DD Development & Construction
A fully integrated residential development and site construction platform delivering finished lot solutions for the nation’s leading homebuilders.
Explore Our Platform →DD Development & Construction was formed through the partnership of Demeter Properties and Donaldson Grading Inc. The principals first collaborated in 2015 as developer and contractor, successfully delivering multiple projects over the ensuing years.
In 2024, following nearly a decade of proven collaboration, they formalized their partnership to create a vertically integrated development platform—combining institutional development expertise with the operational strength of an established construction enterprise.
Headquartered in the Lake Norman region, DD manages projects across the full development lifecycle: from land acquisition and entitlements through design, permitting, construction, and final disposition.
Deep local intelligence and established relationships across the fastest-growing region in the Southeast.
Strategic presence in high-growth coastal markets across all three states, with curated contractor networks and proven builder relationships in place.
Charlie Donaldson is a Principal of DD Development and Construction and the founder and President of Donaldson Grading Company, which he established in 2003.
With more than two decades of experience in site development and heavy civil construction, Charlie has built Donaldson Grading into a leading regional contractor with more than 160 employees and a fleet of more than 200 pieces of heavy equipment. His experience includes clearing, grading, erosion control, storm drainage, sanitary sewer, water infrastructure, concrete, asphalt paving, and roadway improvements.
Throughout his career, Charlie has led the successful execution of complex residential, commercial, and recreational development projects for national and regional builders and developers. His background gives him a practical understanding of every stage of site development, from raw land through completed infrastructure.
As a Principal, Charlie brings deep operational knowledge, construction experience, and a hands-on approach to the company’s development activities throughout the Carolinas.
Joe Stevens is a North Carolina native from the Triad region who graduated from Western Carolina University in 1995. He began his career in motorsports, working in NASCAR, IndyCar, and other racing series before transitioning into real estate development in 2003. Since then, his career has spanned nearly every facet of residential development, including horizontal and vertical construction and land development.
Over the course of his career, Joe has developed projects throughout the Carolinas, from the North Carolina mountains to the South Carolina coast, as well as internationally in Costa Rica. His experience has included larger residential subdivisions, custom and second-home construction, and large-lot, event-sale-style communities in vacation markets across the Carolinas.
In 2009, Joe founded Demeter Properties, building the company from the ground up and ultimately developing more than 2,000 residential lots across more than a dozen communities, including both traditional for-sale and build-to-rent projects. Through these projects, he has worked with a wide range of leading private, regional, and national homebuilders.
Joe first started working with Donaldson Grading in 2015, beginning a relationship with Charlie Donaldson that continued to grow over the following years. In 2024, Joe and Charlie formed DD Development and Construction, bringing together Joe’s extensive land development experience and Donaldson Grading’s construction capabilities to create a vertically integrated development and site-construction platform.
Chandler Roy is the President of DD’s southeast operations, which serves the coastal markets of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. In this role, he oversees operations, strategic growth initiatives, and the successful execution of residential development projects across the region.
With more than 10 years of experience in the homebuilding industry, Chandler has held a variety of leadership and operational roles with industry-leading builders, including Pulte Group and DRB Group. His experience spans residential construction, land development, and community planning, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the homebuilding process from concept to completion.
Raised in a family of developers, Chandler developed an early appreciation for the development and construction industry. This foundation, combined with his professional experience, has shaped his commitment to building high-quality communities and delivering exceptional results for investors, partners, and builders.
Chandler is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and is dedicated to fostering innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable growth throughout the markets he serves.
Daniel Renckens is the Chief Operating Officer at DD Development & Construction, where he plays a leadership role in the company’s land development operations across the Charlotte metropolitan area and coastal Carolinas markets. As a licensed engineer, Daniel helps lead the firm’s growth by overseeing acquisitions, underwriting, entitlements, development planning, permitting, project execution, and asset disposition.
With more than a decade of experience in real estate development and civil engineering, Daniel has successfully managed projects from initial site selection through final delivery across a variety of asset classes. His background combines technical engineering expertise with a deep understanding of development strategy, financial analysis, risk management and project execution.
Prior to joining DD Development & Construction, Daniel served as Vice President of Development for Canvass Capital, where he was responsible for more than $100 million in self-storage and industrial development projects throughout the Southeast. He previously spent six years with Bohler Engineering, managing a multidisciplinary team and leading residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use projects across the region.
Daniel earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Dianna Moore is a Charlotte native who began her career in the banking industry, where she spent 10 years and ultimately became a Vice President at Bank of America before transitioning into land development.
Dianna has spent the past 20 years in the land development industry, beginning with a Cornelius-based firm involved in large-scale residential subdivisions, custom and second-home construction, and event-style land sales throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
In 2009, Dianna joined Demeter Properties at its inception and helped scale the company alongside Joe Stevens through its growth and evolution into DD Development and Construction in 2024. Throughout her career, Dianna has played an essential role across numerous areas of the business, including human resources, accounting, operations, and marketing.
With a true “boots-on-the-ground” presence in our markets, DD has unique visibility into micro-market dynamics and growth trajectories often missed by outside capital.
Our extensive network of brokers, developers, consultants, builders, and municipal leaders fuels a steady pipeline of organic, off-market opportunities and critical resources for navigating challenges.
DD’s in-house engineering and construction team of nearly 200 professionals ensures transparent pricing, accelerated delivery, and adaptable solutions to overcome physical and financial challenges.
Builders are increasingly prioritizing liquidity and balance-sheet flexibility over maximizing total return. DD is positioned to monetize this shift by assuming development risk and delivering finished lot solutions, capturing the value that builders are leaving behind.
DD strategically focuses on high-growth markets where builder demand for finished lots far outpaces supply. This secular imbalance drives lot premiums as builders maintain their production pipelines.
“We are much closer to the completion of the strategic rework of our operating platform, from being a traditional homebuilder with sizable land assets, to becoming a pure-play land-light asset-light manufacturing model homebuilder that benefits from just-in-time finished home site delivery.”
“We typically acquire finished building lots from various third-party land developers pursuant to fixed price finished lot purchase agreements. We believe that our lot acquisition strategy avoids the financial requirements and risks associated with direct land ownership and land development.”
“We are prioritizing the purchase of finished lots from Forestar and other land developers when possible.”
Prior to project launch, DD undertakes a comprehensive due diligence process—procuring requisite reports, engineering, and permit approvals—eliminating entitlement risk and adding immediate value to the underlying land asset.
Each development is anchored by a fully executed Letter of Intent or Lot Purchase Agreement with a homebuilder, securing disposition terms before construction begins. Builder commitments provide meaningful alignment and downside protection for investors and lenders.
Full engineering and permit approvals secured before construction begins.
Disposition terms locked with a homebuilder before construction begins.
Builder capital commitment provides meaningful downside protection for investors.
Lenders retain first lien deed of trust, with builder in second position.
Nearly 200 in-house engineering and construction professionals deliver comprehensive cost analyses that mitigate budgetary uncertainty.
DD Development & Construction
DD Development & Construction selectively partners with investors, lenders, builders, and landowners in the Charlotte Metro, the Triad Region, and Coastal NC, SC & GA markets.