Jemal King is holding on to his commitment to provide financial security to his family.
WLS-7 in Chicago, IL, reports King once desired to play in the NFL. However, the goal never materialized, and he chose to become a police officer instead.
“I said to myself that just because I didn’t make it to the NFL did not mean that the vision and the dream I had, taking care of my family, that didn’t have to stop,” King told WLS-7.
While maintaining his 9-5 job as an officer, King decided to venture into the real estate industry. He saw great success and came to be known as the “9-to-5 millionaire” the outlet notes.
King is also part of a real estate group that includes Mark Beaufort, Damen Stuart, Gerald Williams and Johnny Mullins. The five men started the group called “Model of Transformation,” which is behind a $40 million high-rise building that will honor Black American culture.
The 17-story development project named “The Xchange” will be located at 72nd Street and Exchange Avenue in the South Shore neighborhood.
“It’s gonna be 17 stories. It’s gonna overlook Lake Michigan. It’s going to be 120 luxury units, going to have anywhere from four to eight commercial spaces, which is going to house some of the finest restaurants,” King explained, per the outlet.
He also mentioned, “We’re gonna keep rent competitive to what’s already there in area, you know, especially from the Hyde Park area, South Shore area. We’re not trying to rent gouge. We want this development to be for the community.”
Staying true to their word, the partners plan to launch architecture, development and entrepreneurship programs, which will greatly benefit the youth.
Construction is set to start in spring 2024, and the project is expected to be finalized toward the end of 2025.
“The one thing that I want a kid to know 100 years from now, when they walk past, that this building was developed by five men who just believed that all things was possible,” King explained, per the outlet.
