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About Cantera Development Group

Who We Are

In 1989, Doug and Mike Ciserella started Pioneer Engineering and Environmental Services in Chicago. Shortly after opening Pioneer they saw first-hand how difficult it was for owners to obtain closure on environmentally impaired properties. Owners of these properties wanted the liability off their balance sheets, or simply wished to not burden their heirs with legacy environmental problems.

Cantera Development Group was born from the idea of leveraging our expertise in assessing and managing environmental risk to help owners dispose of their environmental liabilities. In 1991, Cantera started to purchase contaminated gas stations and dry cleaners, and over time has purchased larger and more complicated properties.

35

Years Established

50

Properties Repaired

250,000,000

Remediation Work
Cantera Development Group was born from the idea of leveraging our expertise in assessing and managing environmental risk to help owners dispose of their environmental liabilities.

How Can We Help You?

We have successfully leveraged our knowledge of site investigation, remediation, financial/insurance products and real estate development/construction to remediate and redevelop over fifty Brownfield sites. We are extremely proud of our work and have many satisfied clients/former property owners to attest to our honesty and professionalism. In January 2023, Eddie Adler joined Cantera as Director of Business Development.

In addition to our contaminated property experience, we have successfully developed residential subdivisions, mixed-use apartment buildings, industrial buildings, office campuses and logistics/truck parking, cross-docks and repair facilities.

Meet Our Team

Our team is comprised of seasoned professionals with expertise in real estate, finance, and engineering. Together, we work collaboratively to provide innovative solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of our clients and ensure successful outcomes.

Douglas Ciserella, owner of Cantera Development Group and Pioneer Engineering
Founding Partner & Principal

Doug Ciserella

Doug Ciserella is the founding partner and principal of Cantera Development Group and Pioneer Environmental Services.

Doug Ciserella is the founding partner and principal of Cantera Development Group and Pioneer Engineering & Environmental Services. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the firm’s business and its sales and marketing efforts. Doug and his partner also lead the firm’s strategic planning and company’s expansion efforts.

Doug graduated from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale with a degree in Accounting. After earning his CPA and working as an accountant Doug realized accounting was not his passion. He went back to school and earned a BS in Civil / Environmental Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Doug provides his clients the added benefit of understanding the business side of real estate investment and development, which is a direct result of over 20 years of experience in real estate acquisition, construction and development as an owner and developer. In his spare time, Doug enjoys spending time with his family, snow skiing, mountain biking, and hiking.

Founding Partner & Principal

Mike Ciserella

Mike Ciserella is a founding partner and principal of Cantera Development Group and Pioneer Environmental Services, LLC

Mike Ciserella is a founding partner and principal of Cantera Development Group and Pioneer Engineering & Environmental Services, LLC. He is currently responsible for the day-to-day management of the firms business, generation of new business opportunities, and leading the firm’s strategic planning and company’s expansion efforts.

After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mike worked for Shell Oil Company in New Orleans as a petroleum engineer.

Mike provides his clients the added benefit of understanding the business side of real estate investment and development, which is a direct result of over 20 years of experience in real estate acquisition, construction and development as an owner and developer.

He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of Colorado, Illinois, and Indiana. In his spare time, Mike enjoys spending time with his family and German Shepherd dog. When time allows, you will typically find him skiing, biking and hiking.

Eddie Adler is the Director of Business Development for Cantera Development Group, LLC.
Director of Business Development

Eddie Adler

Eddie Adler is the Director of Business Development for Cantera Development Group, LLC.

Eddie Adler is the Director of Business Development for Cantera Development Group, LLC and Pioneer Engineering & Environmental Services, LLC. His responsibilities at Cantera include sourcing development opportunities and negotiating transactions.

Eddie graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Political Science and brings over 30 years of real estate expertise, including development, acquisition, disposition and due diligence knowledge, to his role at Cantera.

Previously, Eddie held the role of EVP at The Missner Group, LLC, overseeing the firm’s real estate development projects from site identification through completion. Additionally, Eddie was responsible for managing the acquisition of real estate properties on behalf of the company, directing the identification, evaluation, and negotiation of deals.

In his spare time, Eddie enjoys cycling, skiing and spending time with his daughters.

Affiliated Companies

Pioneer Engineering and Environmental Services LLC is based in Chicago IL
Innovative Remediation Technologies (IRT) is based in Chicago, IL

Mike and Doug Ciserella are founding partners and principals of Pioneer Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC. Since 1989, Pioneer has consulted and investigated over 30,000 sites – industrial, commercial and residential – across the United States.  Pioneer offers a wide range of environmental consulting and geotechnical engineering services, from initial due diligence through site remediation and regulatory closure.  For over 35 years, Pioneer has consulted with the nation’s top law firms, lending institutions, real estate professionals (investors, developers, owners, brokers, and managers), pension and private equity funds, insurers, REITs, municipal government agencies, and industry regarding environmental risk, acquisition, and redevelopment considerations, and regulatory closure strategies for environmentally-impaired properties. Pioneer is a recognized leader in the environmental consulting industry and is the #1 firm in the state of Illinois in obtaining No Further Remediation Letters (NFR) through the Illinois EPA Site Remediation Program. In Illinois alone Pioneer has successfully obtained closure on over 760 sites through the Illinois SRP and LUST Programs.

IRT has successfully remediated several hundred sites of varying complexity in a multitude of subsurface environments. Each remediation project presents its own challenges and requires a thorough understanding of the contaminant and geologic conditions, as well as practical considerations such as access constraints and physical obstructions. Whether you are addressing petroleum contamination at a service station or DNAPL plume at an industrial complex, IRT will select the most effective remedial approach from a technical and economic perspective. IRT routinely handles sites impacted with the following contaminants:

  • VOCs (volatile organic compounds, including BTEX/MTBE)
  • Chlorinated Solvents (TCE, PCE, etc.)
  • SVOCs (semi-volatile organic compounds including PNAs)
  • herbicides
  • petroleum fuels
  • motor oils
  • kerosene
  • heating oils

What We Do

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Environmental Liability Transfers   ›
Site Remediation & Risk Transfer   ›
Property Development   ›

How We Do It

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Contractual Protections
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Financial Protections

Our Work On Display

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