Recent Assignments and Activities
at James Kaplan Companies, LLC

• Jim conceived and helped the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) plan a new seminar titled "Retail Real Estate for Economic Development Officials". The seminar made its national debut in Chicago in October of 2008 and will be “rolled out” to other major market cities in 2009 and beyond.
• Jim Kaplan was retained as a consultant to a major Chicago based financial institution to provide expert testimony and advocacy before a north suburban plan commission and city council with respect to the feasibility and impact of a proposed wealth management and retail services office.
  
• Jim recently addressed a gathering of over 100 economic development officials at the Annual Conference of the Illinois Development Council. The presentation addressed "Retail Development as Economic Development.”
  
• A major Shopping Center REIT retained Jim as a development consultant, charged with initial coordination and planning, including interaction with the municipality, for a 500,000 square foot “Neighborhub”-Lifestyle Center in a suburban area outside of Dayton, Ohio.
  
• Jim served on an advisory committee working on an informational booklet addressing economic development with an emphasis on retail property development. The workbook was a joint effort between the Metropolitan Planning Council and The International Council of Shopping Centers, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and Campaign for Sensible Growth.
  
• The city of Broadview, Illinois has retained Jim as a consultant to assist them with developing and implementing strategies related to existing and planned new retail and mixed use developments