The Team
JOHN KANE
As Chairman and CEO of Raleigh-based Kane Realty Corporation, John Kane is dedicated to the goal of creating irresistible places where people will naturally want to gather, including Raleigh's North Hills. Kane's vision for the transformation of North Hills into a multi-block district of office, residential, hotel, entertainment and retail has become a reality – what people are now calling "Midtown Raleigh".
John Kane formed Kane Realty Corporation in 1978 to develop a range of property types, including regional malls, neighborhood and community shopping centers and office buildings.
In addition to his activity in commercial real estate, Kane founded Athletic Clubs, Inc. through which he developed and became a partner in five full service athletic clubs. In 2003, Athletic Clubs entered into a partnership with substantial owners of Gold's Gym International.
In 1999, Kane acquired Raleigh's North Hills Plaza, then anchored by Winn Dixie and neglected into obsolescence by a series of institutional investor owners. His vision for North Hills Plaza was of a shopping center that provided both essential and luxury retail for the immediate neighborhood and beyond. Today, this first phase of the North Hills project combines Harris Teeter, Kerr Drugs and a host of service retailers with upscale fashion, accessories, restaurants and antiques shops. The property has been described as "Raleigh's version of Madison Avenue" by the News & Observer.
With the acquisition of the former North Hills Mall in 2000, Kane's vision expanded into the realm of mixed-use. At North Hills, Kane is creating a district of complementary uses, including a hotel, condominium residences; luxury rental condominiums, a theatre, a spa, a world-class athletic club, upscale retail and a full spectrum of dining establishments and sidewalk cafes. Working closely with the surrounding neighborhoods, Kane has created a district that will invite gathering and a place that will positively change the quality of life in Raleigh.
