At the Real Estate Club meeting on October 5, the Graaskamp Center for Real Estate and the Wisconsin Real Estate Club presented Jeff Shapack of Shapack Partners with the Graaskamp Center Innovator Award. Every year, the Innovator Award is awarded to an individual who embodies the spirit of the Wisconsin Real Estate program and its tradition of excellence. Innovators are able to make their aspirations a reality, inspire others to carry the tradition of innovation and create something new and important.
Jeff Shapack is the founder and CEO of Shapack Partners, a real estate development company based in the growing Fulton Market of Chicago. Jeff has been developing in Chicago for almost 25 years, later creating Shapack Partners in 2009. Since then, Shapack Partners have been acquiring and developing projects with innovative and efficient properties such as The Soho House Chicago, The Parker Fulton Market, and 167 Green Street.
Jeff graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1996 and took multiple classes in the real estate program. At the meeting, he highlighted his journey from his time at UW Madison to developing the Fulton Market. He also shared the importance of good neighborhood design, specifically the importance of central social districts and walkability.
Another major point reiterated throughout the presentation was the importance of looking east to inspire city design. Jeff referenced London, Paris, and other major European Cities, as well as New York City as inspiration for many of his developments. He also stressed interpreting the other cities’ designs and applying them to the context of the area you are developing in.
Jeff Shapack showed his innovative nature throughout the entire presentation with his many engaging tangents and stories. One of the last takeaway points was, “Keep the dream alive even when everyone doubts you.” Jeff’s innovative dream shaped the Fulton Market and Chicago, inspiring others to follow the tradition of excellence and innovation of the Wisconsin Real Estate Program.
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