’s mission. His impact will be felt in his community, within ULI, and across the real estate industry for generations to come.”
“ULI was very special to David, and he served in many leadership roles and as a major donor to the Foundation,” said Shannon Sclafani, executive director of ULI Michigan. “His friends and colleagues at ULI will remember him best for his generosity of time and resource, his intelligence and humor, his sense of adventure, and, not least, his extraordinary talent for storytelling.”
“David loved ULI,” said Bobby Taubman, chairman and chief executive officer of The Taubman Company, and a cousin of Nelson’s. “He not only learned over so many years of involvement, he built relationships and loved to mentor others. He participated in many case studies and contributed endlessly. ULI was a very important part of his life.”
Through his passion, generosity, and drive for meaningful impact, David Nelson put ULI’s values and mission into action every day. ULI deeply mourns his passing and remembers with gratitude his many contributions to the Institute and the communities we serve. We send our condolences to his beloved wife of 55 years, Sylvia, their three children and five grandchildren, and the many friends and colleagues whose lives he touched.