Victor MacFarlane to Resume CEO and Head of Investments Roles – Partnership Behind $2.3 Billion Freedom West 2.0 Leads to Next Generation of Impact-Driven Investment Management
“I look forward to continuing our collaboration on Freedom West and supporting Landon’s vision for scaling LegacyFirst,” said Victor MacFarlane.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, November 13, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — MacFarlane Partners, a leading real estate investment management and development firm specializing in urban properties, today announced the strategic spinout of LegacyFirst, a vertically integrated commercial real estate investment and services company founded by Landon Taylor. LegacyFirst was created to help client partners transform their real estate assets into engines of economic prosperity across major U.S. gateway cities. Details of the LegacyFirst launch will be forthcoming.
“Over the past six years, Landon and I have built a trusted partnership working on transformative, high-impact projects such as Freedom West 2.0,” said Victor MacFarlane, Founder and CEO of MacFarlane Partners. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and look forward to continuing our collaboration—both by bringing in a more focused expertise to the company’s investments while continuing to work together on Freedom West and supporting Landon’s vision for scaling LegacyFirst.”
Landon joined Victor at MacFarlane Partners in 2022 as CEO of its Investment Management Group, where the two have worked closely on Freedom West 2.0, a $2.3 billion revitalization of four city blocks in San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District—home to the largest housing cooperative in the western United States.
The spinout of LegacyFirst represents the latest example in a long tradition of entrepreneurial leaders emerging from the MacFarlane Partners platform. Over his 47-year career, Victor has mentored and sponsored numerous executives who went on to launch and grow successful institutional-grade investment and development companies. Notable leaders include:
• Jair Lynch, President & CEO of Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, who grew his firm as part of MacFarlane Partners’ Emerging Managers program.
• John Green, Co-Founder and Principal of Blackstar Stability, where Toks Ladejobi also serves as Principal, Investments.
• Lorenzo Brooks, Founder of Apiary.
• Bryant Sparkman, President & Managing Principal at Century | Urban, alongside Managing Principal Leo Ma.
• Francis Abrao, Co-Founder and Partner at Sahara Investment Group.
“It has been an honor to work with and learn from Victor MacFarlane,” said Landon Taylor, CEO of LegacyFirst. “I look forward to having even greater impact together as architects of prosperity for the client partners who entrust us with their legacy.”
Under Victor’s leadership, MacFarlane Partners pioneered institutional investment in urban markets, beginning with his groundbreaking 1996 joint venture with Magic Johnson—the first of its kind dedicated to investing in urban communities. His commitment to community-building and mentorship has become a cornerstone of his professional legacy.
Today, MacFarlane Partners continues to invest in and develop transformational projects, including Freedom West 2.0 in San Francisco and Mandela Station in Oakland. The firm will continue operating under its established investment strategy and operational structure with Victor resuming his role as CEO and head of investments to guide the diligent execution of the firm’s investment funds as investor outcomes remains a priority.
“In this chapter of my career, I am creating ventures and partnerships that generate lasting, multigenerational impact,” added MacFarlane. “LegacyFirst exemplifies that spirit—building on our shared mission to invest in the economic transformation of communities and people in ways that leave a meaningful legacy.”
A prime example of Victor’s focus will be the successful completion of Freedom West 2.0, the $2.3B+ revitalization of four city blocks in the historic Fillmore District which aims to:
• save 1,000+ existing residents from displacement
• restore the Fillmore’s legacy as a center of culture, entrepreneurship, and innovation
• build a national model for equitable urban revitalization—combining mixed income housing, a STEM Entrepreneurship & AI Innovation Center, arts and cultural spaces, senior wellness residences, and vibrant local business corridors
• prove that cities can grow without displacement—creating shared prosperity for residents and the region
LegacyFirst will leverage the success of the Freedom West 2.0 model while scaling its vertically integrated investment management and CRE services platform. LegacyFirst partners with corporations, municipalities, family offices, and select institutional investors to realize economic prosperity and generational wealth creation in key U.S. gateway cities. Victor has joined the company as a minority investor and member of its Advisory Board.
About MacFarlane Partners
MacFarlane Partners is a real estate investment management and development firm that acquires, develops and manages properties on behalf of some of the world’s largest pension plans and institutions. Founded in 1987, the firm pioneered the urban investment concept among institutional real estate investment managers in the 1990s and today is a leading investor and developer of properties that promote smart growth, urban revitalization and sustainability in urban and high-density suburban areas nationwide. It is headquartered in San Francisco and operates regional offices in Los Angeles and Seattle. For additional information, visit Macfarlane Partners.
About Legacy First
LegacyFirst is a vertically integrated investment management and commercial real estate services firm focused on partnering with family offices, corporations, civic institutions, large nonprofits, and select institutional investors to transform underutilized commercial real estate into high-performing, mission-aligned assets. The firm specializes in unlocking embedded value through institutional-grade strategy and execution. Learn more at LegacyFirst.
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