A prolific Charlotte developer is retiring after more than three decades

Jim Dulin, co-founder of Charlotte real estate firm Spectrum Companies, said on Monday that he plans to retire after 35 years at the firm.

Dulin’s retirement will be effective at the end of 2017, though the company said he will play a “strategic role” in some of Spectrum’s ongoing developments through 2019. Dulin co-founded the company in 1982 and has seen it through several of Charlotte’s ensuing boom-and-bust cycles.

“Jim’s creativity, passion and drive really set the tone that Spectrum strives to meet every day,” said Darryl Dewberry, the company’s chairman and CEO, in a statement.

Dulin, formerly chairman of the company, will be closing his career on a high note. The company held a ribbon-cutting last week for 300 South Tryon, the 25-story office tower it developed along with the 217-room Kimpton Tryon Park hotel. The $330 million project is owned by asset management firm Barings on behalf of its parent MassMutual.

Earlier this year, Spectrum rebranded and shuffled its top leadership, as well as announcing a new investment fund that’s expected to fuel up up to a half-billion dollars of new developments, such as apartments and commercial buildings.

“Jim’s leadership has produced a lasting legacy in Charlotte from his pivotal role in the land swap that resulted in Romare Bearden Park and BB&T Ballpark to numerous development projects,” said Michael Smith, CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners.

Dulin said he will focus his time now on finding ways to help deal with Charlotte’s growing shortage of affordable housing. He recently served as chairman of a public-private committee studying the issue.

“It has been my honor to work with the talented people at Spectrum for all these years, and I look forward to focusing now on one Charlotte’s biggest challenges – the lack of affordable housing,” said Dulin in a statement. “Many people care about this problem, but business as usual will not solve it. We must organize our efforts and work in a cohesive, strategic way to provide more families the safe, affordable housing they deserve.”

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 11:48 AM with the headline "A prolific Charlotte developer is retiring after more than three decades."