Co-Chief Executive Officers – Magellan Development Group LLC
Education/Background:
Joel M. Carlins attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctor of Law degree from DePaul University. James R. Loewenberg has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Work Experience:
Joel M. Carlins – As the driving force in the evolution of Magellan Development Group, Carlins creates urban residences designed with sensitivity to their surrounding neighborhood. His overall supervision of the company’s development group ranges from acquisition of raw land through financing, property development, design and construction. Carlins is a member of the Sigma Delta Chi professional journalism society and is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the Virgin Islands. He has lectured on various topics at several academic institutions as well as numerous real estate and professional organizations, including Real Estate Investment Association, the Illinois Bar Association and the Illinois CPA Society.
James R. Lowenberg – A developer, architect, property manager, marketer and licensed broker, Loewenberg has diverse real estate industry experience. He has directed the development and design of many of Chicago’s successful residential and mixed-use developments. Loewenberg serves as co-chief executive officer of Magellan Development Group, he is the president of Loewenberg Architects, a Chicago-based architecture firm founded in 1919 by his father and uncle, and is chairman of NNP Residential. After graduating in 1957, Loewenberg first established himself in the Chicago architectural industry by designing a host of high-rise apartment buildings along Lake Shore Drive throughout the 1960s. Over time, Loewenberg has designed over 30,000 residential units and 3,500 single-family homes.
Current Projects:
Lakeshore East – A $4 billion lifestyle center that will combine housing, retail, office, hotel facilities and a proposed charter elementary school. The development will border a 6-acre park that combines a large open meadow, water fountains, a children’s playground, a gated dog park, hundreds of trees and ornamental gardens with extensive seating. Perceived as the largest parcel of downtown property under development in any major U.S. city, this new village is situated near the confluence of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River on the New East Side.
Recently Completed Projects:
State Place – A 24-story luxury condominium tower and three 4-story mid-rise buildings extending a full block in the South Loop
Park Alexandria – A 266-unit, 33-story luxury condominium tower located in the West Loop
The Caravel – A 126-unit, 28-story luxury condominium tower featuring only six residences per floor in River North
The Grand Plaza – A two-tower luxury condominium and rental development making up one square block in River North
Park Millennium – A 57-story luxury multi-use facility located in the New East Side
Community Involvement:
Carlins is involved in many charitable and community organizations and has served as a director on the executive boards of several banks. In addition, Carlins created The Ogden School Mentoring Program and Scholarship Fund. Other directorships include Chicago Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and he also recently served as a director of Roosevelt University’s newly-established real estate program.
Loewenberg serves on many civic organizations, including the Urban Land Institute — Multi-Family Housing Council, the Chicago Architecture Foundation — Burnham Society, the Chicago Symphony Orchestral Association and The Economic Club of Chicago. He also has served as president of The Standard Club of Chicago, president of The Jewish Children’s Bureau, Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Committee on People with Disabilities, American Institute of Architects National Housing Committee and secretary and treasurer of AIA’s Chicago chapter. In addition, he led the development of a new program and administrative facility for Chicago Youth Programs.
Awards:
Carlins was honored by the Anti-Defamation League with the 2002 Arthur Rubloff Humanitarian Award. He was also inducted into the Chicago Association of Realtors Hall of Fame in 2007. Both men received the Award of Excellence from the Illinois Real Estate Journal and were named to Crain’s Chicago Business select list of “Chicago’s Power Players” for 2007.