CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Equity Office, a US office platform wholly-owned by Blackstone’s real estate funds and overseeing approximately 58 million square feet of Class A office space, announced the appointment of Paul Kurzawa as Managing Director of Development. Mr. Kurzawa will initially oversee the redevelopment of Willis Tower, the nation’s second tallest building, acquired by affiliates of Blackstone last year, with upgrades planned for the retail, entertainment and observation components. In addition to his responsibilities for Willis Tower, Mr. Kurzawa will also oversee redevelopment and repositioning strategies for other real estate assets owned or managed by the company.
Mr. Kurzawa joins Equity Office from DreamWorks Animation where he served as Global Head of Retail Development and Entertainment. In this role, he was responsible for the studio’s worldwide retail brand development and integration initiatives.
Mr. Kurzawa has more than 20 years of experience working for some of the most highly respected and successful retail real estate developers in the world including Westfield Group, Jones Lang LaSalle, Lend Lease and Caruso Affiliated. During his tenure at Caruso, The Grove and Americana at Brand in Los Angeles both previously ranked in the top 10 highest sales performing shopping centers in the world.
“I’m excited to welcome Paul to the Equity Office team and to add his extensive experience and creative talent to our quiver of tools for deep value-creation across the portfolio,” said Eli Khouri, President and Chief Executive Officer for Equity Office. “Paul is making an immediate impact; through his leadership and direction, we are re-visioning Willis Tower into the type of world class office, retail and entertainment venue that satisfies the live-work-play lifestyle preferences of today’s modern urban-centric workforce.”
“Paul brings a unique skillset to the company,” said Jon Gray, Global Head of Real Estate for Blackstone. “His experience working for several of the most highly respected and successful real estate developers in the world along with his most recent experience at DreamWorks Animation, will help us reimagine and unlock the full potential at Willis Tower and other company assets.”
About Equity Office
The Equity Office portfolio, encompassing approximately 58 million square feet of Class A office space throughout the U.S., is rich with signature properties in the nation’s leading gateway markets. The company focuses heavily on meeting the current trends and changing strategic needs of companies and our chosen markets. We rely on a connected coalition of informed and market sensitive regional leadership groups made up of seasoned real estate professionals who keenly understand the nuances of their individual markets. With an average tenure of over 25 years in the real estate industry, our regional leaders also head teams with deep experience across the board from investment and asset management, to property management, development and construction. Our regional operations draw on the financial power and legendary prestige of one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the nation. As an affiliate of Blackstone, a pre-eminent global asset manager providing significant financial strength and long-term stability, we are extremely well capitalized. Please visit www.equityoffice.com for more information.
About Willis Tower
As the second tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth tallest building in the world, the Willis Tower offers more than 4.5 million square feet of premier office and retail space. Located at 233 S. Wacker Drive, the skyscraper is centrally situated between the city’s financial and cultural hub of the Loop and the dynamic West Loop, home to several of Chicago’s top restaurants and shops. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Willis Tower has remained a fixture of the city’s skyline and apart of the fabric of Chicago’s culture for decades. Originally opened in September 1973 as the Sears Tower, it is home to more than 100 different companies, including prominent financial services firms, law firms and insurance companies. Willis Tower boasts spectacular vistas of Chicago and Lake Michigan, with views that can reach nearly 50 miles on a clear day. The Willis Tower also boasts a tremendous infrastructure system, which includes enormous telecommunications capacity and unsurpassed electrical capacity and reliability. Skydeck Chicago, the highest observation deck in the United States, on the Willis Tower’s 103rd floor attracts more than 1.6 million visitors per year. Since the opening of its newest attraction, The Ledge in 2009, millions of visitors have since experienced this first of its kind attraction. The Ledge’s 4 glass boxes extend 4.3 feet outside the Tower, 1,353 feet above Wacker Drive, with glass on the ceiling, floor and sides, offering a truly an unforgettable experience. willistower.com / theskydeck.com