Chicago Exclusive Properties:
A Branch of Lakeside Real Estate Ventures
With over 30 years of Brokerage experience, Mr. Kretchmar's career continually encompasses a wide variety of real estate. He is a recognized expert in the field of sales. leasing, management, development and construction. He is quoted regularly in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business, Wall Street Journal and has appeared in Who's Who in Real Estate for the past eight years. Prior to purchasing RE/MAX Alliance, Mr. Kretchmar was the vice president in charge of Coldwell Banker's Water Tower office in Chicago's Magnificent Mile with 52 sales associates under his direction. He was the President of Brokerage Operations at The Habitat Company. He was involved in more than one-quarter of a billion dollars of residential, commercial and investment property.
As senior management of The Habitat Company, he directed a staff that exceeded $100 million in residential brokerage resales each year. He was responsible for the leasing, marketing and advertising for 15 apartment buildings containing 10,500 apartments located in Chicago. Mr. Kretchmar joined The Habitat Company in 1980 as project director for the condominium conversion of 2020 Lincoln Park West and the 540 Lake Shore Drive Condominium Lofts.
Prior to joining The Habitat Company, Mr. Kretchmar was sales manager for First Condominium Developers who developed the $127 million, 2,700 unit condominium complex, Sandburg Village. Under Mr. Kretchmar's guidance, the first 2,100 units were sold in a record 76 days. Prior to converting Sandburg Village, he was employed by American Invesco as a sales manager. He generated sales over $55 million in conversion real estate, including 260 East Chestnut, 2400 and 2626 Lakeview, 400 East Randolph, 4250 Marine Drive and 5701 Sheridan Road.
Mr. Kretchmar is the president and principal shareholder of JFK Enterprises Inc., a Chicago based development corporation whose projects include Hyde Park Commons Townhomes, Indian Village townhomes and parking condominiums on Chicago's Lake Shore Drive, Field Harbor Garage condominiums, Webster Street Commons and the University of Chicago Faculty Housing. As project coordinator for the $7.5 million University of Chicago Faculty Housing Project he was responsible for all phases of construction, financing, and marketing for the 21-unit townhome development. He developed the 44,000 square foot, $4.4 million dollar postal office in Bloomington, Minnesota. He is the owner/developer of the National Weather Station in Chanhassen, Minnesota, a 16,000 square foot, $3.1 million dollar facility. He was the exclusive developer and leasing agent for the China Town Galleria designed by Solomon, Cordwell & Buenz. He served as a development/consultant to TLI Health Care Resources, independent living for senior housing. Development Coordinator for Orland Senior Village, WYE Valley Apartments and Villa Guadalupe all independent living senior housing.
Field Harbor Condominium Parking, 2004-2005, was the first free standing 400 unit condominium parking garage in Downtown Chicago. Mr. Kretchmar, as project director, sold the first 200 units in less than seven months. It was pioneer project for the city of Chicago, and continues to be a prototype for other parking condominiums throughout the nation.
Mr. Kretchmar was the 1992-1997 Secretary and Treasurer of the Chicago Association of Realtors, the fastest growing and one of the largest organizations of real estate associates, brokers, and entrepreneurs in the United States. He is the past President of CONDEX, a Chicago condominium multiple-listing service. He has served on the Board of Directors of the world's largest condominium building at 400 East Randolph (Outer Drive East). He is past President of Powdermill Inn Hotel Condominium Association located in Ironwood, Michigan. He is an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity International, worked on Voc Hungary "Blitz Build" of 10 homes and has worked shoulder to shoulder with President Carter building homes in Eagle Butte S.D. on Locate Indian reservation and is sponsor of Habitat for Humanity projects in Chicago. Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Alliance, 1999-2005, directed a staff of over sixty five sales associates, in Lincoln Park, Skokie, and Downtown Chicago; and simultaneously expands and already successful career and reputation in the real estate industry.
As Owner/Developer of Chestnut Ridge Townhomes, 126 unit townhome development located in Tinley Park, IL, Mr. Kretchmar developed 25 acres into one of the premier townhome communities in Tinley Park.
Current Owner of Chicago Exclusive Properties, with offices at 400 E. Randolph. Mr. Kretchmar is currently working on Harbour Town Condominiums, located in Noblesville Indiana on the Morse Reservoir. The acquisition of 204 rental units that were thirty years old was a complete redevelopment from rental to condominium. The project is a $97 million dollar development consisting of 325 condominium units and 220 dockominiums. The development consists of six residential buildings totally constructed of architectural pre-cast concrete and represents the most technologically advanced buildings in the metropolitan Indianapolis area.