Building Assets that Endure.
North South Partners is a Pittsburgh-based real estate investment and development firm building a portfolio of enduring waterfront assets through disciplined underwriting and long-term partnerships.
Patient Capital. Principled Ownership.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, North South Partners is a vertically integrated real estate investment, development and operating platform. Our roots in Western Pennsylvania have shaped our hands-on approach to ownership, while our investment strategy extends across select markets throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Our approach is grounded in two principles: know your assets deeply and operate them well. We are not passive investors. We invest our own capital, lead development and redevelopment initiatives and directly operate the properties and businesses we acquire through our in-house teams.
When we acquire an asset, we commit to it for the long term. We invest in its facilities, its people and the communities it serves, creating durable value through disciplined execution and operational excellence.
“Waterfront real estate is inherently limited, deeply connected to the communities it serves and difficult, if not impossible, to replicate. We believe marinas are essential pieces of local infrastructure that can create lasting value when they are thoughtfully invested in and operated well.”
How We Invest
Waterfront & Marina Assets
We seek well-located marina and waterfront assets with durable demand, limited competitive supply and meaningful opportunities for improvement. We are particularly drawn to properties where investment in facilities and customer experience can strengthen performance and enhance the asset’s long-term position within its market.
Integrated Ownership & Operations
We acquire properties with the intention of operating and improving them ourselves. Our in-house teams give us direct insight into each asset’s customers and operations, allowing us to make informed decisions and implement improvements efficiently.
A Growing Portfolio of Assets
Our current portfolio is anchored by waterfront and marine assets in Pittsburgh. Each investment reflects our focus on irreplaceable locations and opportunities to create value through hands-on operations and continued investment. As we expand across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, these same principles will guide the growth of our portfolio.
Fox Chapel Yacht Club
Located along Pittsburgh’s Allegheny River, Fox Chapel Yacht Club is a full-service marina and waterfront destination serving the greater Pittsburgh region. The property features 320 wet slips, a fuel dock, a membership-based pool, a riverfront bar and grill and a commercial building with office and retail tenants. It is also home to Fox Chapel Marine, the region’s largest boat dealership and marine service center.
visit foxchapelyc.comSouth Side Marina
Situated along the Monongahela River within SouthSide Works, a thriving mixed-use development, South Side Marina offers 265 wet slips with modern electric and utility pedestals, gated parking, elevator access, restroom and shower facilities and a pump-out station. The marina is steps from the South Side riverfront’s restaurants, shops and entertainment. Transient dockage provides visiting boaters with convenient access to downtown Pittsburgh and destinations throughout the city’s riverfront.
visit SOUTHSIDEMARINA.COMTwo decades in commercial real estate, from Pittsburgh market lead to founder.
Assets under management led at Camp8 Capital, with growth projected past $450 million.
Portfolio exit at Wylie Holdings, grounded in disciplined underwriting.
South Side Marina on the Monongahela River, steps from Pittsburgh's South Side riverfront.
Pittsburgh’s Undervalued Waterfront Opportunity
We are not trading assets. We are building a platform, one property at a time—grounded in Pittsburgh and built to grow beyond it.
North South Partners was founded on the conviction that Pittsburgh’s three-river system represents a long-term infrastructure opportunity that the broader market has not fully recognized. Our acquisitions of Fox Chapel Yacht Club and South Side Marina established the foundation of a deliberate, long-term waterfront investment strategy.
The region’s marina and waterfront infrastructure has not attracted the attention or capital that comparable assets command in coastal markets. Slip counts are constrained, facility quality is uneven and ownership has historically been fragmented. That combination of genuine demand, limited supply and undercapitalized assets is exactly where disciplined investment, and hands-on operations can create durable value.
Pittsburgh sits at the confluence of three navigable rivers: the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio. Few American cities have waterfront infrastructure of this scale running through their urban core, yet much of it has gone underdeveloped for decades.
Pittsburgh is where we established our platform and proved our operating approach. As we expand into select markets throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, we will pursue the same underlying opportunity: irreplaceable waterfront locations where focused investment and operational expertise can unlock their full potential.
Leadership
James M. Scott, III
Jim is the Founder and Managing Partner of North South Partners, a vertically integrated real estate investment, development and operating platform focused on marina and waterfront assets. Under Jim’s leadership, North South Partners acquired Fox Chapel Yacht Club and South Side Marina, comprising 585 wet slips within Pittsburgh’s river systems, and expanded the platform to include Fox Chapel Marine, the region’s largest boat dealership and marine service center.
Jim brings nearly two decades of experience acquiring, developing and operating real estate across a range of property types. Before founding North South Partners, he led acquisitions for Camp8 Capital, helping grow the firm’s portfolio to more than 1,200 residential units and over $250 million in assets under management. He previously held acquisition leadership roles with The Davis Companies and Oxford Development Company, where his work included assembling the land for more than $200 million of development at 3 Crossings 2.0. Jim began his career with Wylie Holdings, acquiring, redeveloping and managing residential and commercial properties throughout Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville and East End neighborhoods.
A Pittsburgh native, Jim lives in Fox Chapel with his wife and three children.
Diane Schafer
Diane Schafer is Vice President of Marine Operations for North South Partners. With more than 40 years at Fox Chapel Yacht Club, Diane brings unmatched institutional knowledge and experience across nearly every aspect of the organization’s marina, dealership and service operations.
Throughout her career, Diane has held a variety of leadership roles, most recently serving as General Manager of Fox Chapel Yacht Club, South Side Marina and Fox Chapel Marine. In her current role, she leads the operations of Fox Chapel Marine, including the dealership, service and parts departments, while also overseeing the accounting functions that support all North South Partners businesses.
John Friday
John is General Manager of Fox Chapel Yacht Club and South Side Marina, overseeing the day-to-day operations of both properties. His responsibilities include dockage, facilities, pool operations, customer service and the overall boater experience across the marina portfolio.
A lifelong resident of O’Hara Township, John’s connection to Fox Chapel Yacht Club began as a child, when his family kept their boat at the original Hidden Harbor marina. He is a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Captain and brings a lifelong passion for boating together with more than 35 years of experience in sales and customer service. Throughout his career, John has focused on building lasting relationships and delivering exceptional customer experiences—an approach he now brings to North South Partners and the boating communities it serves.
Kaylee Ranolph
Kaylee is Marine Operations Coordinator for North South Partners, providing administrative and operational support across the company’s marina, dealership and service departments. Working closely with Diane Schafer and John Friday, she helps coordinate daily operations and maintain a seamless experience for customers across the organization.
Kaylee has been a valued member of the Fox Chapel Marine team for nearly five years. Her experience, attention to detail and familiarity with the company’s customers and operations have made her an integral part of the continued growth of the marine platform.
Contact us
Whether you are a marina or waterfront property owner considering a sale, an investor interested in our platform or an industry professional with an opportunity to share, we would like to hear from you. Tell us how you would like to connect and our team will be in touch.