Meet The President
Kenneth B. Pearl, the original developer of the River North area in Chicago, founded City Properties Corporation in 1970, as its President. With over 45 years of experience in the commercial Real Estate industry, Mr. Pearl has played a very important role in the revitalization of the Chicago River North area and has received numerous peer, industry, local and national awards for his highly acclaimed properties.
Having completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree, he then enrolled at Chicago’s De Paul University and received his Jurist Doctorate degree in 1968 from De Paul’s School of Law. He is presently a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, a founding member of the River North Association, The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association and the Oak Street Council. Rather than following a career in law, Mr. Pearl chose Real Estate and has been actively engaged in the purchase, renovation, marketing and leasing and management of individual commercial properties located primarily in Chicago’s near north area and presently known as River North. These locations include:
- 46 East Oak Street
- 57 East Oak Street (Pearl Lampert Estate Jewelry – A Division of Lester Lampert Jewelry)
- 22 West Erie Street
- 708 North Dearborn Street
- 222 West Ontario Street (Interior Design Award, River North Association)
- 10 West Hubbard Street
- 152 West Huron Street
- 62 West Huron Street (Office condominium property)
- 636 North Orleans Street
- 658-600 North Wells Street (Hooters Restaurant)
- 1216 North LaSalle Street (private residences)
- 505 North LaSalle Street (Metropolitan Chicago Masonry Council Award for Excellence in Masonry)
In recent years, this portfolio of commercial Real Estate holdings has expanded to include industrial/warehouse properties and single-family residential homes outside of the River North area and now reach to the near South side, the Halsted River Triangle, Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Wicker Park and the 6 corners neighborhoods as follows:
- 1658 North Milwaukee Avenue
- 2617 South Wabash Avenue
- 2520-28 South Wabash Avenue
- 2640-2700 South Michigan Avenue
- 1440 North Dayton Street (The Neighborhood Betterment Award)
- 4842-48 W. Irving Park
- 4900-4910 W. Irving Park
- 4936-4950 W. Irving Park
- 2600 S. Michigan Avenue
In addition to his business ventures, he also found the time to purchase and renovate two beautiful homes in the Northern suburbs of Illinois where he resides with his wife Susan and together they raised three lovely daughters, Melissa, Maggie and Nicole. He is also the proud grandfather of nine.