By Haley Brennan on Monday, June 19th, 2017
Over the weekend, the real estate community lost a prominent industry leader. Jim Stanton leaves his real estate footprint throughout the Twin Cities on over 6,000 home sites in 28 cities in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
“Jim Stanton always had his eye on the next project whether it be development or industry advocacy efforts. He absolutely believed in homeownership as a core value,” said Bill Wald, Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® CEO. Stanton would say, “I don’t lose money in real estate; in the stock market who’s to know.” He was developing downtown condos during the housing recovery at a time when few others were breaking ground on new projects.
Stanton was not just a home builder or even a condo developer—he built communities. Large swaths of the North Metro were created because of his vision. Downtown condos were being built in an era post housing crisis when no one was building condos. Today, many parcels across Lakeville and Shakopee exist as they do in large part thanks to him.
He was quick with an anecdote, joke, story, anything for a laugh. He was hard-nosed in business, willing to stand up for what is right, but never took himself so seriously as to not have time to chat. His legacy will live on for decades—he laid the brickwork that makes up our communities.
Our deepest condolences to the Stanton family.
