PROJECT EXPERIENCE

The following is a representative listing of projects administrated by James Kaplan, CRX, CSM, during the
course of his career.

STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY 2575 Ogden Avenue (at Eola Road) Aurora, IL. Solely structured and developed a 1925 square-foot freestanding building with drive-thru for America's favorite purveyor of caffeine.

RANDHURST CROSSING Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Responsible for the development, leasing and property management, and coordination of the eventual sale of a 17,700 square foot specialty/convenience retail center, tenanted by Starbucks Coffee, Boston Market, The Haircuttery, ATI Physical Therapy, Regis,  and other local and regional users. Retained as an advisor to new ownership to arrange for assimilation of the property into their portfolio, and as a consultant for leasing and operational issues.

ABN AMRO PORTFOLIO PURCHASE. Formed KAP-SUM Properties, LLC, an investment vehicle structured to acquire, operate, re-develop and ultimately dispose of eight branch bank properties acquired in 1999. During this period, assumed single source responsibility for all aspects of the investment, highlighted by the immediate, “as-is” sale of four facilities to other financial institutions, the sale of a facility for remodel into a McDonald’s restaurant, complete renovation of a 9,800 square foot facility into mullet-tenant retail occupied by a division of Walgreens, and the complete redevelopment of a regional facility into a 17,000 square foot specialty retail center. Private equity investors in the project received a sheltered cash on cash return in the mid-teens over the period of the investment.

ONE MILWAUKEE PLACE SHOPS Wheeling, Illinois. Structured an investment affiliate to acquire and operate as asset manager and general partner a 6,700 square foot retail development tenanted by local and regional users. Acting as asset manager and general partner, arranged a lease with U.S. Cellular, a national provider of wireless telephone services, for 27% of the project at a rental rate 39% higher than the previous user. Subsequently entered into a loan re-write with the existing mortgage lender, providing for a five year extension of the loan with an interest rate 125 bps lower than the originally structured loan. (Ongoing since 2000—asset sold in 2011)

DOWIE COMMONS SHOPPING CENTER Zion, Illinois. Acting as asset manager and developer, initiated and completed development of the 7,400 square foot, five tenant first phase of a 1.1 acre retail development anchored by Allied Domecq QSR (Baskin Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts, and shadow anchored by Great Lakes Credit Union.  As part of the development process, administered and completed a major environmental cleanup process, and arranged for county and local municipal entitlement funding and credits. (Sold in 2021)

LaVAZZA COFFEE GROUND LEASE Aurora, Illinois. Acting as asset manager and general partner for a 30,000 square
foot land parcel adjacent to a BP AMOCO/McDONALD’S RESTAURANT combo facility, arranged a long term lease
with PREMIUM ESPRESSO (a LaVazza company) and Millennium Venture Group for development of a drive-thru coffee store. Subsequently structured permanent financing. (2002–2007)

CATON CROSSING TOWNE SQUARE Joliet, Illinois. Structured an investment affiliate to acquire and operate as asset manager and general partner a 6,400 square foot retail development originally anchored by Blockbuster Video. When Blockbuster vacated in 2011 due to bankruptcy filing, coordinated a complete remodeling of the shopping center and leasing to Dunkin’ Donuts, along with the creation of 3,400 square feet of newly remodeled, high visibility retail space.  (Sold in 2020)

LIBERTY PLAZA Matteson, Illinois. Structured an investment affiliate to acquire for redevelopment and operate as asset manager and general partner a 65,000 square foot community/specialty shopping center located on the periphery of a regional mall. A joint venture with Joseph Freed & Associates (Ongoing since 1997)

WEATHERWAY PLAZA Schaumburg, Illinois. Retained
by Country Life Insurance Company (as lender in possession) to serve as receiver, and, upon obtaining title, coordinate
re-development, leasing, and management activities for a 38,000 square foot neighborhood convenience shopping center. (1995–1996)

PLAZA VERDE (PHASE TWO) Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Retained by Country Life Insurance Company (as lender in possession) to coordinate re-development, leasing and management activities for 51,700 square feet of service, retail, and professional office space. (1993–1996)

