Chicago Brokers Launch Gemstone Real Estate Partners

he firm is up and running after more than three years of planning, says Michael Burns, the longtime Studley broker who co-founded Gemstone with Mark Katz. According to Burns, Gemstone will focus on value-add opportunities in the office and industrial sector in suburban Chicago, primarily in the $3 million to $30 million range. "Based on our understanding of tenants and landlords in suburban Chicago combined with our insight in repositioning buildings, we have the ability to create value for us and our investors," Burns said.