Shaped by Xavier, The Georges are Now Transforming Chicago’s Skyline

Mar 10, 2019

When Meg George was a little girl, she would take visits to her father’s office, a high-rise building in the heart of the Windy City, and she would think about how cool it was to be there, to watch him do what he does. Her father, Jack, is a real estate attorney, and for more than 50 years, he’s helped shape the Chicago City skyline, working to help develop some of the largest projects in America. 

After thinking about how cool his job was, it only made sense then for Meg to follow in her father’s footsteps. She did so in more ways than one.

When it came time to go to college, Jack, a Chicago native, chose to attend Xavier because of the Jesuit ideals and the academics.

“I had a wonderful experience,” he says. “I was blessed with some great teachers and it’s a really special place to me. It was a great basis for my education. What they teach is life experiences, and that’s the most meaningful thing.”

In the early 60s, Jack was an applied business economics major, but joined the pre-law society on the advice of a professor. “I was told that I may have a talent in the area, so I gave it a shot,” he says.

It was a good choice. 

Jack graduated in 1963, and ended up going to law school. Then he traveled down the path to real estate law.

When it came time for his daughter to choose a college, she could’ve gone anywhere. She made her visit to Xavier where her older brother was attending the school.

“I just really fell in love with it,” she says. “I loved everything about the school.”

It’s the first time she would follow after her father, but she wasn’t the first child to do so. All three of Jack’s children — two sons along with Meg — would go on to graduate from Xavier.

Meg loved art, so she minored in studio art and majored in international economics. It’s interesting how her future career would employ a combination of the two interests. She lived with 13 other girls in what became a legendary service house across from the campus police station. It was pink, and it was lovingly referred to as the Villa.

Those who lived in it were dubbed Villa Girls, and nearly 20 years later, the group still keep up with one another today via a group text.

“I was always known as the lawyer of the group,” she says. “I thought I could probably do something with it.”

So again, she followed in Jack’s footsteps, attending the same law school (DePaul) to become a lawyer. Eventually she made her way to real estate law as well. It was a bit of a combination of business and art, just like the classes she took at Xavier.

Eventually, she began to wonder what it would be like to work with her father. She thought if the opportunity arose, she would love a chance. The two discussed it, and they decided if they could, they would do it.

Two years ago, a respected firm reached out to her and three other lawyers (including her father) to see if they were interested in joining their team, and the answer was obvious.

“It’s really been wonderful,” Meg says. “We’ve had the opportunity to work on a couple of cases together, to sit right next to each other, bounce ideas off each other.”

One of the projects they worked on together? The redevelopment of Chicago’s legendary Union Station, which included a hotel, retail, parking and 1.5 million square feet of office space.

Joel Carlins, co-CEO of Magellan Development, has utilized Jack’s skills for virtually all of their Chicago developments, spanning the last 20 years — huge projects that have changed the city’s skyline.

“We have, during that time, developed approximately 40 mixed-use residential developments with an aggregate of about 15,000 residential units, hotels, commercial and retail uses,” Carlins told Leading Lawyers magazine. “Our Lakeshore East Development is approximately 27 acres of land, pre-zoned, with a flexible formula for use, and it enables us to develop approximately 10 million square feet of mixed uses. It is one of the largest urban developments in the country and what we consider ‘a village in the heart of the city.’

“We also are currently developing Vista, which will be the third-tallest residential development in Chicago consisting of 101 stories, all of which have had the assistance of Jack, with respect to various requirements including all zoning and most governmental approvals required. I consider Jack also a very good friend and can attest to his qualities of truth, ethics and integrity.”

Not a bad recommendation. Meg handles many of the same tasks, and one project keeping her busy is the new Time Out food hall and market planned for 916 W. Fulton St.

The 50,000 square foot renovated building will feature restaurants, three bars, a demonstration kitchen and a retail area.

While they work together to help shape Chicago’s real estate world, they still feel the love for their alma mater. Jack, 79, has three children and two nephews who are Xavier alumni. He and his wife Mary Jo, who have been married 40 years, are members of The 1831 Society. And his co-workers immediately know where his allegiance lies — he has a “Xavier Dad” coffee mug sitting on his desk.

Meg, 37, has a 6-year-old daughter, Grace. Will she be the next in line to go to Xavier? “I hope so,” Meg says.

“Academically, it was a great school,” Jack says, “but what we learned about philosophy, family and the service of others, that’s what makes it second to none.”

Photo credits: Leading Lawyers magazine. Used with permission.