CAPTAIN’S WALK SHOPS Chicago, Illinois. Appointed by Mutual Trust Life Insurance Company (as lender in possession) to coordinate re-development, leasing and management activities for 33,000 square feet of service, convenience retail, and professional office space located within a two building, nine hundred unit condominium development. (1991–1996)

1800 NORTH CLYBOURN Chicago, Illinois. Appointed as receiver in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, at the request of the mortgagee, Security Pacific National Bank/Bank of America, assuming responsibility for all aspects of operations for a 160,000 square foot specialty retail and entertainment complex. (1991–1993)

FORD CITY EAST Chicago, Illinois. Coordinated pre-development leasing activities for Equity Properties and Development Company, marketing a 41,000 square foot specialty/convenience center located on the periphery of a 1.9 Million square foot super-regional mall and power strip. (1990-91)

QUENTIN CORNERS Palatine, Illinois. Coordinated pre-development leasing activities for Dallas, Texas based Vantage Companies involving a 42,500 square foot neighborhood specialty center. (1987–88) Structured joint venture acquisition with a major foreign bank (1990) and, as asset manager overseeing leasing and management activities, brought property to 94% occupancy within five years. Arranged permanent financing to acquire partner interests (1996). Disposed of center in 1998.

GOLF POINT PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER Schaumburg, Illinois. Coordinated leasing and management activities for private ownership prior to "flip" sale to publicly held real estate fund. Within a ten month period, implemented numerous strategies which brought occupancy to 94% at the time of sale, while substantially reducing receivables and increasing cash flow and NOI. (1986–89)

BIGSBY & KRUTHERS/ON THE PARK Chicago, Illinois. Served as Co-developer and coordinated leasing and management activities for the conversion of a 100 year old furniture storage warehouse into a high end, fashion oriented specialty and entertainment complex located in the fashionable Lincoln Park area. (1981–1996) Solely initiated and structured a disposition of the property upon closing of the anchor store. (2000)

NORTHLAND PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER DeKalb, Illinois. Coordinated leasing and management programs for United Insurance Company of America. Upon completion of a highest and best use study, which concluded that the highest and best use for the property was not consistent with ownership’s investment criteria, solely structured a sale of the property to Leo Eisenberg and Company (at the time, one of the country’s largest operators of strip shopping centers) and assisted in securing government backed acquisition and rehab financing. (1981–84) Initiated and contracted to purchase the property for renovation, ultimately assigning the rights to purchase to a major midwest based developer/redeveloper of retail properties. (1999–2000)

THE FRANKLIN MALL Franklin Park, Illinois. Served as receiver and coordinated leasing and management programs for The Travelers Insurance Company, through their Chicago area servicing agent, Republic Realty Mortgage Company (predecessor to GMAC Finance Company). (1981–83)

WOODLAND HEIGHTS SHOPPING CENTER Streamwood, Illinois. Served as receiver and management agent appointed by the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois (1981–83) Coordinated leasing strategies for subsequent private ownership in 1986 and 1993.

WILLOW PARK PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER Prospect Heights, Illinois. Coordinated leasing and management activities for REIT Ownership prior to acquisition (through forced divestiture) by First National Bank of Chicago. Served as advisor to First National during sale to private ownership. (1976–77)

LYNN PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER Wheeling, Illinois. Coordination of leasing and management activities for a 95,000 square foot community shopping center, representing the interests of institutional ownership during "workout" phase. Solely structured sale to private ownership in 1978, continuing in the same capacities. Arranged for major tenant leases and renewals, including Walgreen Drugs, Radio Shack, Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors, Volume Shoe Corporation, BoRic’s Hair Care, and Jenny Craig Weight Loss Centers. Coordinated major renovation of facade and common areas in 1986–87. (1977–1996)

PIPERS ALLEY MALL Chicago, Illinois. Participation as leasing agent and consultant to ownership during the pre-development stage up to occupancy of initial tenants, which included Dominick’s Finer Foods, Walgreen Drugs, plus approximately 8,000 square feet of small tenants. (1977–79)