JEWISHcolorado’s Real Estate & Construction Network (RECN) brings real estate professionals together to meet, network, and learn from the brightest minds in the business—all while building a better Colorado. Sometimes, learning from the best requires a trip outside the state. In late April, 17 members of RECN and JEWISHcolorado staff traveled to meet with their real estate and construction counterparts in Chicago. We talked with RECN Chair Stuart Zall after he returned from the Chicago trip, which included a visit to Secure Community Network (SCN), headquarters of the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America.
Overall, how would you rate this trip?
Each year, these trips get better and better. Our first year, we went to Los Angeles. Last year, we were in Las Vegas, and this year we headed east to Chicago, so I like to say that we are working our way to New York.
Why Chicago?
Chicago has a strong Federation, and we are always looking to model what we do by looking at the best practices of other organizations. There are a tremendous number of developers based in Chicago doing projects around the country. We see Chicago as a city that has sources of capital, creativity, and many ideas that we could adopt in Denver. We might even be able to partner with Chicago developers, and this trip was an opportunity to build relationships with them.
You arrived in Chicago on a Sunday afternoon, so I am going to bet that your first stop was a restaurant. Am I right?
We were headed to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field that night, so we ate “fork-free house-smoked barbecue” nearby at a kosher restaurant called Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed. But the best part of the meal is getting to know new people on the trip, catching up on the personal lives of people you already know, and yes, we did talk some politics. People felt very comfortable, like they were out with a bunch of friends. And I have to say I really enjoyed going to see the Cubs—it was just a great experience.
You went to Chicago to find inspiration for Denver. Where did you start?
On Monday morning, we visited 65 North Wacker Place to see the conversion of a historical office building turned into apartments. This is an issue we have in Denver and something we will be dealing with in the future. We were hosted by Mavrek Development, and we were able to see their work in process and talk about ways they are retrofitting the building with kitchens and bathrooms.
Here was this beautiful old building with historic elevators and truly artistic molding that isn’t even done today. Instead of destroying it, they have found a way to do adaptive reuse. It was refreshing to see how, if done properly, this kind of project can be energy efficient, provide housing, and give new life to an office building.
You also had a chance to go behind the scenes at one of Chicago’s most notable and distinctive new developments.
J.R. Berger, President of Magellan Development Group, gave us a tour of The Residences at the St. Regis. They know how to do things big in Chicago. This is a 101-story building with mixed hotel and residential use, designed by world-renowned architect Jeanne Gang. It offers breathtaking views of the city, the river, and the lake. To go behind the scenes on a project like that—and they let us ask anything we wanted—was really exciting. The amount of capital they needed to invest in this project! It’s really a jewel, and being able to pull something like that off speaks to the real estate players in the Jewish community.
It was just terrific to meet the people who had done this project because it is such a great connection for us. I can now pick up the phone and talk to them because after this trip, they are accessible.
You also had a chance to tour the headquarters of Secure Community Network (SCN), the organization that monitors threats to Jewish safety and security through North America and partners with JEWISHcolorado in the duties of three Regional Safety & Security Advisors.
Yes, we actually had JEWISHcolorado’s Regional Security Advisor Brian Maloney along with us on the trip, and we had a chance to meet and talk with Michael Masters, SCN’s National Director and CEO. He delivered a very impressive presentation about what they are accomplishing as they create a shield for the Jewish community and train communities to protect themselves. On the one hand, it’s disturbing to know that we need such a huge network to protect such a small group of people. On the other hand, it’s refreshing to know that we are taking these issues into our own hands.
We were able to visit their nerve center where they are monitoring threats all around the U.S. They had two chairs on display—one from the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre, damaged by bullets, and one from the Colleyville, Texas, synagogue where hostages fought a gunman by throwing a chair and escaping. SCN had just been in Colleyville one month earlier to train them on how to respond.
What was your main take-away from the visit to SCN?
This is a case where, when JEWISHcolorado asks us to make donations, we know exactly where the money is going and what it is doing. It feels good to know that our dollars are going to something that is, unfortunately, so important. Protecting the Jewish community is a priority for SCN, but protecting the American way of life is their main goal. I walked away feeling proud of JEWISHcolorado and Jewish Federations of North America for taking proactive steps to protect our community.
These trips also offer many opportunities to relax and have fun.
We took a boat ride along the Chicago River with a wonderful docent who offered an excellent history of the city, and we got to see some magnificent architecture. We also definitely didn’t miss a meal. We ate at the famous Billy Goat Tavern, Manny’s Deli, and had dinner at Gibsons, which is a classic Chicago dining experience.
Final take-away from the trip?
None of this would have ever happened—the experiences, connections, education, and interactions—without investment from RECN and JEWISHcolorado. We had a chance to connect with people who are literally and figuratively our cousins. We could spend two days and evenings with people from our community and get to know them on a deeper level. Instead of just having an impression, you really see who they are. I loved it.