Ken Sheetz
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikitia's general notability guideline. |
Ken Sheetz | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | Kenneth W. Sheetz |
| Citizenship | American |
| Occupation |
|
Kenneth W. Sheetz is an American real estate developer, commercial broker, and filmmaker. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he worked in Chicago commercial real estate and was covered by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times in connection with downtown office development, including One North Franklin and the redevelopment project that became Harpo Studios. He later worked in documentary filmmaking; his 2008 project Kids Talk Politics was covered by Reuters and the Los Angeles Times during the 2008 United States presidential election.
Real estate career
Sheetz worked in Chicago commercial real estate during the 1980s and early 1990s. Contemporary reporting identified him in executive and development roles with Irvine Associates, Oxford Advisors, Oxford Realty Corp., and later Lincoln Property Company.
In 1991, the Chicago Tribune identified Sheetz as managing partner of Oxford Realty Corp. and as a development partner of One North Franklin while reporting on downtown office vacancies and leasing conditions. Earlier coverage in the Chicago Sun-Times identified him as president of Oxford Advisors and quoted him on commercial real estate conditions in Chicago.
One North Franklin
Sheetz was the original developer and managing partner of One North Franklin, a 38-story office building in the Chicago Loop. The Chicago Tribune identified him as managing partner of One North Franklin Associates and development partner of the approximately $150 million project, reporting in 1989 that the building was already about 30 percent leased before its scheduled occupancy.
In 1990, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Bank Administration Institute selected One North Franklin for its headquarters relocation and quoted Sheetz on the building's leasing progress.
Harpo Studios
In 1990, Sheetz was involved in the real estate and redevelopment project that enabled Oprah Winfrey to establish Harpo Studios on Chicago's Near West Side. Chicago Sun-Times commercial real estate editor Jerry C. Davis wrote that Sheetz had “put the deal together” to keep The Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago.
The project combined new construction with rehabilitation of the former Fred A. Miles Studios complex. Subsequent Chicago Sun-Times coverage included the Harpo redevelopment among notable Chicago rehabilitation projects of the period.
Filmmaking
Sheetz later moved into film production and directing. He created and directed A Kid's View of the U.S., which was produced with Wisconsin Public Television and broadcast on PBS during the 2000 United States presidential election season.
In 2008, Sheetz produced Kids Talk Politics, a documentary based on interviews with children about politics and civic issues during the presidential election campaign. The project received coverage from Reuters and the Los Angeles Times.
Selected filmography
- A Kid's View of the U.S. — writer, director, producer
- Kids Talk Politics: A New Puppy in the White House — writer, director, producer
- Zack's Machine — writer, director, producer
- The Flanagan Experiments — writer, director, producer
- Political Cool Down — writer, director, producer
References
External links
This article "Ken Sheetz" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.