A Chattanooga commercial real estate firm is sharpening its focus on three areas where it sees new growth.

Sperry Van Ness/Elder Healy Commercial has added personnel working on the retail leasing, senior housing and self-storage areas.

“Sperry Van Ness is a proponent of specialization,” said John Healy, a partner in the firm.

Sperry Van Ness, one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate investment brokerage firms, expanded into Chattanooga last year and affiliated with Elder Healy & Co.

Jeff Davenport has joined the firm locally on the retail leasing side of the business.

“That’s my whole background,” he said, having worked for CBL & Associates Properties Inc. and Wolford Development, both locally based shopping center developers and operators.

He said he is leasing space in developments as well as representing tenants trying to find locations.

One of his clients is the Waterside Lifestyle Center mixed-use development in East Brainerd, Mr. Davenport said.

Appliance store hhgregg opened recently at Waterside, which will have retail, office, hotels, restaurants and residential units once it’s completed.

“We’ve been working on the marketing campaign and getting all that material together,” Mr. Davenport said. “We’re looking at upscale restaurants and retailers not currently in the Chattanooga market.”

Meanwhile, Gregsby Gibbs with the firm is focusing efforts on the senior housing and self-storage areas.

“Our role is to help people sell or buy” the full developments, he said. “Joining Sperry Van Ness focuses our eye on specific opportunities.”

Partner George Elder said the moves by the firm makes it more able to meet the needs of potential clients.

“It makes our company a better company,” he said.

He said affiliating with Sperry Van Ness has given his firm access to what is like a national multiple listing service for commercial properties.