Five Black Men Come Together To Develop New High-rise On The South Side Of Chicago

One Black man took a first responder job and turned it into the lifestyle of a lifetime.

Jemal King of Chicago took his police officer job and turned it into a millionaire lifestyle. King has become a real estate developer and is now building a new high-rise on the South Side of Chicago, according to ABC Chicago.

“I want to be a man kids can really, you know, look up to and say like, ‘man, this guy did it, why can’t I?” King asked.

King originally had dreams of going into the NFL, but that didn’t work out, so he went into law enforcement, following in his parents' footsteps.

“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 said.

When doing his officer duties, he invested in real estate, all while keeping his 9-to-5. This is why he became known as the 9-to-5 millionaire.

He’s also part of a group of five Black men called “Model of Transformation.”

“So, you got Mark Beaufort, you got Damen Stuart, you got Gerald Williams and you got Johnny Mullins, and the four of the five of us all have a special gift, that we have a special talent,” King said.

Additionally, the group is behind the development of a $40 million high-rise called, “The Xchange” 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 said.

King said the building will have a black and gold color scheme, which reflects Black American culture. He said he hopes the project will be a beacon of growth in the Chicago community.

“We’re gonna keep rent competitive to what’s already there in the 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,” King said.