Johnson’s forte is taking troubled properties and turning them into successful homes and businesses that benefit communities. The Howard Theatre, for example, was a once beautiful terra cotta landmark that had been vacant for 25 years. Others had tried to redevelop the space but were unsuccessful. Johnson was able to determine how to utilize portions of the old theatre space to make the project feasible. The adaptive mixed-use project received the “Facade of the Year” award from DevCorp in Rogers Park and is now home to 40 families and 15,000 square feet of retail space.

Johnson has applied this same skill and philosophy to numerous projects throughout the Chicagoland area and other secondary cities. In the new construction of affordable and market rate housing, Johnson and his team have managed financing and utilized government options such as tax increment financing.

In the construction of affordable and market rate housing Cornerstone manages financing and government options where others have been less successful. Ninety nine single family homes are being developed at  The Havens on 87th and Parnell in Auburn Gresham,  on land that sat vacant for 50 years.

Cornerstone's property management has a proven reputation for stabilizing troubled properties and for executing complex development projects.

Our development expertise includes projects financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Tax Exempt Bonds, Tax Increment Funding Proceeds, Federal Home Dollars, Community Development Block Grants, various US Department of Housing and Urban Development Multi-Family programs and other sources of public subsidy, in addition to conventional debt and equity.

Johnson has gathered a seasoned staff with the capacity to grow the business into the new century. Together, they continue his vision of creating homes and communities in areas eager for new housing and commercial development.