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Recognizing Kahn and Company Real Estate on the occasion of celebrating their 100th Anniversary.
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WHEREAS, Kahn and Company is a full-service Real Estate Brokerage firm that also actively invests in and develops commercial real estate within a fifty-mile radius of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Kahn and Company invests and develops neighborhood and regional shopping centers, free-standing retail commercial sites, and long-term leased industrial and office buildings; and
WHEREAS, In 1909, Jacob Kahn founded the business by building and developing automobile dealerships along Chestnut Street and Broad Street, which became Philadelphia's original car shoppers' corridors; and
WHEREAS, Possessing a great enthusiasm for building and developing land into something profitable and useful for the demands of the marketplace, Jacob Kahn expanded his development portfolio to include low-rise urban office buildings, highlighted by the Bell Telephone Building constructed at the corner of 19th and Arch Streets; and
WHEREAS, Shortly after serving in World War I, Jacob's son, Charles, entered the family business. Expanding on the success of his father and seeking to meet the needs of the thrilling world of the automobile industry, Charles worked through the 1920's and 1930's establishing relationships with international oil companies including Texaco, Gulf, Sinclair, and later, Shell Oil; and
WHEREAS, All of these companies shared the priority of penetrating the sprawling Metropolitan Philadelphia marketplace and establishing a circuit of selectively positioned high-profile corner gas stations; and
WHEREAS, Charles Kahn was blessed with the resources and knowledge to serve these requirements, and Charles' integral relationships with oil company executives soon blossomed and led him to develop over 200 gas station sites within a 75 mile radius of downtown Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The Company's development base grew as retail companies such as A & P Grocery Stores, Sears, and Woolworth entrusted The Kahns with the construction, management, and ownership of several of their retail stores throughout the Delaware Valley; and
WHEREAS, Charles Kahn was also sparked by the excitement of the motion picture industry, and subsequently built and leased three Philadelphia area theatres for the Stanley Warner chain, while acquiring and remodeling two other theatre houses in the suburbs; and
WHEREAS, After serving in the Marine Corps during World War II, Charles Jr. entered the third generation family business. Charles Jr. continued to enhance the valued development and management relationships with the company's client base of oil companies, while noticing another pastime beginning to radically change the weekend culture of America: The Drive-In Movie Theatre; and
WHEREAS, Charles Kahn Jr. scoured the suburban countryside, identifying and developing vacant fields into silver screen entertainment venues, which turned into popular destinations that bustled with weekend traffic anxiously awaiting the debut of Hollywood's latest extravaganza; and
WHEREAS, Charles Kahn Jr. made the focused decision to bring the family business into the brokerage arena, creating the opportunity to bring the two God-given commodities of land and people together for each one's highest and best use; and
WHEREAS, Charles Kahn Jr.'s overriding desire to give back to the community led him to serve numerous philanthropic organizations in meeting their acquisition, expansion, and disposition activities. His wife Barbara secured her own Brokerage license and entered the business in the mid-1970's lending her busy husband assistance where needed; and
WHEREAS, In 1982-1983, Charles Jr. and Barbara's sons, Jim and Jeff joined Kahn and Company, thereby establishing the firm as one of Philadelphia's few fourth generation family businesses. The two brothers sought to grow the brokerage business by expanding the client base of retail, commercial, office, industrial, and institutional business throughout Philadelphia, the surrounding suburban counties, and Southern New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, Charles Jr.'s involvement and expertise with gasoline service stations, movie theatres, low-rise office buildings and institutional organizations, combined with his willingness to mentor his sons, allowed the sons to 'hit the ground running' with a wide variety of clients and their increasing real estate needs; and
WHEREAS, Simultaneously, the two brothers grew the management, investment, and development portfolio to include several shopping centers, numerous free-standing single tenant retail sites, and a high-rise office building; and
WHEREAS, In 1999, Jeff Kahn left the company to pursue another venture, while Jim continued to focus the company on the brokerage, management, redevelopment, and acquisition of retail commercial real estate; and
WHEREAS, During this period of time, Bruce Goodman became associated with Kahn and Company and was active with the firm for 6 years before pursuing other opportunities. Bruce's contributions remain highly regarded and appreciated by The Kahns, and their relationship continues as colleagues in the general field; and
WHEREAS, Early in 2008, Kahn & Co. welcomed Greg Jones, formerly of Metro Commercial Real Estate, as a member and Vice President. Greg's strategic addition has allowed the company to expand its' services in the Tenant and Landlord representation arena, as well as procuring new investment and development opportunities throughout the Suburban Philadelphia Marketplace; now, therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby recognize Kahn and Company Real Estate on the occasion of celebrating their 100th Anniversary.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Charles Kahn, Jr. as evidence of the sincere sentiments and recognition of this legislative body.
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