Plesset Management & Development History
Plesset Management & Development, PMD, was founded by Jonathan Plesset in 1997. Since its inception, PMD has evolved from a Dotcom technology startup, to a real estate management and development company. Over the years one common theme has endured. Offer quality products and services while doing good for the community.
PMD’s first company was a startup in 1997 called Halo Technologies. Halo specialized in application development and information architecture. With clients like Pepsi, Western Union, and the University of Pittsburgh, Halo was at the forefront of the internet revolution sweeping through businesses everywhere. For the next few years Halo saw its business grow along with the Dotcom boom. In 2000 PMD exited the business to transition into real estate and asset management with its first endeavor, Shadyside Inn.
Shadyside Inn All Suites Hotel was a 120 unit extended stay hotel located in the upscale Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The hotel featured furnished apartment suites which had all the amenities of a hotel but with the convenience of a ready made home. Over the years the hotel hosted guests ranging from incoming professors, relocating families, hospital patients, a man who walked on the moon, and countless movie stars including a few Oscar winners. PMD oversaw the day to day operation of the hotel and led it through a period of growth that saw net revenue triple. Along with Shadyside Inn, PMD owned and operated Noble Towers. NT is a 133 unit apartment community that offers affordable housing to the elderly and disabled. The property is constantly recognized as one of the best affordable housing communities in Pittsburgh.
While PMD enjoyed success in the business world the desire to help the community led the firm to becoming a founder in an animal rescue charity. In 2012 Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team, PAART, was created and officially given 501(c)(3) charity status. From there the organization spread out to offer free transportation of at risk animals both on the ground and in the air. In 2020 PAART changed its name to No Dog Left Behind. Since its inception NDLB has helped give a second chance to over 14,000 animals in the easter half of the United States. PMD co-founded the organization and helps run the day to day operation. To date PMD has flown hundreds of rescue flights for the organization.
In June of 2020, after 35 years in business, Shadyside Inn All Suites Hotel closed its doors due to COVID. By July the hotel was transformed by PMD into Shadyside At Home Apartments. Six weeks after pulling the plug all 120 suites were rented out as long term unfurnished apartments. While COVID presented an insurmountable obstacle it proved again that the will of an entrepreneur can make the impossible, possible. The pivot from Hotel to Apartment community was case study in turning lemons into lemonade.
