Cressy Celebrates 75 Years in the Community
January 11, 2023
As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we take a moment to reflect on the journey that has brought us to where we are today.
Our History
Founded in 1948, our company has grown from humble beginnings. Full of energy and growing families, George Cressy and Ed Everett Jr. joined forces after the war and opened Cressy and Everett Residential. Their combined expertise launched the beginning of what 75 years later is still recognized as one of the most explosive, ethical and forward-thinking companies in the history of Michiana.
George and Ed were buying, selling, and developing from the beginning. As the business grew, a move was made to the corner of Belmont and Eddy Streets, adding the area’s first drive-in office. This novel idea proved to be extremely popular with customers and widely covered by local newspapers.
It was the beginning of America’s love affair with the automobile and George and Ed capitalized on that. Buyers and sellers enthusiastically embraced their customer-friendly concept. Offering the house hunter a billboard display located at the edge of the parking lot, and without leaving the car, buyers could look at homes including the address, price, and required down payment. After driving to view the potential homes of interest, customers would often drive back to Cressy and Everett, go inside and write an offer.
After college in the mid ’60s, George and Ed’s two sons, Don Cressy and Ed Everett III, entered the business, bringing the company to twelve members. From the ‘60s to the ‘80s, they developed Winding Brook Park, University Park Mall (the 3rd largest retail corridor in the state), and Edison Lakes (700 acres of annexed land adjoining the Grape Road corridor).
We began as a residential firm that naturally expanded into commercial real estate as a means of better serving the Michiana community The vision was to create a mixed-use master plan development which would encompass office, retail, medical, hotel, residential, and multi-family components.
In 1987, Cressy Commercial became a separate entity. The next 20 years, we developed Princess City Plaza (where you see Old Navy, PetSmart, and Kohls) and Main Street Marketplace (home to retailers like Starbucks and Jimmy Johns). In 2017, we acquired the NAI Global affiliation and in 2020 we expanded to Indianapolis.
Now, with over 90 employees and an integrated platform of services including property management, brokerage, maintenance and plumbing, construction and development, and virtual solutions, Cressy Commercial Real Estate is proud to be the only commercial brokerage company in the region with a global network.
Our Why
Over the years, we have weathered many challenges. We have adapted to changing market conditions, embraced new technologies, and expanded our reach to new regions and markets. But through it all, one thing has remained constant: our commitment to doing what’s right.
Don Cressy says, “One of the things that has been stressed from the beginning when my dad, George Cressy, and Ed Everett Senior got out of the service, is that if you treat people right, it will always come back to you tenfold.”
Throughout our history, we have been privileged to work with some of the most talented and dedicated professionals in the industry. From our brokers and maintenance technicians to our support staff and management team, each member of our team has played an important role in our success.
Of course, we could not have achieved our success without the trust and support of our clients. Whether we are working with a small business owner looking for their first office space or a large corporation seeking a global real estate solution, we approach each project with the same level of dedication and professionalism.
Looking to the future, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. Our respective industries are constantly evolving, and we are committed to staying at the forefront of these changes. We will continue to invest in new technologies and tools that allow us to provide even better service to our clients, and we will remain focused on building strong relationships with the communities in which we operate.
As we celebrate this important milestone, we want to thank everyone who has played a part in our success. We look forward to many more years of serving the community and beyond, helping you achieve your goals by doing what’s right.
