Hilliker Corporation, St. Louis’ largest locally owned independent commercial real estate brokerage and management firm, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in business. The company was founded in 1985 by Ben Hilliker, who serves as Chief Executive Officer.
Hilliker noted that a major change in the commercial-industrial real estate industry is that there are now few large independent brokerage companies. “We have maintained our independent ownership, name and integrity throughout the years so we can fully control and are solely responsible for the service rendered to our clients.”
According to Hilliker, the St. Louis market has drastically evolved over the past three decades. “In 1985, Downtown St. Louis’ building space focused mainly on office and retail use, while today the area is focusing on residential condominiums,” Hilliker said. “Loft buildings along Washington Avenue west of Tucker sold for $10 per square foot for first level space. Upper level space added nothing to a building’s market value since upper levels had become functionally obsolete for their traditional uses.” He added that, by the mid ‘90s, conversion to residential use was in progress and sale prices of the buildings in unrestored condition jumped to $20 per square foot for all levels.
“When I founded Hilliker Corporation, firms resisted moving to St. Charles County because they feared their customers would feel they had moved out of town,” Hilliker said. “Earth City was as far west as businesses could go along I-70 without crossing the river. Now the St. Charles area is no longer considered ‘out of town’ and is a thriving part of the St. Louis business community.”
Hilliker Corporation, which is located at 1401 S. Brentwood Blvd., serves local, regional and national entrepreneurs, as well as institutions and investors. The firm’s agents, who average over 15 years of experience with Hilliker Corporation, have completed more than 10,000 sales and leases for industrial, office, retail and institutional clients since its inception in 1985.
For more information, contact Ben Hilliker or Meade Summers at (314) 781-0001 or visit their website at www.hilliker.wpengine.com
