Crayton Advisors is a privately held, full-service real estate investment, development and management firm. Crayton has established a reputation for inspired execution of new development venture opportunities and successful redevelopment of value-add properties by sourcing sound assets in target markets.
At our core, Crayton values strength, style and adaptability, and is aimed towards creating spaces focused on elevated and exceptional user experience. We are committed to excellence, differentiated by design, and are proud to continue our history of innovation and integration as we lead our clients into a new era of commercial real estate and continue to create unique opportunities for our investors in asset classes that were previously reserved for only institutions and high net worth individuals.
Our firm has managed assets in excess of $3 billion on behalf of our partners and clients, and secured capital commitments across a series of investment platforms. Our partners have included leading state and corporate pension funds, private foundations, major institutions and family holdings. We co-invest side-by-side with our capital partners, managing our partners’ capital as if it were our own.
Where ExperienCE Meets Expertise
Our Team
john abell
Managing Partner
John is the founder and managing partner of the firm. With over 30 years in the real estate industry, he oversees all activities of Crayton with a focus on investments (acquisition and development), capital markets, and asset management.
sebastian grisoni
Senior Vice President
Sebastian Grisoni joined Crayton Advisors in 2022, and serves as Senior Vice President and Head of Asset Management. Sebastian’s responsibilities include joint oversight of all company operations including Crayton Management and Crayton Construction, staffing, financial and marketing activities, as well as acquisitions and development. Mr. Grisoni has more than twenty-two years of real estate industry experience in asset management, portfolio management, acquisitions, and dispositions. Prior to joining Crayton, Mr. Grisoni served as Vice President for Stockbridge Capital Group where he was responsible for the direct oversight and asset management of a $1 billion portfolio across multiple property types in various markets in the Central and Southern United States. Formerly, he served as a Portfolio Manager with Kimco Realty Corporation where he was responsible for oversight and management of its $1 billion Structured Investments portfolio across all property types nationwide. Mr. Grisoni previously held positions with Covington Realty Partners, Equity Office Properties Trust, and LaSalle Investment Management. Mr. Grisoni received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan.
jeff krol
Vice President & Principal
Crayton Construction
Jeff Krol joined Crayton Management in 2016, and serves as a Principal and Vice President of Crayton Construction Group. Jeff is responsible for the oversight of capital and tenant improvement projects and new building construction projects for the firm’s portfolio. Mr. Krol provides program, budget, due diligence, design, and construction management expertise for Crayton transactions; oversees the successful completion of development and renovation projects; and supports the firm’s improvement project activities. With over 16 years of construction related experience, Mr. Krol has been involved in complex projects across several different markets and property types and understands the associated planning, management and construction complexities that will ensure a successful partnership of all stakeholders. Prior to joining Crayton, Jeff worked for CBRE, with extensive expertise in preconstruction/estimating/planning and project management. Mr. Krol earned his bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from the University of Cincinnati.
danielle smith
Vice President
Crayton Management
Danielle Smith joined Crayton Management, the property management arm for Crayton Advisors, in 2021, and serves as Vice President of Property Management. Danielle oversees all real estate management operations for the firm’s commercial properties in Chicago, in addition to establishing the company’s operating policies and procedures, and overseeing client relations and financial activities for Crayton. Prior to joining the Crayton team, Danielle established her career in the San Francisco Bay Area managing a 3M SF Class AAA portfolio in the Silicon Valley for SteelWave, and has served high profile, forward-build tenants such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Polycom, McAfee, Bill.com, Robert Half and Flextronics to name a few. More recently in Chicago, she worked as a Commercial Property Manager for Onni Group, managing over 400k SF including 550 W. Van Buren, as well as the commercial and retail aspects of five different mixed-use buildings. Ms. Smith received her BA in English Literature from Loyola Marymount University.