Flordia Development Corporation

Mr. Lothan has 35 years of experience in the real estate industry and has been involved in real estate leasing, acquisition and development transactions that total approximately three quarters of a Billion Dollars.

Shai’s experience crosses across various sectors including healthcare, commercial and residential and includes project management, leasing and development.

Mr. Lothan began his career in real estate when he was still in college in Colorado and he continues to develop projects today in Illinois, Colorado and Florida.  What began over fifty years ago as Apex Investment Corporation continues today as Little Village Partners, LLC and the same philosophy for investing in real estate has always remained the same.

Shai’s first major project with Apex Investment Corporation was the Lakehurst Shopping Center 12-screen movie theater complex, developed in conjunction with General Cinemas in 1985.  At the time, it was the largest cinema complex in North America.  Two years later, in 1987, Shai developed a bakery in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois and subsequently developed a strip shopping Center in the same neighborhood – “Pilsen Park Shopping Center”.  This shopping center still exists today, where there once was a stand-alone Zayre’s store there now is a thriving shopping mall including a mini mall, laundromat, health clinic, bakery, two restaurants and a pharmacy.

In 1988, Shai handled the sale of General Cinema/5^th Avenue Movie Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida.  It was through the dealings on this transaction and because of the fortunate circumstances of the broker on the deal (she turned out to be his future mother-in-law) in Florida that Shai met his wife of 25 years.

In early 1990, Shai worked with Supervalu Stores and along with City assistance from Round Lake Beach, Illinois, built a Cub Foods store in a special services district in Round Lake Beach, Illinois.  

On of Shai’s career highlights was creating Regency Homes Custom Builders, Inc. in the Spring of 1992.  He built the Cherry Creek subdivision in Prospect Heights, Illinois, consisting of 32 single-family homes between 3,000-6,000 square feet.  Under the umbrella of Regency Home Builders, he also built a 15-Unit Townhome development in Arlington Heights and built a custom single-family home subdivision in Lake Forest with home sizes of approximately 12,000-13,000 square feet.

From 1995-2005

Shai spent 10 years in real estate management from 1995-2005, for Apex Investment Corporation managing, developing and leasing several Strip Shopping Centers including; Pilsen Park Plaza, Townline Center and Roundlake Commons.  Of note, Shai transacted business with major tenants such as: Jewel/Osco Stores, a Warehouse in California for Hamburger Hamlet, Medtronics, Walgreens and Mitchell Airport

In 2008, Apex Investment Corporation was renamed to Little Village Partners, LLC.  Other than the corporate name, the same core values and management structure of the 50-year old company remain the same.

In 2012, the Greater Waukegan Development Coalition, LLC was formed and Shai Lothan was named Director of Development.  The GWDC is a 501c3 nonprofit economic development organization whose mission is to foster the development of business and real estate.  Shai has directed projects for the GWDC since 2012 including opening The Harbor’s Edge (formerly The Terrace at Siver Place) which was built in Waukegan, Illinois.  This lakefront restaurant and live entertainment venue was the first new business built along the Waukegan lakefront in over 40 years.

Shai purchased his first property for development in Summit County, Colorado in 2015 and in 2016 he worked on a commercial development/remediation of a brownfield site in Villa Park, Illinois.  Also in 2016, he began another large development project when he obtained 1,100 acres in Santa Rosa County, Florida for development of single-family ranchettes – to be named Scarlet Oak.

Mr. Lothan graduated from the University of Denver in 1983 and received his real estate brokers license in Colorado in 1981.