Honoring a Legend.
A fixture in Colorado real estate development for over five decades, Jim started SullivanHayes Realty Partners in 1978. He grew the company over the course of three decades, winning numerous awards for excellence in design and development for projects including: the City of Westminster for Towne Center at Brookhill in 1986 and 1989 and for City Center Marketplace in 1997. In 1995, SullivanHayes received the National Economic Development Partnership Award for redeveloping the Westland Towne Center in Lakewood, Colorado. Jim was also awarded the coveted ICSC Design Award in 1997. SullivanHayes Companies has been judged by the National Mall Monitor as one of the top 50 center developers in the United States.
After selling SullivanHayes in 2010, Jim continued to partner with companies, both national and local, large and small, to make their vision a reality. Well-known far and wide in commercial real estate, construction, development, brokerage, and leasing, Jim will always be remembered for his one-in-a-million sense of humor, his love for his friends and family, and his belief that nothing matters more than the relationships you build along the way.
Remembering James Michael Sullivan
1949–2024
May 12, 1949
Jim was born in Chicago, Illinois, the oldest of four siblings.
1960s
1968 Jim was drafted into the Army, serving two tours in Vietnam as a Sniper and Squad leader in the 75th Ranger Division attached to the 101st Airborne. Jim served with distinction, earning many medals, including three Purple Hearts & Silver Star Medals, the United States Armed Forces's third-highest military decoration for valor in combat.
1970s
In December 1970, Jim was discharged from Ft. Carson, CO, and wound up in Greeley, CO, ready to “try college on,” but mostly managed a bar that booked live shows. There, he met his 1st ex, swooped her off her feet, and married her, much to her Italian father’s dismay.
1972 Jim had his first child named Leigh Christine after Jim’s high school sweetheart “Christine Leigh”(swear to god)!
1975 Jim got his first big boy job at Grubb & Ellis.
After receiving his first commission check, Jim spent it on office space in Downtown Denver and went into business for himself, founding Sullivan & Co.
1978 Jed Hayes joins Sullivan & Co.
1979 Jim and his buddies started a ski pole manufacturing business, Whatley Ski Poles. After much success, the guys rolled their earnings into the next adventure.
1980s
The Real Estate Market shifted from a massive boom to a slow-moving pace.
1981 Sullivan & Co becomes SullivanHayes. Jim wanted to be the largest retail real estate firm and Colorado developer. So, he set out to build and design unique projects across Colorado and beyond.
1985 Jim and friends got involved in a TV movie, “Going For The Gold: A Bill Johnson Story,” starring Anthony Edwards and Sarah Jessica Parker. Jim also has a tiny role in the film; he plays a reporter.
January 1, 1986 Jim becomes John Joseph's father.
In 1987, Jim and his friends decided to open a nightclub in a shopping center that Jim had developed in Westminster, CO, called CLUB LA. Jim was in a Miami Vice phase, so he painted his nightclub with 12-foot tall bronze palm trees and filled the 30,000 sq foot space with rock n’ roll, movie, and sports memorabilia.
1990s
Jim files for bankruptcy.
1992 Jim gets hired by the City of Lakewood to redevelop Westland Shopping Center. Jim is back on top!
1995 Jim becomes a grandfather to Mackenzie. Jim was born to be a grandfather and will always be fondly remembered for creating wholesome breakfasts of Diet Coke and donut holes for Mackenzie.
1998 Jim and friends get a hair-brained idea to take a shitty old rundown building and fix it up (kind of). They named it Jimmy’s Grill and held the number one Corona account in the U.S. for many years, serving Mexican food with live reggae music TH-S became real thing. On the day Jimmy’s closed, there were many tears because of how much that goofy place meant so much to many people.
2000s
2004 Jim sells SullivanHayes to Michael Chang, John Liprando, Dan Miller, and Tom Castle.
2005 Jim and partners Charlie Huang, Steve Farber, and Leigh Sullivan opened their first restaurant in Cherry Creek.
2006 Sullivan Restaurant Group is born, opening restaurants nine75, emogene, Ocean and Oscar’s Steakhouse.
2009 Jim welcomes his second granddaughter, Grace Michael, who shares her grandfather’s middle name and his propensity to turn on the charm when in trouble.
2010s
2019 Travis Plakke joins Jim’s new company, Sullivan Real Estate Services, as a commercial real estate broker. Jim, the ultimate control freak, gives up his real estate license and hands it over to Travis, who quickly becomes the managing broker.
2020s
Eagle Rock engages Sullivan Group in a fee development position, and here we are.
In 2024, Jim passed away surrounded by his loving family while listening to The Beatles.
Jim continued to tinker with deals and smaller projects until his death. Jim was an artist who loved seeing beauty in everything around him. He was a true LEGEND who will be missed by everyone who loved him. And to honestly know Jim was to love him.
